[850T Ltd. Ed.]

The dreaful mileage for a 1996 850 (less than 73,000 miles). My Trac and ABS lights are coming on sporadically. Does anyone know the life expectancy of a new ABS modulator for a 1996 850? Have the manufacturers made any improvements to them them since 1996? Would hate to buy a new one and only have it go out on me in another 72,000 miles. Thanks.

[Vitor]

The life expectancy of the 96 and newer ABS Cotrol Units is about 80,000 miles or 5 years. After that all units will eventually fail.
ATE (Manufactures the units for Volvo, VW, Jaguar) has made two major attempts to correct the faulty design, with not much success.
A new ABS Unit will have the same design flaws as the older units being replaced.
Here's my take on this ABS issue.
Vitor's ABS web site
Click on the ABS / TRACS Repair link.

This post has been edited by Vitor: 26 March 2004 - 03:30 PM

[jb7073]

Got with Vitor if you want to get your module replaced. I'm at 7mo and counting, and I got mine before he went with the 6mo warrenty. In that time I've put on over 15k mi and the abs and tracs has always worked. Can't say that for before I had it repaired.

Save yourself some money and get a better product! Go with Vitor

[Drew]

Got with Vitor if you want to get your module replaced.  I'm at 7mo and counting, and I got mine before he went with the 6mo warrenty.  In that time I've put on over 15k mi and the abs and tracs has always worked.  Can't say that for before I had it repaired.

Save yourself some money and get a better product!  Go with Vitor

Did mine too :wink:

[Lmohaxx]

Me too!.. Great guy to deal with and very fast!

[Bay13]

The ABS/TRACS module will in time need Victors repair or need replacing, one additional item for the 1996 is that you could also need a wiring harness repair where the wheel sensors are crimped. Read the post in the maintenance section that talks about it.

[Mesoam]

i have a somewhat similar problem but i think mine relates to the ignition. When i go to start my car and if i turn the key hard and far the abs/tracs lights will come on and if you use the shift lock over ride to get into gear the speedo won't work. BUT to fix this all i have to do is turn the key back towards me just a tad, its like there is a litttttttttttle bit of movement. Any one heard of this?

[Bay13]

Yes, heard of it and there is a post in the repairs section that tells how to fix the problem.

Replacing the Electricial Portion Of the Ignition Switch

[RWagin]

I did a search and found this thread, my ABS/Trac Off light came on yesterday. It is off now and I wanted to share how I did it.

To start this is the second Volvo 850 I have seen this trick work on. I first did this on my 93 850GLT.

If the trac/ABS lights come on I get on a straight long stretch of road and get up to a speed of about 40-50 mph and put the car in neutral. I shut the car off (DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK) and then turn the ignition until I see the lights go thru the cycle and start the car, the ABS/TRAC lights should go off. Twice this has worked for me in getting the lights to go off. I do not know what this actually does, it may trick the module but it has worked in the past.

I know there is a self test of the ABS system at about 18-20 mph (you can hear it) and I think that performing this "trick?" has something to do with that, just thought I would put this out.

[Vitor]

1993 ABS units are almost bullet-proof. Very different than 1996 and later.
1996 and newer units fail at a very high rate.

What you did to reset the light is have the ABS unit perform a self test, if nothing wrong is found the ABS light will turn OFF.
Once the problem repeats, the ABS light will turn ON again.
This will start happening at shorter intervals once the weather starts getting warmer.
If your ABS unit has not been replaced yet, it is probably showing the early signs of failure.

We all wish it would be this easy to fix the ABS failure.
We would even try to do the hoky poky, turn around and fix the ETMs.