On my '91 9K CDT the problem turned out to be water getting into the large connector that attaches the wiring harness to the ABS computer. Computer is in front of the driver under the plastic cover just in front of the windshield wipers. Saab even issued a fix for dealers to do. It consisted of drilling a hole at the bottom of the connector cover to let water drain out - pretty bandaid like if you ask me. The moisture gets in there either due to rain or condensation after the putty like sealing compound that seals where the wires enter the connector hardens and cracks etc. Unfortunately this ends up corroding the back side of the connectors where the wires are soldered / crimped into the connector clips. When one or more of the blue wires looses connection completely the intermittent ABS light behavior starts. The blue wires, I think are power wires and there are 3 or 4 so sometimes the unit works and sometimes it doesnt.

Sorry for the bad news - the problem can be hard to fix. I am not fixing mine due to cost, and the ABS works 70% of the time. My dealer used his special tool ($230 from Saab for a set of 4 tweezers to pull the individual connector clips) to try and pull the pins that were corroded on my car and could not. The only options offered to me were change the wiring harness (over my and my car's dead bodies) or buy a used connector and splice each of some 35 wires - possible but I'll take a rain check.

If you feel adventuresome and try to open the back cover of the connector - secured by one screw be careful, just the twisting and pulling might pull some of the corroded wires loose depending on how close they were to giving up the ghost.

Oh and do the drill the hole per Saab's instructions, it will reduce further corrosion.

• ABS system, Gary C, Thu, 17 May 2001 11:45:08
  • Re: ABS system, Jay K, Thu, 17 May 2001 20:34:40 <-- Viewing This Message
  • Re: ABS system, Ari , Thu, 17 May 2001 12:19:17
    • Where are the wheel sensors and what do they look like? n/m, DanL, Thu, 17 May 2001 21:28:40
  • Re: ABS system, Jim Kane, Thu, 17 May 2001 12:09:53

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