Vehicle: 2000 Toyota Tundra Access Cab SR5, 2WD, V8-4.7L (2UZ-FE), Automatic Transmission/Transaxle

Mileage: 168,221 miles

Problem: The customer just had all brake pads, calipers and wheel cylinders, as well as both front ABS sensors replaced at another shop. After the repairs, the owner noticed that when slowing down to stop or for a speed bump, the ABS would shudder and shake as if the brakes were slipping or the tires had lost traction.

Case Details: The technician confirmed that the tires were all the same size, and that the tread depth and tire pressures were equal. With the basics out of the way, he decided to bleed the brakes to eliminate the possibility of any air in the system. That did not fix the problem. His scan tool was able to give him live data and some diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) that indicated irregular voltage to the ABS motor and faulty wheel speed sensors (WSS).

At this point he called ALLDATA Tech-Assist. The consultant advised having someone go along for a test drive so the technician could monitor live ABS data on a scan tool to determine which WSS was affected. They could also scan all the modules for DTCs.

On the test drive, all the WSS signals were erratic. When the technician got back to the shop, he checked all four WSSs. The front ones were brand new. The rear sensors looked old and dirty but seemed to be working about the same as the front sensors.

Confirmed Repair: The technician decided to remove all the sensors to clean them. He also cleaned each wheel’s tone ring metal teeth. Some were very dirty. After that, he erased the DTCs and gave the truck a good drive. The ABS light stayed off and the brakes worked as designed. Simple fix!