ABS Problem

[John C]

1996 Impreza 2000 Turbo UK car 76000 miles.

Had it 3 days and tonight the ABS warning light came on I noticed it
after I stopped whilst idling, turned the engine off and then turned
the ignition on without starting, the ABS light came on then off for
about 4 seconds them came on and stayed on, as I was not moving I
assumed that it was not a sensor, I then notice a loud buzzing under
the bonnet, open it and it was coming from a black box to the o/s of
the ABS unit, gave it a tap and it stopped buzzing, turned the
ignition off and on and the ABS light turned off, in the black box
was a abs relay and something that looked like a relay with no
markings and a resistor, my guess is that I should replace the
relay, am I right or should I be looking else where, should I go to
any spares shop for a relay or can someone recommend an online
retailer.

Hope it is something simple or the wife will give me an ear
battering, i.e I told you so, should have done up the kitchen with
the money you spent on the car.

John

 

[Robert L. Wilson]

I posted a couple of things here recently re what I suspect is the same
problem, observed in my '95 OBW. It was the valve control relay in the ABS
control box, and there was a change in production some time in '96 to put in
an improved relay.
Here in the midwestern US you can get the relay from a dealer for almost
$100, but I got instead an equivalent relay for less than $4 from an
electronic supply house. But, if you just disconnect the relay and reconnect
it there is a good chance the problem will go away, at least for a long time
at which point you can repeat the "cure". The black plastic cover over two
relays unclips, then the relays can be unplugged, and just moving the relay
around to different orientations and putting it back was enough to fix mine.
I now have the cheap spare relay in the tool box in the car, but the
original has now been working for another couple of months and several
thousand miles. I did put the new one in just long enough to check that it
works. This is a very standardized relay available from several
manufacturers.
Bob Wilson

 

[Tony Hwang]

1996 Impreza 2000 Turbo UK car 76000 miles.

Had it 3 days and tonight the ABS warning light came on I noticed it
after I stopped whilst idling, turned the engine off and then turned
the ignition on without starting, the ABS light came on then off for
about 4 seconds them came on and stayed on, as I was not moving I
assumed that it was not a sensor, I then notice a loud buzzing under
the bonnet, open it and it was coming from a black box to the o/s of
the ABS unit, gave it a tap and it stopped buzzing, turned the
ignition off and on and the ABS light turned off, in the black box
was a abs relay and something that looked like a relay with no
markings and a resistor, my guess is that I should replace the
relay, am I right or should I be looking else where, should I go to
any spares shop for a relay or can someone recommend an online
retailer.

Hope it is something simple or the wife will give me an ear
battering, i.e I told you so, should have done up the kitchen with
the money you spent on the car.

John

Hi,
Checked brake fluid level?
Tony

 

[John C]

Which one do I replace the one with ABS and diagram on the back, or the
other with a stork/handle/cross type stick moulded on the back with no
writing on it

John

 

[John C]

I Will check fluid but surly that cannot cause a buzzing from the relay
area.

John

 

[Chip Gallo]

I Will check fluid but surly that cannot cause a buzzing from the
relay area.

John

The ABS buzzing is a known issue with (at least) the 1995 Legacy wagon. Ours
did it, continued after the car was turned off and ran down the battery.
According to my used car buying guide, there is a modified relay available.
Oddly enough, my Subaru trained mechanic didn't seem to know about it.

Chip Gallo
www.chipster.biz

 

[John C]

Brake fluid level was fine, and as chip described the ABS relay buzzed even
with the ignition off until I banged it.

John