How are Brake Pressure Sensor issues diagnosed?
When a technician enters a vehicle with an anti lock braking system (ABS), traction control (TC) of some kind, and theses systems have warning lights on, the first thing that technician will think is that the problem is not the typical wheel speed sensor. That is because the 'BRAKE' warning lamp will be illuminated. First, they will set and release the parking brake, to test for normal operation, then, a professional grade scanning tool will be used to read fault codes for the ABS control module. There, the technician will see fault codes indicating brake pressure is incorrect, and he or she will proceed to view the operation of the sensor. If the sensor is reporting information correctly, the brake system will be diagnosed for pressure loss or leaks.
How are Brake Pressure Sensors replaced?
If the brake fluid pressure sensor is at fault, the technician will either remove the sensor by unscrewing the sensor from its mounting location or disconnecting brake lines running in and out of the sensor. Most commonly, the brake pressure sensor will be mounted on the master cylinder or the ABS hydraulic control unit. Once removed, the new sensor can be installed and connected electronically. Depending on the location, the brake system, including the master cylinder, may have to be bled of air before the technician may test the operation of the brakes and new brake pressure sensor.
RepairPal Recommendations for Brake Pressure Sensor issues
If the manufacturer specified maintenance calls for flushing the brake system, now is a good time to have that done under one of two conditions. That is, if the interval for completing the service is coming up very soon, or the maintenance interval has elapsed. If the service has been done on time, or it is not due for quite some time, skip it to avoid an unnecessary charge. In the event the owner's manual does not suggest a mileage or age to flush the brake system, there are scheduled maintenance lists for most vehicles on RepairPal.com.