2000 windstar grinding noise when breaking at slow speeds.then abs light comes on

[dannymurphy]

please help i just bought a 2000 windstar as a second vehicle. i fixed a bunch of stuff with the front suspension. ball joints, wheel bearings, back breaks also but thevan grinds when i try to stop at slow speeds. it dosent happen all the time but if it happens to or three times in a row then my abs light comes on and stays on then after i turn off the van it starts grinding again. the grinding sounds like an electric motar kicking in like the rad fan or something, the break pedle kind of shakes and then after i stop sometimes the electric motar sound continues untill i pump the breaks again

sorry about the long explination but i figure more detail the better
any one have any suggestions

i checked all my fuses they look ok
i checked the brakefluid level is unchanged since i got her done at garage
when i bought van i checked all fluids before going out on the highway and the brake resivour was almost empty. i dont know how ling the prevois owner drove the van with low fliud
also i havent noticed any leaks

please help

[2kwindstar]

i have the same symptom. might not the same cause though. the fix was replacing the vehicle speed sensor due to there's visual damage on it. I think the damage was caused by the snow chain I put on during a trip to Oregon.

In the mean time you could pull the 2 abs fuse under the hood to disable abs. that way you could still safely operate the brake while getting the stuff fixed

hope that helps

[mark v]

Test the OHM's of the speed sensors, IIRC they should be between 1800 and 2200 OHM's.

Also you you said back brakes, did you check the front brakes?

[dannymurphy]

thanks for the advice
which fuses are those???
there are 2 under the hood that are labeled abs something or other in the owners manual i guess thatr they are the ones you mean

as for the breaks the guys at the shop said the front ones were fine i never actually eyeballed them myself but these guys do all my work so they wont screw me around

any way ill look into those speed sensors

[2kwindstar]

Originally Posted by dannymurphy

thanks for the advice
which fuses are those???
there are 2 under the hood that are labeled abs something or other in the owners manual i guess thatr they are the ones you mean

that should be it. With them pulled you now have no abs function and the abs light will stay on. not a long term solution but at least you can brake now while getting it fixed.

[dannymurphy]

i pulled the 2 fuses and it disables the abs the light comes on and the terriable grinding has stopped. thank god!! also it dosent seem to have to affected any other systems
how long can i drive my van like this. can i get rid of anti lock brakes. ive never had them on a vehicle before and they seem to be a pain in my ass

thanks for the prompt responses

[mark v]

I know on some cars you pull the ABS fuse and you loose the Speedometer too.

[mark v]

You can drive like this forever if you wish, or till you rear end something cause you lost control braking because the vehicle was designed for ABS control. I know when my 1998 Windstar's ABS sensor went out, it was easy to lock up the van and have it spin wildly out of control on gravel at a stop sign. $60 later and the ABS is working again.

Insurance companies do not like when their clients disable safety systems, especially braking systems.

[bigggroomer]

Originally Posted by mark v

You can drive like this forever if you wish, or till you rear end something cause you lost control braking because the vehicle was designed for ABS control. I know when my 1998 Windstar's ABS sensor went out, it was easy to lock up the van and have it spin wildly out of control on gravel at a stop sign. $60 later and the ABS is working again.

Insurance companies do not like when their clients disable safety systems, especially braking systems.

What was the $60 for?

[mark v]

A right front ABS sensor.

Originally Posted by bigggroomer

What was the $60 for?