ABS Warning Light Explained: Causes, Can You Drive, Repair Costs, and Precautions

If your warning light comes on, read this article first
👉 VW Warning Lights Guide

If the ABS warning light turns on while driving,
“Will the brakes not work?”
or “Should I stop now?”
You will be worried.

ABS is an important function that prevents tires from locking up during sudden braking, but
even if the warning light is on, “normal braking works”, so there is no need to panic.

However, safety is reduced on wet roads and snowy roads,
so it is important to know the cause and deal with it as soon as possible.

In this article, we summarize the meaning of ABS warning lights
that are common in VW, common causes, whether they can be driven or not, and an estimate of repair costs.

Meaning of ABS warning light (color, on/flashing, what does it indicate)

The ABS warning light is a light that indicates an abnormality in the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and
is yellow on VW.

The basics of ABS lamps

• Yellow light: ABS function not working
• Almost no flashing: basically light display
• It is normal to turn on for a moment when starting the engine

As long as the ABS does not work, normal braking force (braking according to the force of the step) is maintained.

3 points to check first (color/lighting pattern/situation)

(1) Is it really an ABS lamp?

VW has many types of lamps,
so it can be confused with “tire slip mark (ESC)”.

ABS stands for “ABS” on a round icon.

(2) When it is lit

• Immediately after starting the engine
• On a rainy day or after passing a puddle
• After
  climbing up the step, it will give you a hint of the cause.

(3) Simultaneous lighting of other warning lights

• EPC
• ESC (Electronic Skid Protection)
• Tire pressure

If these are attached at the same time, it may affect a wide range of sensors and control systems.

Common causes of ABS warning lights (organized for VW)

Here are some of the most common things you can see at VW in order.

(1) ABS wheel speed sensor failure

This pattern is the most common.
The sensor installed on each tire cannot read the rotation, and the ABS determines that it is abnormal.

(2) Sensor wiring disconnection or poor contact

Wiring may be damaged due to freezing, bumps, and bouncing pebbles in winter.

(3) Abnormal hub bearing (defective built-in magnetic ring)

In some VW models, if the magnetic ring built into the hub side weakens, it will cause
“sensor abnormalities”.

👉 What is the cost and effectiveness of [hub bearing replacement]? Noise countermeasures and driving performance improvement! Important maintenance to protect VW

(4) Failure inside the ABS unit

Although rare, electrical problems may occur inside the control unit.
It is suspected when multiple warning lights are turned on at the same time.

(5) Voltage drop (battery deterioration)

When the voltage is unstable, multiple lamps, including ABS, may light up.

👉Common battery failures and repair costs in VW cars

Driving when the ABS lamp is on

Cases where you can drive

• Only the warning light is on
• The brakes work as usual
• No abnormal noise or vibration

It is possible to drive on a daily basis, but the tires are more likely to lock up during hard braking because the ABS does not work.
Caution is especially necessary on wet roads and snowy roads.

Cases when not to drive

• Metallic sound when braking
• The pedal vibrates
• Multiple warning lights are on at the same time (ABS+ESC+EPC, etc.)
• The speed display is strange due to sensor disconnection.

In this case, it may be a significant decrease in safety, so it is recommended to inspect it.

Diagnosis and repair flow (general procedure using a diagnostic machine)

ABS abnormalities are difficult to determine visually,
so reading the error code on a diagnostic machine (OBD) is the starting point.

The general flow is as follows:

• Reading Error Codes
• Check the speed of each tire with actual measured values
• Sensor and wiring inspection
• Hub Health Check
• Replacement of necessary parts
• Rediagnosis

VW often has wheel speed sensor failures,
so it is common to check from there first.

👉Causes and what to do when the ABS warning light comes on|Practical example of wheel speed sensor replacement seen in Tiguan

Estimated repair cost (common examples at VW)

*Varies depending on the model and year.

👉Summary of maintenance and custom costs & working days of VW specialty store Nile Plus

What happens if left unattended?

Leaving the ABS warning light unattended poses the following risks:

• Tire lock during sudden braking
• Posture becomes unstable depending on road conditions
• ESC (electronic stability control system) becomes unusable
• Very dangerous in rainy and snowy weather
• It can also affect other control systems

Even if the normal brakes are working,
you need to be careful because the “sense of security during sudden braking” is greatly impaired.

Information to prepare before consulting with a specialized factory

Telling them the following will make the diagnosis smoother.

• When it was lit
• Is it on a wet road or immediately after passing a bump?
• Is the speedometer working normally?
• Have you recently changed tires and brakes?
• Presence or absence of other warning lights

The point of diagnosis of ABS is “which tire sensor is not read”.

FAQ

Q1. Can I drive with the ABS light on?

Normally, the brakes work, but the ABS does not. Particular attention should be paid to rainy weather and snowy roads.

Q2. Why does it light up when I go through a puddle?

If water gets on the sensor part, it may malfunction. It can also disappear when it dries.

Q3. Is it because of ABS that the speedometer stopped working?

Since the wheel speed sensor is common, a failure can affect the speedometer.

Q4. It suddenly disappeared while driving, is it okay?

It may temporarily return to normal, but it is recommended to have it checked because it is easy to recur.

Q5. What is the most common cause?

In VW, wheel speed sensor failure is the most common.

Defect details by vehicle type

Although the “way of getting out” the defect is similar, “which model has many problems” is slightly different for each car model.
Trends by vehicle model and common breakdown cases among other owners are summarized on the following page.