Hi

I am facing a strange problem with my RX300 1999.
whenever I apply the break at a speed between 20 and 40, I can feel the ABS engaging, no matter what the road condition is.
I accelerated above 40 and applied the break and the ABS didn't engage unless the road is slippery.

I went to 2 different mechanics with 2 different scanners, and none of them could enter the ABS diagnostics. it seems only a Lexus scan tool can access it.

Any idea why it is engaging at low speed only ?


Best Regards
Bassem

 

Start with cleaning the ABS sensors: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=285023

 

i had a broken abs ring on my rear axle/driveshaft. mine actually had teeth missing. i had the same symptoms as you. the abs would engage ever so slightly at slow speeds and the brake pedal would pulse, sometimes a clicking noise would be heard as well.

the shaft assembly for my right rear was replaced. the part was just about $600. i know some on this forum have done this repair them selves: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...le#post3645524 and saved money. i just let lexus do it and the labor was about $230.

i realize this may not be your problem, just wanted to throw it out there for you to consider. take it to lexus to evaluate perhaps, then if it is that, you might want to do the repair yourself to save money.

 

I too would start by cleaning the sensors, they are near the drive axles.

 

Thank you guys for your valuable information and support.
here is an update to my situation. I managed to borrow a lexus scantool and I got the following DTC

- 11 ABS Solenoid Relay Circuit
- 33 Right Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit

are those codes related ? which means can DTC 11 be the reason of DTC 33 ?
or they are 2 different problems ?


Regards
Bassem

 

They are separate.

The 11 code is related purely to either ABS & TRAC solenoid relay or the ABS & TRAC solenoid relay circuit. It's morel likely related to the fuse in your fusebox regarding the ABS sensor.

33 is related to the speed sensor or the rotor on the wheel.

I'd take a look at the sensor and see if has any accumulation on it.

I personally like the vehicle without ABS so I pulled the plug on it.

 

Hi, I have the same problem on my 1999 RX300, and will try to clean the sensor, since the Lexus service quoted me $2700 just for the parts of the 2 rear axles!

If the cleaning of the sensor doesn't work though, I am interested to know how you pull the plug on the ABS. Is it as simple as removing the ABS Fuse (and is that a bolt through fuse)?

Thanks!!

 

As I recall (since I don't have my RX300 in front of me), there are two electrical connectors on the ABS unit (in front of the coolant reservoir). Pull off the easier of the two (kind of recall it's black as opposed to the other one being gray and a pain to pull off). However, the ABS light will show up on the dash. I had the issue for some time and then recently after flushing brake fluid out late last year, and reconnecting the connector back on, the ABS worked fine.

 

Sounds great, thanks for the suggestion! In the meantime, I tried to get the ABS sensors off and clean them. The fronts came off easily and had metal filings on them, cleaned those. But the rear ABS sensors were pretty much impossible to remove from the rear bearing carrier, so couldn't clean those. Any ideas how to get those off, without breaking them...

 

pry on the "ear" part of the sensor with a flat edge screwdriver. you will eventually be able to slide the sensor straight out after you move the flat part (mounting edge) back and forth.