The ABS light means your anti-lock braking system has shut itself off because it detected a fault. Regular braking still works - you just lose anti-lock function in panic stops. Most causes are sensor issues, not brake-system failures.
You can drive normally because regular brakes still work. But you have lost anti-lock function, traction control, and on many cars stability control. Avoid driving in rain or snow until fixed. Get diagnosed within a week.
The #1 ABS fault. The sensor at one wheel hub stops reading correctly because of dirt, a damaged tone ring, or sensor failure. Always isolated to one corner.
A drop in fluid level (worn pads, slow leak) trips the ABS along with the brake warning light. Top off and watch the level over a week.
The toothed ring inside the wheel hub that the sensor reads. Rust or impact damage causes erratic readings. Often paired with C0035 or C0040 codes.
Get a free diagnosis →The ABS control module itself fails - common on older GM trucks, some BMWs. Can sometimes be rebuilt for $200 instead of replaced for $1,000+.
Check the fuse box - one fuse for the ABS pump motor and sometimes another for the module. Blown fuse + ABS light means a short somewhere; replacing the fuse alone may not fix it.
Get a free diagnosis →On some cars (Honda, Toyota), a failed brake light switch makes the module assume the brakes are stuck on, and shuts ABS off.
Get a free diagnosis →ABS lights range from a $5 fluid top-up to a $1,200 module. Tell us your year/make/model and any C-codes - we'll point to the most likely fix.
Get a free vehicle-specific diagnosis →Takes under a minute. Tell us your year/make/model and what you're seeing.
If your scanner is showing one of these codes alongside this symptom, that is your starting point. Click any code for the full diagnosis.
Yes for normal driving - regular brakes still work fully. But anti-lock function is disabled, so in a panic stop on wet/icy roads your wheels can lock up. Avoid bad weather driving until fixed.
In most US states with safety inspections, yes. ABS is a federally required safety system since 2012. Fix it before inspection.
Yes - voltage drops below ~10V during cranking can trip an ABS fault code that stays stored. Clear codes after a jump start and see if the light returns.
Part: $30 - $120. Labor: $80 - $200 (usually under an hour). Hub-style sensors that are part of the bearing assembly run $200 - $500 total.
They share the same control module. If ABS shuts off, traction control loses its wheel-speed input and shuts off too. The fix is the same - find the ABS fault.
Top up the fluid first. If the level drops again within a week, you have an active leak - don't drive far. Worn pads can also drop fluid (the pistons extend further out), so check pad thickness too.