Hello, I took my car into the local Volvo dealership to have my ABS/Anti skid message looked into. The diagnosis cost me $183. Then received an estimate for repair for $3500. They tell me that I need a new steering angle sensor, brake sensor and ABS hydraulic unit. I am not sure how a computer can determine that these parts all need to be replaced and not repaired, calibrated etc. I am wondering, if anyone has any experience with any of these parts and might make a recommendation for things we can look at before replacing all of these part. I do deal with a lot of ice and snow in the wintertime so ABS is a necessity.

 

Your ABS light being on means there are self diagnostic codes stored in at least one control unit. The first step is to read those codes. Do you know if those codes were erased? That will turn the light off, IF none come back immediately.

Is there a large independent Volvo specialist near your part of Canada? You should vet them first to make sure they have access to the Factory diagnostic tool - VIDA. They can have the earlier free version that would work on your car, and /or have a subscription to the latest online version.

Steering angle sensors and brake pedal position sensors are relatively common replacement items. The ABS hydraulic unit is not - but there could be a problem with yours.

 

Hello, yes I took it to a volvo dealership for the diagnosis. They said they tried to clear the code, but it kept coming back. I am just wondering if anyone knows how to physically identify a mechanical issue before spending all of the money to replace all three parts. The dealership tells me that all of these parts need to be replaced after doing the computer diagnostic.

 

There would have been multiple codes for them to want to sell you all that stuff, but perhaps only one came back immediately and turned the warning back on.

There are 2 ways to go about solving your problem. A tech could check for solutions on the first code that comes back, and if reasonable replace for instance the steering position sensor, if it tested bad. Then drive the car and see what happens - do any codes come back? If so (maybe none) what, maybe the brake pedal position sensor, and if it tests bad replace it. Then repeat until everything is solved.

OR - replace everything at once, and return the car to you. Dealers in my area have used that shotgun technique - throw everything that might possibly fix it all at once. It's a win-win for everyone, the dealership will have a good chance that the car won't come back (customers don't like having to come in several times for a problem) the tech makes his flat rate and possibly commission on the parts, the service writer gets his commission (he's the one that sells you the repairs) and the customer is happy because the ABS now works. Glossed over is whether the car really needed all those parts. Many times you will get a false code - I'm not saying they did a bad diagnostic job - It's just unusual that multiple components are bad at the same time. And it is usual that a problem with one part makes the control units think there is a problem with another.

My shop would handle it one part at a time. With that method many, many times only one or two parts had to get replaced to solve all the problems - but the customer has to understand that it might take more than one visit. That is the difference (sometimes) between an independent Volvo service garage and a Volvo dealer. For my shop I paid my techs commission on hours they bill, and Service writers earned a salary, and neither earned commission on parts sold. - So they were not tempted to oversell stuff just for the commission.

 

Thank you, that all makes sense. Of course the service writer told me that all three parts had to be replaced at once, that I could not do one at a time...