Intermittent Slip Indicator Light After Axle Replacement

Hey all, first time poster long time lurker.

I just had axles installed on my 02 4Runner after both CV boots tore. Normally I would do the install but it’s over 115° in Phoenix and I don’t have a garage to work in, so even some of the easiest repairs are miserable to get done (even at night)

Rather than rebuilding/modding the OEM axles I opted to get extended axles from Rockauto by Trakmotive. After the install, I will intermittently get the slip indicator light quickly flashing during accelerating while turning, or while coming to a stop at 5mph or less. I hear the buzz and lose power or braking power for a very brief moment. ABS sensors are clean and appear undamaged, and surrounding brake lines all look fine. This happens a few times a drive cycle and is fairly hard to reproduce. It’s worrisome because I lost power pulling out into traffic.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I have read about a zero point calibration but that seems more ABS specific. I checked the service manual and couldn’t find anything specific to the slip indicator light. Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

 

Also worth noting I am not getting a CEL or VSC lights while this happens

 

When you say the ABS sensors appear clean and undamaged, is that a visual inspection of them from the outside, or have you removed them and inspected them? It seems most likely that one got damaged during the installation of the new axles. I assume you left them in the hubs and unbolted the lower ball joint from the spindle, swung it out, and installed that way?

 

Just duck duck goed "how to test ABS sensor" and got a few results.

https://electrouniversity.com/how-to-test-a-abs-sensor-with-a-multimeter/

Seems like an easy procedure with a multimeter, though it would be best to find an exact spec on what your readings should be for your '02

 

I have removed them from the knuckle and took a peek, they don’t appear to have any damage/debris. I figured if one was actually damaged, the dash would look like a Christmas tree with a CEL, ABS, VSC lights, etc.

I guess I can give it a second look over just to make sure. I haven’t cleaned inside the ABS sensor mount area where the tone ring is located. I can spray some brake cleaner in there and see how it responds. I hate the idea of disassembling the front end again without a little more investigation of anything a bit easier

 

Odd; cv axle replacement is a 15 minute job (after tools are gathered).

You sure you didn't knock something loose upon uninstall/install?

Just a matter of undoing LBJ bolts, tre, swinging out the spindle, and yanking out the cv axle and reversing it for install.

 

Turns out the mechanic (or one of his shop guys) didn’t clean off the ABS sensors after the axle swap. I jacked up the rig and popped the wheels off to check the ABS sensors. They were absolutely caked in CV grease from the torn axles that were removed. I cleaned them off with brake cleaner, and sprayed off the ABS tone ring. Been about 50-60 miles or so without reproducing the issue.

This is what happens when you trust somebody else working on your vehicle. This is the first and last time I’ve taken it somewhere, next time I’ll suck it up and just do the work myself like usual. The heat is hard to deal with but I guess it beats working on your car in the cold

 

You're not supposed to mess with the abs at all though

 

Never enough time to do it right, always enough time to do it twice! Glad you got it sorted out.