Introduction
Seeing an indicator light up in your cluster for the first time is an alarming thing to see. It simply means there is something wrong with your car. This should be taken care immediately to avoid accidents. If you are currently driving, pull-over to the side and try to check what the issue is. Every car has its own standard safety features and one of them is the braking system. To be specific, it is the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS). In cases wherein there is something wrong with the ABS, an indicator on your cluster will turn on. This should be fixed as soon as you can; after fixing it, the ABS light should turn off. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes, the ABS light remains on even if the issue is already fixed. Therefore as an example, this article will discuss on how to reset ABS light on Dodge Grand Caravan.
Let’s talk about the basics first. What does an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) do and how does it work?
The ABS is one of the most important safety features a car has; it helps prevent the vehicle from locking up the wheels and improve steering control while braking. It has already become a standard feature in cars nowadays. The ABS is comprised of the following:
- ABS Module (ECU) – receives and controls the inputs from the wheel speed sensors; does the processing to whether pump the brakes or not
- Wheel Speed Sensors – each wheel has its own sensor monitoring the speed; sends the signal to the ABS Module
- Valves – these are valves in the brake line which allow, block and release pressure on the brakes by assuming three different positions
- Pump – filled with hydraulic fluid and applies pressure to the calipers or brake drums
The input, which is coming from the wheel speed sensor detecting if there is locking in the wheel, or when the wheel stops turning and starts to skid; it is then sent to the ABS module for controlling and processing. In this case, the ABS module sends a signal to the pumps to apply pressure on the calipers or the brake drums to prevent the wheels from locking. This gives the driver the ability to still control the vehicle.
This process repeats if a situation like this happens, and will definitely help you avoid such accidents down the road. Make sure that you don’t panic because even if your car has all the high-end safety features to prevent you from accidents, the major control is still in your hands and you just need to calm down and do the right thing when faced with such situations.
I have a Dodge Ram and my ABS light is on. What should I do?
If this is the case, technically, there is something wrong with your Anti-lock Braking System. It’s primarily because of the wheels being locked and the ABS is already doing what it should do to fix the issue. After it is all fixed, by right, the ABS light should turn off.
The ABS has already been fixed and it is already functioning well, why is still my ABS light on?
There are times these things happen, unfortunately. The initial findings would be that the Serial Network Bus is not working properly because of the signal not being sent correctly from the ABS module to the Cluster (or to the Body Controller Module if the cluster is being controlled by it), keeping the ABS light on the cluster still turned on. This may not impose a serious issue, but then again, seeing a warning indicator on your cluster is disturbing and should by then, somehow be fixed.
However, you can still drive your car safely after the issue has been fixed even if the ABS light is on because this is just a glitch on the system. Just make sure to have this fixed because you would not want that ABS light turned on even after it’s already fixed, right?
How to reset ABS light on or how to turn off ABS light on a Dodge Grand Caravan?
Resetting or turning off a Dodge Caravan’s ABS and traction control light normally takes just a few steps and make sure to carefully follow the instructions.
- Turn on the vehicle and step on the brake. Keep stepping the brake until told to remove it.
- Turn the steering wheel to the right and shift to the “D” or drive position in the gear shifter.
- Return to the original straight position of the steering wheel and take off your foot on the brake pedal gradually after making the car straight
- Repeat steps 1-3 if necessary
Note: These instructions on resetting the ABS light will work if no codes are set
Conclusion
Learning how to reset ABS light on Dodge Grand Caravan is very easy, right? But as to dealing with ABS problems, well, that’s already a different thing. At the end of the day, considering ABS as one of the important safety features your car has will definitely make you think of regularly monitoring the preventive maintenance needed by your car.
As the saying goes, “take care of your car and your car will take care of you.” In other words, if you are mindful of your car’s maintenance, then for sure, there will be lesser to no accidents while you are driving down the road. Aside from that, you will be able to save more with maintenance in the long run and by the time you would like for a trade-in or to finally sell it, then the resale value will be much higher than the usual.
