Bad Speed Sensor?

[dmehak]

This morning my girlfriend went out to start her 2007 Yaris 5-Door, and the ABS and emergency brake warning lights illuminated on the dash. She took the car into the dealership, who ran a diagnostic (and charged us $105 CAD to do so), and they informed us that the left rear speed sensor has gone bad. They were also saying this sensor is part of the entire hub assembly and that we’re going to be looking at $650 - $750 CAD to have it repaired. The car has about 72,000km on it which puts us just outside of the 60,000km factory warranty.

Has anyone had any experiences with their speed sensor failing? Or could anyone explain more about what the sensor actually does? Is there any risk not having it repaired right away?

Thanks guys.

[WeeYari]

I currently have the same situation with my Dodge Caravan. The speed sensor is monitoring for wheel lockup and will trigger a pulsing application of brake pressure to slow the vehicle down without locking up. There is no risk to not having it repaired right away, as without it functioning you are simply operating in a non-ABS mode.

[Shroomster]

I can't tell if the rear wheel has a stand alone sensor and trigger wheel or if it is integrated into the bearing housing. but that seems a little on the high side, should be more to $300-450 CAD MAX because labor shouldn't cost more than maybe 2 hours and the part
(rear hub housing with speed sensor) maybe around 200-250 CAD


you are, like previously posted, going to be driving w/o abs,

[dmehak]

Thanks for the help guys. Just a quick update on this. She started the car at the dealership when she was leaving, and the lights came back on, but after about 30 minutes of driving they turned off. Is this normal for this problem?

I’ve had problems with the StabiliTrak sensors in my car freezing on really cold days and giving me false warning lights on the dash, I don’t suppose it could be anything like that?

[Shroomster]

was it below freezing?

not to rule it out but it may have been a possibility....


if it comes on sporadically you may have a ground wire loose somewhere in that circuit or the connection may be loose/bad/corroding....causing an intermittent problem

[TinyGiant]

couldnt you take the fuse out for the ABS and just run it without the abs?

[IllusionX]

couldnt you take the fuse out for the ABS and just run it without the abs?

that would result in an ABS light. And in the event of an accident. good luck with the insurance.

[TinyGiant]

ahh

[clayky]

This exact problem happened this time last year to my '07 sedan. It was a bad left rear sensor covered under warranty. Now it's happening again and I'm 2,500 miles outside of the basic warranty (of course). I did however, find a TSB for this very problem for both rear sensors. Something about a corrosion problem. If it's very expensive I'll just hold out for the Civic Si I've had my eye on.

[devinlamothe]

Take a look at this thread: http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11533

It's happened to a LOT of people in Canada with a Yaris/Corolla.

[beleza33]

This exact problem happened this time last year to my '07 sedan. It was a bad left rear sensor covered under warranty. Now it's happening again and I'm 2,500 miles outside of the basic warranty (of course). I did however, find a TSB for this very problem for both rear sensors. Something about a corrosion problem. If it's very expensive I'll just hold out for the Civic Si I've had my eye on.

Word for word the problem you guys are having, I'm currently having. I have a 2007 Yaris that I bought in March of that year. I'm a little over 38,000M and of course I got the basic 36000/3 year warranty. I went to the dealer when my ABS/Brake lights came on and BAM! $600-$650 to fix. I'm getting some second/third opinions on the issue because this is NOT an issue I or ANY person should be having with a car under 3 years old that has reasonable wear. At NO time during the possession of my car was it immersed under water or even in high flood water so this problem is unacceptable. They're going to get SICK of me.

[1NZYaris1]

If the hub has to be completly replaced it would take a Toyota Tech no more than 1/2an hour
I say this becuase as a lot of people know ,that have put in Hub spacers
it takes less than that to remove the hub and bolt it back up with the spacer behind it :thumbsup:.
as for the part failing at 38,000 miles :eek:
In New Zealand standard waranty is 3yr's 100,000KM or gold warranty
5 Yr's 150,000KM :thumbup:

[Jake]

Hi, replying here. Just posted a thread about my issues with the same problem. Have you had any feedback besides what is on here?

thanks,
J

[pokoki]

This exact problem happened this time last year to my '07 sedan. It was a bad left rear sensor covered under warranty. Now it's happening again and I'm 2,500 miles outside of the basic warranty (of course). I did however, find a TSB for this very problem for both rear sensors. Something about a corrosion problem. If it's very expensive I'll just hold out for the Civic Si I've had my eye on.

Does any one know the TSB # for the rear speed sensors???

[127.0.0.1]

Does any one know the TSB # for the rear speed sensors???

T-SB-0120-08 ?

seal allows corrosion on abs sensor

[devinlamothe]

Sadly a TSB does nothing unless you are under warranty. :(

[pokoki]

Sadly a TSB does nothing unless you are under warranty. :(

Well that sucks.

I just rolled 100K, and it has been a problem free 100K miles. I took the car to the car wash to wash off all the winter salt/garbage, and within 10 miles the ABS and the Parking brake lights came on. I hit the brakes to check the ABS, and sure enough, no ABS...

I figured some dirt or snow got lodged, so I cleaned everything by hand, and the lights are both still illuminated.

Guess that means I need to visit the stealership

[POORSHA]

With all the problems toyota is having I can't imagine they won't fix them free. who knows.

[127.0.0.1]

well the problem with ABS is usually solved by

disconnecting abs wires at the wheel

blasting with contact cleaner, maf cleaner, or any other volatile electrical cleaner

filling the connection with dielectric grease. reconnecting. done
Electrical conductors should not be coated with dielectric grease prior to being mated

[Hard_Yaris]

About the cars having this problem where has your car been manufactured?

Japan or Canada/USA Codes on the VIN?

[Hard_Yaris]

filling the connection with dielectric grease. reconnecting. done


Electrical conductors should not be coated with dielectric grease prior to being mated[/QUOTE]

is this a contradicting statement?

Can you please explain how to use the dielectric grease prior to mating?
Did you mean to not have the 'not' in that statement?:iono:

[127.0.0.1]

filling the connection with dielectric grease. reconnecting. done


Electrical conductors should not be coated with dielectric grease prior to being mated



fill the connection but do not coat the contacts. fill everything else.

if you are using 'phone jack installer-grade clear silicone snot' then you can coat everything, but
unless it is that specific goop, do not coat the contacts...just fill it in everywhere
else so dirt and crud cannot get into the contacts

[WeeYari]

About the cars having this problem where has your car been manufactured?

Japan or Canada/USA Codes on the VIN?

Yaris running on North American soil have been manufactured in Japan.

[Hard_Yaris]

ok so I use the grease around the connections but not in.

so coat the mated connection with dielectric grease on the outside of the plug?


Oh, so all cars in Canada and USA are made in Japan... seems a bit odd.

[Tamara]

OK! We need to be stirring the pot with this. I have been in contact with my steal-ership and theyre now offering up 300bucks towards the fix, and Toyota Canada is willing to chip in a bit too...HOWEVER, since I will be bringing my car to my local mechanic, as he was willing to attempt the cleaning fixes that are recommanded throughout this site (which WORKED for my left rear sensor, but my right rear sensor is still f'd), Toyota is not willing to chip in towards the parts or service as its not being performed by their overpriced inexperienced mechanics. So, we need to push Toyota Canada to do a campaign to have all Yaris's brought in and either have the connectors on the ABS harness cleaned/replaced, and/or have the company engineers design a better cover to protect these VERY sensitive circuits from our harsh Canadian climates to prevent them from corroiding.

Come on Toyota....fix this problem before we make it become a safety recall. You admit it yourselves on your website that ABS is better...and we did pay extra for it.

I love love love my car, and used to rave about Toyota....but I am very disheartened and discouraged that a problem like this exists for multiple customers. Toyota, this can be fixed before your customers have to suffer a $1200/per side expense. Lets get it done! Please!

[devinlamothe]

OK! We need to be stirring the pot with this. I have been in contact with my steal-ership and theyre now offering up 300bucks towards the fix, and Toyota Canada is willing to chip in a bit too...HOWEVER, since I will be bringing my car to my local mechanic, as he was willing to attempt the cleaning fixes that are recommanded throughout this site (which WORKED for my left rear sensor, but my right rear sensor is still f'd), Toyota is not willing to chip in towards the parts or service as its not being performed by their overpriced inexperienced mechanics. So, we need to push Toyota Canada to do a campaign to have all Yaris's brought in and either have the connectors on the ABS harness cleaned/replaced, and/or have the company engineers design a better cover to protect these VERY sensitive circuits from our harsh Canadian climates to prevent them from corroiding.

Come on Toyota....fix this problem before we make it become a safety recall. You admit it yourselves on your website that ABS is better...and we did pay extra for it.

I love love love my car, and used to rave about Toyota....but I am very disheartened and discouraged that a problem like this exists for multiple customers. Toyota, this can be fixed before your customers have to suffer a $1200/per side expense. Lets get it done! Please!

I've gotten no where with Toyota Canada or my local dealership. They wouldn't even give me a discount for the fix. I am still waiting for some time to do the clean/grease method to see if that fixes the issue.

[fatestepsin]

So this is a recent problem for me. I brought my car in about 3 weeks ago for an oil change and to have them check the light out. By the time I got the car to the dealership the ABS/emergency brake lights had gone out. It was fine for a couple of weeks, and now the lights are going on and off when I'm driving. The dealership wants $105 just to find the problem, but I see that it's probably the speed sensor like others are experiencing. Is the speed sensor only covered under the basic warranty or does the powertrain warranty cover it as well? I don't really know much about cars and what's covered under what, so I'm hoping someone here can help me. I'm outside the miles and time for the basic warranty, but still within the time frame for the power train.

[devinlamothe]

So this is a recent problem for me. I brought my car in about 3 weeks ago for an oil change and to have them check the light out. By the time I got the car to the dealership the ABS/emergency brake lights had gone out. It was fine for a couple of weeks, and now the lights are going on and off when I'm driving. The dealership wants $105 just to find the problem, but I see that it's probably the speed sensor like others are experiencing. Is the speed sensor only covered under the basic warranty or does the powertrain warranty cover it as well? I don't really know much about cars and what's covered under what, so I'm hoping someone here can help me. I'm outside the miles and time for the basic warranty, but still within the time frame for the power train.

You are out of luck then. Only the full warranty would cover this, power train is for engine, emissions, etc.

[41magmag41]

Or if you bought the extended warranty. I think if we make enough noise it'll get fixed but you have to jump up and down at the dealership.

[rtom]

How many of you think it's worth buying the extended warranty largely just for this issue of corroding speed sensors?

My car is only a few months old, and of course I don't have any problems yet. But I do live in the cold Northeast and I think I'll have to make a decision within 2 years whether I should go for the extended warranty or not -- ie before I'm likely to see the problem.

How much is the extended warranty, anyway?

[devinlamothe]

Well for me it was 100,000km for an extra $1200, which would have paid for itself since that is about the cost for 1 speed sensor bearing/wiring harness replacement. Not sure how much higher KM/mile warranties are though.

[jeffhgarner]

With all the problems toyota is having I can't imagine they won't fix them free. who knows.

07 Yaris is in shop now. 63000 miles and BOTH rear speed sensors are shot. 1150.00 bucks for both. Having it fixed and sending a letter to Toyota with a CC to my state rep.

This is bullcrap. They know of the problem. There is NO WAY that BOTH sensors can just go bad at the same time. The sensors are either faulty or protection from the elements of them are faulty.

'78 corolla
'89 Camry
'02 Corolla
'07 Yaris

Next time I need a new vehicle I WILL NOT go straight to a Toyota dealership. Now I will shop.

[dycktim]

I am beginning my battle with Toyota to resolve this issue. In my opinion it should be recalled as a safety issue since ABS is a safety feature. I am in the beginning stages of building a case but will need help from many people who have the same issue. This is my first stab at it but i figure for the $1600 worth of repairs - I can devote some time to it, and maybe help out everyone else who is or will be in the same boat. My warranty expired less than a year ago and I'm at 75K on the car. Was told I'm s.o.l. by both dealership and Toyota Canada.

As such, I believe this issue meets the requirements for the Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Process if there are enough people experiencing the exact same problem. See Link.
http://www.camvap.ca/index.htm

If anyone has tried this already or is knowledgeable in these matters please let the rest of us know. It is my opinion that if we can prove a large number of people having this problem and prove it is a safety concern we may have a good case.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks,

[da1nonly]

I posted about my experience in the other thread
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11533

so I thought I'd just post here as well...

Part replaced for $53.30

So thanks to this forum I had the part replaced by Toyota for $53.30...
out of warranty.

I had the issue back in feb 2010 with the right sensor. they replaced it under warranty but didnt say what caused the issue despite my complaints to know the cause... just said that they had to replace the entire sensor assembly. Back then I complained asking them to recheck and replace the other sensors but they wouldn't becuz they were fine... I didnt actually look this problem up until tonight jan 2011 when the sensor went on the leftside.

So the story goes...
Came in tonight.... told me it would cost $733 to fix the sensor issue. Add $200+ for labor and $100 for the initial diagnostic.

Googled and found this thread.... showed them the easy fix and the tsb issued in 2008 (US version). After talking with service manager, technician and service rep we finally found the TSB (CDN version). I told them to fix the problem according to the TSB which matched the error code found during diagnostic. The replaced just the wire sensor (list price $53.30), waved the diagnostic fee and took 10% off labor (after 1hr of complaining with everyone there). Total was about $230 ($180 2hr labor, $50 part)

I wouldve tried cleaning it but the tech had already pulled out the sensor and showed me the wire was damaged (really?). At least i have the latest sensor model (i hope) which should protect against corrosion/damage to the sensor. So hopefully I wont have to worry about this or having to clean the original faulty sensor every year.

If it hasn't been posted... for those looking for the TSB (CDN version) the number is:
TSB3027 (issued July 3, 208 revised on March 19, 2010)
DTC (diagnostic trouble codes)
C0210 - Rear Speed Sensor RH circuit
C0215 - Rear Speed Sensor LH Circuit

Sorry I didnt get a chance to read the entire thread but I skim through enough of it to help me get the right part replaced at a reasonable price rather than their initial costs of $700-900

Hope that helps.

The service manager also said he'd follow up with Toyota. What they call a good will claim... case determined by toyota canada.

Sorry for the length of the post... but hopefully some of this info helps.

I hope Toyota resolves this...