92 Chrysler minivan ABS controller

My 1992 GTRV van conversion (Plymouth GrVoyager) developed brake problems
over the weekend (pedal to the floor, minimum braking)

The dealership diagnosed a faulty ABS controller & offered two options:
1. New controller - $2500 plus. Not much of an option on a fifteen-year
old vehicle...

2. 'Used' controller - $800 plus...however, they said the work would not
be warranted and even if the part they put in didn't work I would still
have to pay. I'm assuming they would get it from an auto wrecker or
other such 'used parts' source.

Just wondering if there is a source for parts like this with some sort of
warranty...otherwise, is the 'used part' route worth the gamble it seems
to be???

Regards,
Cal

40kHeadmen wrote:
> My 1992 GTRV van conversion (Plymouth GrVoyager) developed brake problems
> over the weekend (pedal to the floor, minimum braking)
>
> The dealership diagnosed a faulty ABS controller & offered two options:
> 1. New controller - $2500 plus. Not much of an option on a fifteen-year
> old vehicle...
>
> 2. 'Used' controller - $800 plus...however, they said the work would not
> be warranted and even if the part they put in didn't work I would still
> have to pay. I'm assuming they would get it from an auto wrecker or
> other such 'used parts' source.
>
> Just wondering if there is a source for parts like this with some sort of
> warranty...otherwise, is the 'used part' route worth the gamble it seems
> to be???
>
> Regards,
> Cal

Go to www.car-part.com and drill down with your vehicle info. and the
part. That will show you every junk yard that subscribes to the service
(everyone who's anyone is on there) that stocks that part. It will only
list the part from vehicles that actually use that same part - usually
that info. is reliable, and errs on the side of caution. You can
restrict your search to yards within your state or region of the country
- and the yard will ship it to you for a charge - typically $8 to $15.
Or you can pick it up if they are close enough to you.

My guess is you'll find it at a yard in the same state as you are for
well under $100, maybe even below $50.

The only gotcha is that much of the price they quoted you may be labor
(don't know the vehicle, but ABS controllers can be a bear to get to in
many cases). If that's the case, perhaps you know of a competent
independent that will do it for less labor cost, and at the least you
will have saved the markup on the $50 or so part in addition to some
labor cost.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

"40kHeadmen" > wrote in message
.76...
> My 1992 GTRV van conversion (Plymouth GrVoyager) developed brake problems
> over the weekend (pedal to the floor, minimum braking)
>
> The dealership diagnosed a faulty ABS controller & offered two options:
> 1. New controller - $2500 plus. Not much of an option on a fifteen-year
> old vehicle...
>
> 2. 'Used' controller - $800 plus...however, they said the work would not
> be warranted and even if the part they put in didn't work I would still
> have to pay. I'm assuming they would get it from an auto wrecker or
> other such 'used parts' source.
>
> Just wondering if there is a source for parts like this with some sort of
> warranty...otherwise, is the 'used part' route worth the gamble it seems
> to be???
>
> Regards,
> Cal

If you go with a new or used controller you are throwing your money away and
it wont have any effect on the problem you are describing!! The ONLY thing
the controller does is anti lock, it has nothing to do with pump pressure .
You can take the controller off the vehicle and throw it away....assuming
the pump and hydraulic assembly are working as designed you will have
standard base braking only.
There is a lifetime recall on the pump, and hydraulic assembly or pistons if
needed.
Your brake pedal didn't go to the floor!! it had no pressure and would not
move at all. Turn the key on and listen for a pump noise just under the
throttle body. Pump the brake pedal to see if it turns on. If it doesn't,
take a bar of some kind and tap on the pump (sits just above the trans under
the throttle body) If the pump now turns on, find another dealer and tell
them you want the pump replaced under the lifetime warranty recall. let me
know what the results are after hitting the pump

Glenn Beasley
Chrysler Tech

40kHeadmen Wrote:
> My 1992 GTRV van conversion (Plymouth GrVoyager) developed brake
> problems
> over the weekend (pedal to the floor, minimum braking)
>
> The dealership diagnosed a faulty ABS controller & offered two
> options:
> 1. New controller - $2500 plus. Not much of an option on a
> fifteen-year
> old vehicle...
>
> 2. 'Used' controller - $800 plus...however, they said the work would
> not
> be warranted and even if the part they put in didn't work I would
> still
> have to pay. I'm assuming they would get it from an auto wrecker or
> other such 'used parts' source.
>
> Just wondering if there is a source for parts like this with some sort
> of
> warranty...otherwise, is the 'used part' route worth the gamble it
> seems
> to be???
>
> Regards,
> Cal

As Maxpower said it is under a lifetime recall on ABS brakes.
Let cry take care of it on there dime.
Call the 800 customer service no in your owners manual and
Look for a 5 star dealer.

If they do not take care of it let us know.
And let us know how it goes anyway.


--
MT-2500
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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A little more background:

I had ABS controller issues since 2000 (yellow ABS light on), but since
it didn't affect brake operation I left it alone (the cost issue factored
in too...)

Right now, the pump does not seem to be working (even after tapping), and
the red 'brake' fault light is on at all times...

Dealership report goes like this:
Check fault codes...clear & recheck
Modulator fault still present
Check for leaks...none found
Modulator fault test...defective cab module found.
Recommend replace then recheck.

Where it's at right now...

Regards,
Cal

"maxpower" > wrote in
:

> If you go with a new or used controller you are throwing your money
> away and it wont have any effect on the problem you are describing!!
> The ONLY thing the controller does is anti lock, it has nothing to do
> with pump pressure . You can take the controller off the vehicle and
> throw it away....assuming the pump and hydraulic assembly are working
> as designed you will have standard base braking only.
> There is a lifetime recall on the pump, and hydraulic assembly or
> pistons if needed.
> Your brake pedal didn't go to the floor!! it had no pressure and would
> not move at all. Turn the key on and listen for a pump noise just
> under the throttle body. Pump the brake pedal to see if it turns on.
> If it doesn't, take a bar of some kind and tap on the pump (sits just
> above the trans under the throttle body) If the pump now turns on,
> find another dealer and tell them you want the pump replaced under the
> lifetime warranty recall. let me know what the results are after
> hitting the pump
>
> Glenn Beasley
> Chrysler Tech
>
>

Bill Putney > wrote in
:

> My guess is you'll find it at a yard in the same state as you are for
> well under $100, maybe even below $50.

I'm up in Canada...but looks like around $125-150 from checking around...

> The only gotcha is that much of the price they quoted you may be labor
> (don't know the vehicle, but ABS controllers can be a bear to get to
> in many cases). If that's the case, perhaps you know of a competent
> and at the least you
> will have saved the markup on the $50 or so part in addition to some
> labor cost.

Heh...the dealership quoted $500 for the 'used part cost'. Some markup!

Regards,
Cal

40kHeadmen wrote:
> Bill Putney > wrote in
> :
>
>
>>My guess is you'll find it at a yard in the same state as you are for
>>well under $100, maybe even below $50.
>
>
> I'm up in Canada...but looks like around $125-150 from checking around...

BS!! Why didn't you even try what I said?

I just did a check on car-part.com filtered for Canada. There are 4
listed for $50 CAN - 6 more listed for between $65 and $100 CAN!!

>>The only gotcha is that much of the price they quoted you may be labor
>>(don't know the vehicle, but ABS controllers can be a bear to get to
>>in many cases). If that's the case, perhaps you know of a competent
>>and at the least you
>>will have saved the markup on the $50 or so part in addition to some
>>labor cost.
>
>
> Heh...the dealership quoted $500 for the 'used part cost'. Some markup!

Yep.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

"40kHeadmen" > wrote in message
.76...
> A little more background:
>
> I had ABS controller issues since 2000 (yellow ABS light on), but since
> it didn't affect brake operation I left it alone (the cost issue factored
> in too...)
>
> Right now, the pump does not seem to be working (even after tapping), and
> the red 'brake' fault light is on at all times...
>
> Dealership report goes like this:
> Check fault codes...clear & recheck
> Modulator fault still present
> Check for leaks...none found
> Modulator fault test...defective cab module found.
> Recommend replace then recheck.
>
> Where it's at right now...
>
> Regards,
> Cal

As I said, the ABS controller DOES NOT control pump pressure. It controls
the valves in the hydraulic assembly for ABS feature only!! They never told
you there was a fault code stored for a low accumulator fault which states.
NO PRESSURE. If there is no pressure that fault will be set. Find another
dealer
>
> "maxpower" > wrote in
> :
>
> > If you go with a new or used controller you are throwing your money
> > away and it wont have any effect on the problem you are describing!!
> > The ONLY thing the controller does is anti lock, it has nothing to do
> > with pump pressure . You can take the controller off the vehicle and
> > throw it away....assuming the pump and hydraulic assembly are working
> > as designed you will have standard base braking only.
> > There is a lifetime recall on the pump, and hydraulic assembly or
> > pistons if needed.
> > Your brake pedal didn't go to the floor!! it had no pressure and would
> > not move at all. Turn the key on and listen for a pump noise just
> > under the throttle body. Pump the brake pedal to see if it turns on.
> > If it doesn't, take a bar of some kind and tap on the pump (sits just
> > above the trans under the throttle body) If the pump now turns on,
> > find another dealer and tell them you want the pump replaced under the
> > lifetime warranty recall. let me know what the results are after
> > hitting the pump
> >
> > Glenn Beasley
> > Chrysler Tech
> >
> >
>

Bill Putney > wrote in
:

> BS!! Why didn't you even try what I said?
>
> I just did a check on car-part.com filtered for Canada. There are 4
> listed for $50 CAN - 6 more listed for between $65 and $100 CAN!!

All located in Ontario, 3000 miles away from where I am on the West Coast.
I prefer to deal with people closer to me..enough said.

Regards,
Cal

"40kHeadmen" > wrote in message
.76...
>A little more background:
>
> I had ABS controller issues since 2000 (yellow ABS light on), but since
> it didn't affect brake operation I left it alone (the cost issue factored
> in too...)
>
> Right now, the pump does not seem to be working (even after tapping), and
> the red 'brake' fault light is on at all times...
>
> Dealership report goes like this:
> Check fault codes...clear & recheck
> Modulator fault still present
> Check for leaks...none found
> Modulator fault test...defective cab module found.
> Recommend replace then recheck.
>
> Where it's at right now...
>
> Regards,
> Cal

I agree with max. If you don't have any brakes, then you need to get the
lifetime warranty coverage going. The controller is not going to make any
difference.