Anyone Experience Issues with ABS Speed Sensor?

[J - S&C Coach]

i've had the ABS, Traction, and 4x4 warning lights come on in the past... i checked the code and it came back with C1406 ~ open or short in front speed sensor left hand circuit.

i reset the code, but it would intermittently return. took it to my local toyota dealership... the found the same thing - checked out the actual sensors and said they were good to go. because they couldn't get a hard reset and it has intermittently returned while parked or driving... they want to open a case to try to diagnose the cause (i'm guessing electronics?).

now they are trying to blame me because i have a Icon lift and 'oversize' tires (285/70R17) - want me to foot the bill.

1. does anyone have any experience dealing with this code and 2. anyone deal with some bullshit like this from toyota before? i finally got them to pay for my rental - since they don't give out loaners.

 

[wfo9]

The lift and tires cannot cause the speed sensor to go out... that is ridiculous.

However, the installation can... and often does. The wire gets stretched and the construction of the wires themselves is pretty flimsy. Especially around some of the brackets that hold the wire in place. I found one of mine to be severely crushed from the factory.

I would suggest replacing the wires... They are not that expensive.

The wire needs to be removed when any type of suspension work is being done...

 

[J - S&C Coach]

The lift and tires cannot cause the speed sensor to go out... that is ridiculous.

However, the installation can... and often does. The wire gets stretched and the construction of the wires themselves is pretty flimsy. Especially around some of the brackets that hold the wire in place. I found one of mine to be severely crushed from the factory.

I would suggest replacing the wires... They are not that expensive.

The wire needs to be removed when any type of suspension work is being done...

the only reason i don't think the wires were stretched during install... the install was done the first weekend of April. i didn't have any issues until the end of May - there were about 4-5 runs before any warning lights came on - including several times the left front tire was on full droop.

 

[TRUSTYAXE]

I have read on here that a bad LED driver can cause sensor chaos. I'm not sure if you have modified your lighting or not, but if you have it could be the cause.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

the only reason i don't think the wires were stretched during install... the install was done the first weekend of April. i didn't have any issues until the end of May - there were about 4-5 runs before any warning lights came on - including several times the left front tire was on full droop.

It's a tricky thing to say the least.

Realistically the dealership isn't entirely wrong (though as was pointed out earlier, installation is typically the most common culprit not actually using the lift unless you have something like a mid-travel or long travel kit you didn't adjust the wiring for.)

There is a possibility that the wiring was damaged/stretched when you installed it and the off-road/on-road suspension movement pulled on what was left of the wire until it finally gave up the ghost. These are rather thin, shielded wires in a stretchy outer sheath that have a low pulse width signal going through them. Theoretically you'd only need a couple strands of copper to conduct the signal.

Now the above is just grasping at straws/very unlikely, but still plausible explanation as to why the fault was delayed. The easiest thing to do would be to Ohm the two ends of the wire and see if there is in fact an open and/or short. Most likely you'll find the wiring has failed.

Post Note-

I have rarely found Speed Sensors to die on their own (their design really doesn't make them prone to failure, even the 3-wire units used in the newer vehicles). The few times I have seen a damaged/faulty sensor it's been because of a bracket lift where the bearing was pressed back in wrong and/or rubbed on the sensor and wore it out physically or slivers of metal from the bore damaged the sensor. Typically I see the wiring to the sensors be the issue from either stretching, tearing, and/or being nibbled on by rodents; unfortunately most of the time the "sub-harness" comes with a new sensor anyways.

 

[Miguelon]

I replaced mine after installing my ICON setup. It was real easy ( took me less than 45 minutes) and the part was only like $15 on Amazon.

The dealer wanted $150 plus labor.

 

[J - S&C Coach]

I replaced mine after installing my ICON setup. It was real easy ( took me less than 45 minutes) and the part was only like $15 on Amazon.

The dealer wanted $150 plus labor.

that was suggested by friend that is a tech at a different toyota dealership.

 

[*MountainRunner*]

I replaced mine after installing my ICON setup. It was real easy ( took me less than 45 minutes) and the part was only like $15 on Amazon.

The dealer wanted $150 plus labor.

What is the exact part that needs to be replaced (name? part number?)? My 4Runner is doing the exact same thing and at first it was just intermittent after I installed the lift but now it's on constantly (probably didn't help that I hauled a trailer halfway across the country at almost max weight...). And was is pretty straight forward to replace? I'm still learning a lot of about maintenance of vehicles lol.

 

[Miguelon]

What is the exact part that needs to be replaced (name? part number?)? My 4Runner is doing the exact same thing and at first it was just intermittent after I installed the lift but now it's on constantly (probably didn't help that I hauled a trailer halfway across the country at almost max weight...). And was is pretty straight forward to replace? I'm still learning a lot of about maintenance of vehicles lol.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QML9X22/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1