ABS light on and hanging connector

Tiny
JUDAHC3
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  • 2008 OPEL ASTRA
  • 1.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 114,144 MILES
Good morning,

I inspected my car after it returned from the mechanic and found a connector hanging free. My ABS light is on, and I had both front wheel bearings changed. I have no idea where this connector is supposed to be plugged into as I cannot see any sockets.
Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 5:46 AM

13 Replies

Tiny
AL514
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Hello, so we don't have information on the Opel Astra, but it looks like the U.S. version is the Saturn Astra. I can't be %100 sure on wiring diagrams though unfortunately. But can you tell me what colors the wires are on the connector? It's going to most likely have 2 colors per wire. So, for example, a red wire with a green stripe. and also, how many wires are in the connector and its general location. There must be a socket for it within the reach of the wire the connector is on.
As for the ABS light being on, it's possible that the wrong wheel bearings were installed in the vehicle. Some ABS systems have a reluctor ring inside the wheel bearing that is used for the ABS sensor. If you look down behind the tire there should be a wire running down to a connector on each side and those go to each wheel speed sensor. See if there's a wire plugged into each side or is it just hanging there? Another possibility is that some of these wheel bearings need to be installed in a certain direction for the wheel speed sensor to detect the ring inside the wheel bearing.
If the ABS light was not on before you got the wheel bearings changed, they did something wrong. And you should take it back and they need to fix the issue for free. It was their mistake, not yours.
But if you can get the color of the wires on that connector, I'll try to find out what it goes to, but I can't promise anything. Hopefully it was just something they forgot to plug back in. or it's a test port for something.

The hanging connector looks like it's wrapped in electrical tape. And I'm assuming that wasn't like that before. It should reach wherever it plugs into because that harness isn't that long.
I zoomed in on the picture and couldn't see any wire coloring.

Below is a picture of what the Wheel Speed sensor wiring will look like. It's the only wire in that area.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/abs-wheel-speed-sensor-test
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Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 10:40 AM
Tiny
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Thank you for the response. The ABS light was on prior to the installation of the two-wheel bearings. My wife had taken the car to an electrician to have secondary horn fitted, after the CIM module original horn contact (known Vauxhall problem) failed. She told me whilst he was working on the car she heard a noise from the engine bay, the wipers came on and went back off, and the speedometer never worked again.
I can confirm the wheel bearings are fitted correctly and correspond to the diagram you referenced.

As for the connector, we taped it over to try to prevent moisture from getting to it. I have attached a better picture of the connector.
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Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 6:56 PM
Tiny
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So that connector has a blue wire with a green stripe and a solid brown wire? And you're saying that the speedometer worked before she took in and something happened while she was there and then the speedometer didn't work after that? Sometimes when a module (electronic control module) fails the result is sometimes the wipers will stay on all the time, or the cooling fans will stay on constantly. Different things like that can occur. So, if that's what happened it's possible the mechanic working on the vehicle may have shorted something out. But as for the ABS light being on, that means the ABS system is disabled. There will be a diagnostic trouble code stored in the ABS module if it is a wheel speed sensor failure or another failure that the ABS computer detects, but if it is an ABS computer failure or lose of communication between the ABS computer and the Engine Computer, the speedometer will read 0 MPH. So, It looks like the main issue to start with is the ABS computer. The vehicle will need to have a full system scan done. Meaning a scan of all the modules in the vehicle to see what's communicating and what is not.
Granted this is for the Saturn Astra, but they're supposed to be the same model. Some of these vehicles use the ABS wheel speed sensors to calculate the vehicles speed. That information is sent to the Engine Computer (ECM) by way of a Serial Data signal and then to the instrument cluster speedometer. So, you will have to get the system checked out to see what's happening with it.
As for the connector hanging down, I can't make out the wiring color fully. So, you'll have to let me know if that's a blue/green wire and a solid brown wire.
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Sunday, February 6th, 2022 AT 8:00 PM
Tiny
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In the absence of a diagnostic machine, using the pedal test produced the following error codes:
P1482
P0500 (70)
P0500 (71)
P0170
I am thinking the O2 sensor at the front is bad. As for the ABS, do you think it is possible the fuse(s) [20A, 30A] could be the issue, or perhaps even the 10A at #16 in fuse box?
Perhaps I can get two new fuses and substitute them to see if that works.
I have also attached a video of the connector.
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Tuesday, February 8th, 2022 AT 9:46 AM
Tiny
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Okay, well, I found the code definitions, but as for wiring diagrams and identifying certain fuses and connectors, I don't have that information. This vehicle is not listed in our information sources. The Saturn Astra is a close US model, but it's not exactly the same. Some of those codes are manufacture specific. For example, a code that has any first number besides 0 is manufacture specific. I.E. P"1"482. For that code all I can find is "Cooling Fan speed output circuit fault".
Have you found any blown fuses?
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Tuesday, February 8th, 2022 AT 1:18 PM
Tiny
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These are the Opel definitions
P0130 (08)
O2 Sens Heater Relay Malfunction
- I omitted this one by mistake in my last post

P1482 (04)
Catalyst Temp Sens Circ. Shorted Low
Engine cooling fan (FC) relay Signal too high. Intermittent fault

P0170 (11) Fuel Trim Bank1

P0500 (70)
No vehicle Speed sensor signal
P0500 (71)

I am probably going to take the car to an electrician on the fuse issue as I now have Reverse Lights always on once the car is started.

This link shows the info on my fuses and relays:

https://fuseandrelay.com/opel/astra-h.html
I would appreciate your insight.
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Tuesday, February 8th, 2022 AT 3:36 PM
Tiny
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The vehicle speed signal on these comes from the ABS wheel speed sensors. So, these Fuse panels are what they call "smart Fuse/Relay Blocks" They have logic boards in them and except and communicate with other modules. Thats what the Saturn version has and seems to be semi the same set up. So, this may be a failure of that fuse block. Since you have so many issues and new ones showing up now.
You can inspect any Ground connections that are in the area of that Fuse block. They will be wires attached to the body of the vehicle. They are solid brown wires on the Saturn version. You can check to make sure there are no loose ground connections. I'm sorry we don't have more information on this vehicle, it's difficult with European cars.
The P1482 code with 2 different definitions, there's no way to know what circuit is at fault, there are two completely different circuits. The reverse lights are controlled by a switch on the Standard (manual transmission) circuit that is powered by that same Fuse panel.
The Fuel trim code is most likely caused by the 02 (oxygen sensor) heater fault. The Oxygen sensor will not function correctly without the heater circuit working. But again, did you find any blown fuses?
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Tuesday, February 8th, 2022 AT 4:25 PM
Tiny
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I have not found any blown fuses but did find a slightly rusted contact. The reverse lights are working again after playing with the harness. I physically checked all 4 ABS connectors. Strangely enough, the speedo started showing signs of life again, but it is only going up to about 60 MPH. The ABS light is still on though.
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Friday, February 18th, 2022 AT 11:56 AM
Tiny
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During your checking of wires, you may have moved a connecter around that is not making good contact inside or has corrosion, you may want to retrace your steps and see what you did that got some things functioning again. Did you happen to move the ABS main connector around at all? And on that connector, that's hanging there, is that a solid brown wire with no stripe on it? I can see the other one sort of, looks Blue with a green stripe.

Also are you still getting the same codes now? If not, or if they're different codes, then you must have moved the wiring harness or a bulk connector that is causing an issue. I'd like to find out what that connector goes to, Unless it's just a test port for the fuel pump or something. I'm going through the Technical Service Bulletins for the Saturn Astra, only problem is the US version might have different wiring colors. That P0170 is an issue with the air/fuel mixture. It's strange that we don't have more information on these vehicles here in the US, because I have the Opel Astra listed on my scan tools. I don't know why they leave them out of the database here.
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Friday, February 18th, 2022 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
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Apologies for the delayed responses. Regarding the wires, they are solid brown and blue with a green stripe. The speedometer is kind of working again but it is not registering the correct vehicle speed. So, if I am doing 60MPH it is reading 30MPH! I am stumped at this point.
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Monday, March 14th, 2022 AT 2:42 AM
Tiny
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You probably have a faulty vehicle speed sensor. From your original codes. Do you know what engine is in this vehicle? I found a different database for foreign cars. If it's something like the X17DLT or X20DTL, Y17DY, Y20DTH. We may have a better chance with wiring diagrams. But you have a code for the vehicle speed sensor, and the ABS light on, so that's where your speedometer problem is coming from. Is this vehicle in the UK also? That would help me find the correct wiring diagrams, because every country that builds these calls them something else.
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Monday, March 14th, 2022 AT 7:48 AM
Tiny
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It's a Ecotec Z14XEP, 2008 Vauxhall Astra Estate, 90psi/66kw, 1.4L, Petrol, UK Reg #- EN08UMF.
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Thursday, March 17th, 2022 AT 11:42 AM
Tiny
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The only wiring diagrams I can find for this vehicle are a couple for the engine, but there is no information on the ABS system, vehicle speed sensor or anything like that. We are US based and dont have alot of information on these cars. I can tell you that if the ABS light is on, that means the ABS system is disabled and that is probably why the vehicles Speedometer is not functioning correctly. You will need to have someone with a scantool that can read ABS codes and look into the live data stream. There will be a code stored in the ABS module if the light is on.
You can check and make sure all the wiring is ok at each wheel speed sensor. But you would have to have the ABS module scanned regardless to find out what codes are stored. If you dont find any broken wires at any wheel speed sensor, it will need to be checked for diagnostic trouble codes.
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Thursday, March 17th, 2022 AT 12:41 PM

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