2000 Cadillac DTS I replaced struts with ones that you can'

SLIKRIK030

MEMBER
2000 CADILLAC DEVILLE DTS
V8
FWD
AUTOMATIC
100,000 MILES

The Struts on my DTS needed to be replaced when I bought this car. The price was like $980.00 a piece for the stock replacements. I had them replaced with the ones that don't have the computer hook up for the ride hight I believe. Well the car rides great but now can't get the ABS light off. I heard from someone that there is a diode or something that you can attach to fool the computer. Is this true? If someone could answer this, it would be a big help.
Thanx,
Rick

2 Replies

ERNEST CLARK

MECHANIC
1,730 POSTS

No, that's not true. If you install a diode, or anything else for that matter, in your ABS circuit, you will destroy your computer. Also, your struts have absolutely nothing to do with your ABS system.

Your ABS computer uses "Wheel Speed Sensors" that are small magnets mounted to the inside of the wheel hub/brake rotors. These small sensors tell the computer how fast each wheel is turning, and when you apply the brakes, how fast each wheel slows down.

When your computer detects one/more wheels slowing down faster than another, or not turning at all (wheel lock), it pulses the brakes on/off several times per second in order to regain traction to that wheel, and thus your control over the car.

Your struts have nothing to do with this. Some strut options will have ride-height controls, automatic damping adjustments, etc. But whoever charged you $980 per strut ripped you off, and in a big way!

And whoever ripped you off (and installed the struts) may have failed to reinstall the wheel speed sensors correctly. But keep in mind, these sensors sometimes fail themselves, and yours may have been ready to go anyway.