I've read here that having my DSC/ABS/Tire lights going off and on could be a bad connection to one of the front wheel speed sensors. I tried to remove them at the wheel to see if cleaning off the connections would help but I couldn't get them off. After removing the bolt that holds them to the wheel I couldn't budge either the passenger or driver side one.

What is the trick to getting them off? I tried a bit of prying and I used a pliers, but since I want to try and clean them (at first) I don't want to destroy them removing them.

thanks in advance.

 

try to spin them then work them out. They are just plastic so don't ham fist it!

 

To help with cleaning the surfaces, you can use either brake cleaner or STP carb spray cleaner (which has the chemicals of brake cleaner plus more).

 

So does that connector go into a hole or is it just sitting on top of that piece that the bolt goes into? I am trying to figure how much and what kind of force I can use to dislodge it. For example 03BRG suggested twisting. Twisting around where the bolt was or where the wire is?

A picture or diagram would help. I've been looking at the RealOEM page and can't find a view of that.

 

Its about a inch long and it would spin around the wire. The bolt is just a tab to hold it down.

 

Well after working on this some more I am going to have to bite the bullet and take it into the stealership. Those things (both sides) aren't coming off for nothing! Tried pulling, prying, twisting and banged on it. No movement at all.

Thanks for the help guys, it was worth trying at least :(

 

I had to remove mine on my 03, one came out easy, the other was destroyed in the removal process. Yes, they are plastic, and if you can twist them, it could help. There is an indentation with a lip, on each side of them, that you can use a flat screwdriver to pry them up with. On the one I destroyed, I wound up breaking off most of the lip, on both sides. Wound up taking the whole steering knuckle off, and using a punch and a hammer to get the remnants out. The hole was full of rust. It would not have come out without wrecking it.

 

raven9mm, after reading your post, I feel better that I have an appointment with the dealership in a week. Since it is my only car and I don't have a garage, I can't have it out of service while I clean up whatever trouble I would get into. Thanks.
PS. This knuckle head doesn't want to think about taking off a steering knuckle

 

Well I had my appointment at the dealer and the problem was the front left (driver side) speed sensor. I was told that they had to drill it out (better them than me). So my wallet is a bit lighter but at least the car is fixed now

 

lol, they had to drill it out, AFTER they broke it off! I can totally see it though. I had my steering knuckle out of the car, so i was able to use a punch. Otherwise I expect drilling would be the next option. When I put mine back in, both the new drivers side, and the unbroken passenger side, I greased up the barrel of the sensor before putting it back in the hole on the steering knuckle, to hopefully keep the water out.

Glad to hear yours is back on the road. I should be motoring again after this weekend.

 

My drivers side speed sensor is stuck on as well. The bolt sheared off when I tried to remove it. Does anyone know if that bolt threads into the knuckle, or to the other side of the sensor. I am thinking of drilling it out. Any other advice for getting it off? It won't turn or budge. Thinking maybe it can be pried off?

 

The screw that holds it down, just screws into the knuckle itself. The screw just passes through the sensor. Here is where you are in kind of a bind...
If you drill the screw out, you "might" get the sensor out in 1 piece. Either way, you will need to re-tap the hole, since you NEED the screw to hold the sensor in place, but the hole in the sensor has a brass sleeve in it, where the screw fits through. So you cannot retap the hole with anthing but just a very slightly bigger tap, since there is not a lot of room in the brass sleeve. I would assume you could try to make the sleeve a little bigger, to fit a bigger screw, but try to make it close to the same size. Worst case, I would guess also that you could drill out the brass sleeve completly, if you wind up needing to tap the hole with a much bigger size tap, just do not crank the screw down real tight when putting it back in

 

Thanks for the detailed reply. I would normally tackle this myself, but it sounds like I could make it worse rather than better. Headed to the dealer. :-/

 

Zombie thread revival for my $0.02

I tackled this for the trifecta yesterday.
I located the bad sensor with the Schwaben Scan tool:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...eo-review.html

And reading this thread (and some pointers from local club members) I was prepared to take my time.

I've documented it over on my R53 FB Page:







Best recommendations is to take your time. It's not a difficult job, just slow whilst you carve/drill the part out as much as possible.

 

Thanks for the insight,. and using the tool. The biggest headache was getting the old sensor out. 34526756384

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ed-sensor.html