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ABS problems

John90XJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Reno, NV
I've got the Bendix 9 ABS system and it's in the shop now for the recall. It's been in for 2 weeks already and I'm driving an Oldsmobile "Unda Achieva" as an owner/loaner. You can understand my frustration.

They claim that they are unable to locate an actuator/master cylinder assembly anywhere in the US and are currently looking offshore for one. I've been told to plan on another 4-6 weeks of waiting.

Has anyone gone through this recall process recently?

What was your experience as far as parts availability?

Are there any other ABS retrofit parts that could work as a replacement?

Has anyone been able to convince the dealer or DC to replace the ABS with a vacuum boosted brake system?
 
I did a '91 actuator and pump on a recall last spring -- 1-day in/out...

Could it be that DC purged stock on those parts with that big sell-off they had about that time?

Have you tried to loacte these parts on your own?
 
satan said:
I did a '91 actuator and pump on a recall last spring -- 1-day in/out...

Could it be that DC purged stock on those parts with that big sell-off they had about that time?

Have you tried to loacte these parts on your own?

I wondered about the sell-off and if that might have had something to do with it. As I recall though, these parts were never available from DC for DIY installation. It was a recall only thing.

As for locating other sources, I've found an A1 Cardone part number (#12-3118) and an outfit in Texas called Prior Remanufacturing lists it. www.priorreman.com

Trying now to get the dealer to call me back to see if we can go outside of DC to locate the stuff.

As for the one day turn time, an acquaintance of mine got the same service about 4 months ago.

Now, they say they can't find any parts in the US. The story from the zone office is that they're shifting from providing a new part to a remanufactured part but don't have enough of them in the pipeline. Bendix no longer supports the system at all from things I've read.
 
Given that this Bendix ABS system is NOTORIOUSLY unreliable, and given that the dealer is having trouble finding the parts, I would push the dealer to convert the vehicle to conventional (non-ABS) brakes.

The conversion should amount to replacing the master cylinder and booster, (and the proportioning valve, perhaps) and creating some new hard brake lines to connect up the various pieces.

I cannot help but think that the parts cost would be close to a wash, and maybe the labor cost as well.

In the end, you would wind up with a serviceable vehicle sooner, and one that WON'T need this repair again in a few years.

Have you approached the dealer on this approach yet?
 
AZ Jeff said:
Given that this Bendix ABS system is NOTORIOUSLY unreliable, and given that the dealer is having trouble finding the parts, I would push the dealer to convert the vehicle to conventional (non-ABS) brakes.

The conversion should amount to replacing the master cylinder and booster, (and the proportioning valve, perhaps) and creating some new hard brake lines to connect up the various pieces.

I cannot help but think that the parts cost would be close to a wash, and maybe the labor cost as well.

In the end, you would wind up with a serviceable vehicle sooner, and one that WON'T need this repair again in a few years.

Have you approached the dealer on this approach yet?

I agree with you and they were to get back to me today with some idea of what they were going to do. Having them convert the rig to a vacuum boosted standard brake system is my goal at this point. I see it as a win/win deal. DC is off the hook for the ABS recall and I have safer brakes.
 
I just had my XJ in last week for the ABS, O2 sensor and shifter interlock recalls. The shifter and O2 sensor were fixed in a day and they had to overnight a new actuator motor but it was fixed early the next day. Less than 2 days total and I have brakes again! The parts are out there, just depends on if you want it to break again or not.
 
oogabooga said:
I just had my XJ in last week for the ABS, O2 sensor and shifter interlock recalls. The shifter and O2 sensor were fixed in a day and they had to overnight a new actuator motor but it was fixed early the next day. Less than 2 days total and I have brakes again! The parts are out there, just depends on if you want it to break again or not.

Where are you and what year is your Jeep? Who was the dealer and where, if you know, did they locate the parts?

Do you have part numbers? Was it the actuator OR the pump motor?

There has been some discrepancy with the dealer that is attempting to help me.

Thanks for the info.
 
UPDATE

Dealer says no to conversion due to liability issues and they are pursuing getting a non-DC sourced actuator. I hope to know more tomorrow.

Found the actuator for them...just have to get DC to approve its use.
 
Dealer says no to conversion due to liability issues and they are pursuing getting a non-DC sourced actuator. I hope to know more tomorrow.

I ran into the same thing back when my ABS shot craps. Actually, the dealer said it could not be done. So, I let DC fix it at their expense then replaced it all with non-ABS stuff.

I like the "due to liability issues" line. The ABS stuff is more of a liability than the non-ABS stuff will ever be. What a bunch of shortsighted oafs...

Bones :skull1:
Bendix survivor
 
Bones said:
I like the "due to liability issues" line. The ABS stuff is more of a liability than the non-ABS stuff will ever be. What a bunch of shortsighted oafs...

Bones :skull1:
Bendix survivor

I figure at this point, if I ever get in an accident where the brakes are suspect, they're getting sued regardless of which set of brakes they install. Why they won't install the ones that historically work is beyond me. :confused:

The dealer likened it to disabling an airbag. I didn't bother to argue but how many times have they been sued for not disabling an airbag in a vehicle where an undersized driver may be seriously injured by it? I don't understand the logic involved.
 
You guys know what the real issue is here:

Chrybo w`l PAY @E DEALQ for tc parts and labt to "rutore" au ABS system to full factory function. (It's part of the DOT-apprnvedpec`ll ampaign@`or thi issue.) THus,phere i!no outaf pocket expense for the dealer in the long run.

On the other h`nd,petrofipinf th system@qith pats nthe!than tise bui r into the vehicle as it left the factory is probably NOT going to be cperdd b Chryco as partaf the acall. Qhus, tc ddale would be absorbing these costs, which he does NOT want to do, naturall

Yo ard kiaa rtuc
nov. au ban athdr wat for `e dealer to sucessfully repair the ABS system (per Chryco's recall proram(, o pax th de`lerpo retreit theqystem h ynur ackel.

Or........do the retrofit yourself. I would bet that would cost yo about $150 in parts, ab would probabl taje yp a good solid 4 hours to re-plumb the master cylinder portion of the bake hydaulics.
 
Originally astdd b AZ Jef [/h]

A]Or...Ž$...do $ae retr`it youqelf. I would bet that would cost you about $150 in parts, and would pabably ake you a gnod alid 4 eurs to re-plum thd maper cylinder portion of the brake hydraulics. [/B]


I've got a buddy willing to let me strip his brake system off of his old rig. It's going to be done. But as you pointed out, the ABS is getting replaced regardless. I'm going to at least have some nice new ABS parts to sell down the road.
 
UPDATE:

The dealer got the OK on Thursday to order an actuator from an outside supplier, which should be here today, latest tomorrow and the hostage crisis will hopefully end at the 3 week mark. What a bunch of crap!
 
Funny both the pump/motor assy (part # R2003297) and actuator (part # R4746418) both for 89-90 models are showing several in various parts depots in the US. I don't know what the real story is but something is up.

Personally I wouldn't waste my time with the crappy Bendix 9 system. If you are going to convert to a regular master/booster the only way to go is a dual diaphram setup as you will not much like the normal single diaphram setup. The later XJ setup will cause some problems with clearance of the stock airbox and washer bottle.

One of the guys I know (MJDan) used a ZJ master/booster in his 89 MJ. I used a 00 WJ setup in mine. Both of these should not interfere like the XJ setup. On mine I didn't have to relocate anything. Here is the link to the article I wrote. http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/brakes/xj_wjbrakes03/booster/index.htm
 
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Thanks Mike. I agree that converting makes sense, but if these parts are that hard to find (suspect they aren't) and that expensive, I may as well unload them on eBay after I do the conversion and fund my next lift. They jerked me around for 3 weeks so I may as well get everything I got coming to me.

MJR said:
Funny both the pump/motor assy (part # R2003297) and actuator (part # R4746418) both for 89-90 models are showing several in various parts depots in the US. I don't know what the real story is but something is up.
 
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Since this thread will support many searches - I thought that I'd drop in a link to Recall 702 for the Bendix 9 Antilock, ABS, brake components (released in response to NHTSA RQ96-028) that addresses the LIFETIME replacement of the Brake Actuator Piston Assembly, and the Pump Motor Assembly.

One thing that has always chapped my a$s on this one is that the letter sent to the vehicle owners makes no mention of the lifetime portion of the recall, instead it only mentions the 10-yr, 100K mi part....

here's your link (about 530KB):
http://152.122.48.12/prepos/files/Artemis/Public/Recalls/1996/V/RC-96V260-NN.PDF

[edit]
OH yeah - John90XJ -- look at the last page of the recall - there is a toll free number (800.424.9393 - I didn't check to see if it was working or not) so that you can address your issue to NHTSA directly
If your dealer fails or is unable to remedy this defect without charge and within a reasonable time

IMHO, I believe that you may have cause to make the call or write a letter... details for both are in the linked PDF

[/edit]
 
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Thanks Satan...good info. Nice to know what they may or may not want us to know.
 
satan said:
One thing that has always chapped my a$s on this one is that the letter sent to the vehicle owners makes no mention of the lifetime portion of the recall, instead it only mentions the 10-yr, 100K mi part....

It does so state in the letter sent directly to owners. It so states on the second page under
What Chrysler and your Dealer will do ...

Chrysler will test your vehicle's ABS for excessive piston seal wear and possible pump-motor deterioration. If problems with these components are found at any time during the entire life of the vehicle, Chrysler will replace these components free of charge.
 
Hostage crisis ends, finally.....

My rig was released from captivity yesterday afternoon. It was 22 days from start to finish.

On Wednesday, they (the dealer) realized that they had been looking for the wrong part number all along and they probably had the actuator on their shelf when I brought it in, according to the VP of Parts/Service. They were trying to do the recall parts order under the incorrect recall number, a problem that I still don't understand. What the hell difference does that make? The part number that I needed was in fact available in multiple locations throughout the country and the job could've been completed within 24-48 hours of my dropping the rig off. Thanks to MJR from this board and Scott, the parts manager at Robert's Motors in Auburn, WA for their combined assistance in verifying what I knew all along, that this isn't rocket science and finding parts ain't that hard.

Needless to say, they won't be seeing me again, unless it's to pick up my relay/power center cover that they forgot to re-install or if the brakeline leak seems to get worse.:rolleyes:

So, if you're ever in the south Puget Sound area of Washington and you need help from a Jeep dealer, avoid Milam of Puyallup. I would rather push my rig 12 miles further down the road to Robert's Motors than have to deal with these bozos again.
 
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