Honda Civic MK8 VSA and ABS lights on solid

Philtor · 13 Jul 2019 at 13:01

Hi Folks I got my rear pads changed the other week at my mechanics.

Just the other day the ABS and VSA lights came on solid.

Thought it might be a faulty ABS wheel sensor so went back to my mechanic today.

He scanned the system and initially it was indicating both rear ABS sensors had failed but then discovered it was showing the problem was with the VSA pressure sensor.

Also noticed when I brake any way hard at all the ABS seems to be kicking in.

This was after getting the front pads changed when I went back the second time.

Are any of you able to help with this please?

GeX · 13 Jul 2019 at 13:07

So it indicated an issue near where they worked, but then all of a sudden it wasn't that at all?

Philtor · 13 Jul 2019 at 13:14

It was showing both rear ABS sensors to begin with but then after some digging with the diagnostics I was told it was the VSA pressure sensor.

Dup · 13 Jul 2019 at 14:23

I had this, was a rear wheel ABS sensor. To diagnose I used a paperclip to jump some pins on the OBDII then it flashes the ABS dash lights to give you the codes. Assume a proper reader reads from the same place.

Make sure to check brake fluid level and fuses. One fault can indicate other faults. The VSA thing might be a result of a dodgy wheel sensor so it's a case of whether you can rule one or the other out first.

Edit: also my sensor failed intermittently, usually only after a few miles so if you have similar behaviour then likely those.

Philtor · 13 Jul 2019 at 14:28

Thanks for the reply.

I had initially thought ABS sensor but my mechanic was perplexed to find it was showing both rear ABS sensors as faulty on the diagnostics.

Then after some more working with the diagnostics it come back as VSA pressure sensor failure.

He is investigating the cause but I will show him any replies in this thread as well.

Cheers

bJN · 13 Jul 2019 at 18:35

Rear abs sensors are quite well known to go on these, not bank-breaking to change-out either. My rear offside went last year after 100k odd miles.

Philtor · 13 Jul 2019 at 18:40

Yeah I can get the sensors for like £15 a pop but it’s this VSA pressure sensor error that the diagnostics come up with.

My mechanic thinks it highly unlikely for both sensors to fail but can’t rule that out.

At a guess the VSA pressure sensor seems to be part of the ABS/VSA modulator pump. Can’t be 100% sure but.