Beddington Lane, heavy loads and wheel speed sensor faults
Beddington Lane is one of the hardest-working roads in the area. Lorries, skip wagons and vans serve the industrial estates and recycling sites all day, and there's a tram crossing by the tram stop. For vans and pickups that use it daily, often loaded, the wheel hubs and bearings take a real pounding. On many modern vans the magnetic ring the ABS sensor reads is built into the wheel bearing seal, so a bearing that develops play can upset the signal long before it becomes noisy.
Family cars from the quieter streets around Beddington Park and Carew Manor tend to have different ABS faults. Road spray, winter salt and brake dust gradually corrode the sensor where it sits in the hub, and a sensor that's been in place for years can crack or lose its signal. A common story is a warning that appears after a wet run along the A232 Croydon Road towards the Purley Way junction, then disappears for a few days before coming back for good.
We start by reading the ABS module, which tells us which wheel has lost its signal and what type of fault it has logged. Then we check live wheel speeds and test the circuit, so we know whether it's the sensor, the wiring, the connector or the ring it reads. On a heavily used van, we check the bearing for play at the same time. You get a written quote that explains exactly what needs doing.
Most ABS sensor jobs are short, so from Beddington village you can often wait or walk back through Beddington Park. The car is usually safe to drive here carefully, via Croydon Road to Wallington Green and up the A237 London Road, about 1.6 miles. If the brake warning light is on as well, call us first and we'll arrange collection. Repairs carry our 3-month workmanship warranty.