Common ABS Pump (ESP Fault) – Brake Pressure Sender / Sensor Switch Failure – On Ford / Mazda & Volvo

We did an article some time ago with reference to the Common ABS (ESP – Brake Pressure Sensor Faults) For Volkswagen, Audi, Seat & Skoda and were overwhelmed with the interest we’ve had. In fact, our records show that particular article alone is receiving on average 1.5Million hits a month.

It’s interesting to see that the same part is used in other makes of vehicle and in this case, we’re referencing to the Ford, Mazda & Volvo range. They have the same MK60 ATE / Teves ABS Pumps fitted with slightly different brake pressure sensors (so not interchangeable with any of the VAG range).

What Are The Common Symptoms?
The common symptom around this fault is having the ESP light permanently illuminated on your dashboard speedo (instrument cluster) and pressing the “ESP OFF” / “DCS”  traction control button will have no effect – in some cases, the button will also be illuminated but again, pressing this button will have no effect.

What Is ESP & Why Do I Need It?
The ESP (Electronic Stability Program) is an additional function to the commonly known ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) & TCS (Traction Control System). Most Ford’s, Mazda’s & Volvo’s from 2000+ are fitted with the ESP/TCS system. The ABS system alone prevents the wheels from locking up under harsh braking / emergency braking and the TCS will prevent the wheels from spinning when accelerating hard. ESP is much more advanced and is constantly working, calculating every corner you take to ensure you’re safety. The ESP system will use accelerometer sensors around the vehicle, to detect when the vehicle is likely to loose traction whilst cornering or sudden turning to avoid a collision at speed. If there is excessive longitudal or lateral acceleration/deceleration it will be detected & by sudden steering at speed, the ESP system will instantly apply the brake to one of the opposing wheels, preventing excessive lateral movement that causes loss of traction to the road and loss of driver control of the vehicle.

Why Is This Such A Common Failure?
These MK60 ATE / Teves ABS Pumps fail due to a manufacturing defect with the internal brake pressure sensors. They have no way of ventilation and the internal sealed unit will over pressurise and over time the internal sensor damages itself. Unfortunately, unlike the previous models where the brake pressure sensors were fitted externally and if failed, could be replaced quickly & at an affordable rate – these newer MK60 ATE / Teves units have the brake pressure sensors mounted internally within a sealed unit and so if failed, you cannot purchase the brake pressure sensors separately, which means you have no option but to replace or repair the unit.

A new unit can cost anything in the region of £1000-£1500 (+Vat) and that’s not including labour. The main issue here other than being extremely expensive is the fact you are replacing the unit for a like-for-like part which would basically mean the replacement unit will also carry the same design fault – thus not giving you peace of mind. A new unit will come with 1-2 years warranty but labour is never warranted and if it does fail within that period, you will be obliged to pay the labour rate again.

Luckily for you, we have the best solution to this problem and can remanufacture these units to meet & exceed the OEM standard using only the highest of quality parts to ensure it never fails again whilst maintaining full functionality of the ABS/ESP system. With our solution, we can offer a lifetime warranty giving you as the customer, complete peace of mind.

Most Common Vehicles Affected 
Audi A2
Audi A3
Audi A4
BMW 1Series
BMW 3Series
Ford Focus
Ford C-Max
Mazda 2
Mazda 3
Mazda 5
Mazda 6
Seat Leon
Seat Altea
Seat Toleda
Skoda Octavia
Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen Bora
Volkswagen Passat
Volkswagen Tourag
Volkswagen Touran
Volvo C30
Volvo C70
Volvo S40
Volvo V50

Why You Should Choose Sinspeed To Replace / Remanufacture Your ABS unit
The ABS pump will have failed due to the common manufacturing defect and replacing it with a new or used unit will not solve this problem as you will receive a limited warranty (used parts – 30/90 days) and you would be waiting for the day it fails. There are other companies offering to repair these units but are only changing the internal brake pressure sensors for similar like-for-like parts, so as you can imagine this does not entirely resolve the issues and the weaknesses of the pump will still remain.

What we do is completely different. We bypass the original Brake Pressure Sensor Switch and fit our very own custom manufactured External Brake Pressure Sender Switch and calibrate it so that the manufacturing defect is no longer existing. This is the only way to completely remove all risks of the unit failing again and this is why we are confident enough to offer a full LIFETIME warranty on the unit.

Why Modify The Unit? – Why Not Just Replace The Damaged Part?
All other cars without the MK60 ATE ABS Control Module have the Brake Pressure Sensor fitted externally to the ABS Pump and guess what, they never fail!

Having the Brake Pressure Sender Sensor Switch fitted internally to the ABS Pump is a new space-saving idea which has gone terribly wrong and unfortunately dealerships are yet to recover from this outbreak of faulty units as they have not yet released a modification. Replacing the internal switch for another one will not permanently cure the problem as it will remain a manufacturing defective unit. In order to safe-guard the future of your ABS unit, you have to modify it to match it’s predecessors. All the older versions of the ABS units come without internal brake pressure switches and the ESP never failed because the switches were mounted externally. If something isn’t broken.. why try to fix it? The external switches were great and never failed, the internal brake pressure switch was a bad idea from the start.

SAFETY WARNING!!
There have been rumours of people and/or companies trying to repair these units and in some cases imitate our work. Please understand that although the ESP system is not absolutely crucial, modifying the ABS controller/pump in any way (without superior extensive knowledge) in the technology of advanced braking systems and electronic control modules, you will be risking the life of others. Please do not attempt to repair these units yourself and please do not offer such services to trade or the general public. We have been in business since 1972 as a group company and all our parts, services are fully tested before leaving the workshop. All units are thoroughly tested on specific specialist equipment to ensure maximum quality. Our ESP Fault Modifications come fully approved and as far as we’re aware, there is no other company out there that can successfully repair these units and completely remove the defective state.

If you’ve got a car with a Brake Pressure Sensor fault relating to the ABS unit or have the ESP light lit up on your dash, then call us today and we’ll give you an instant quote. The number to call is 0203 815 9441.

Ajaz

Ajaz is a seasoned automotive electronics engineer with deep expertise in remanufacturing vehicle electronics. He has developed skills in all areas of the automotive field, from rebuilding hydraulic steering components, and mechanical gearboxes and reworking intricate vehicle electronics. Ajaz also acquired Bodyteq, a London-based vehicle bodyshop where he has developed extensive knowledge in automotive refinishing.

Alongside his automotive career, Ajaz has built a career in the IT industry, gaining accredited certification as an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Cloud Architect, and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) specialist.