Audi ABS Pump & Controller ECU Common Faults & Repairs

Almost all vehicles are now fitted with ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System) and TCS (Traction Control System) to give us better stability of the vehicle. When these units fail, it doesn’t always render the vehicle non-drivable, however, it can make it unsafe to drive because believe it or not the on-board computers are constantly working to keep the vehicle moving steadily especially at higher speeds.

In some cars you can’t really feel the difference on day-to-day driving on local roads but on motorways it’s noticeable in all vehicles where the on-board ABS controller or Traction Controller isn’t working.. you’ll feel it sway a bit, it’ll become unsteady and maybe even vibrate/judder.

Audi ABS pumps are attached to the controller and are in clear view under the bonnet, normally mounted close to the passenger side suspension turret. There’s commonly two types of ABS controllers on the Audi, Bosch & ATE. The Bosch units have a part number starting with 02 (commonly 0265.. or 0273) and are 10 digits long. The ATE units have a part number starting with 10 (commonly 10.0) and are 11 digits long.

We’ve been repairing these ABS controllers & Traction control units for years now and we’re taking in at least 3-4 units a day now from private & trade customers. The most common faults we’re seeing on these on a daily basis are:

• No Communication
• Wheel Sensor Fault
• ABS / Traction Light On dash
• Flashing Red Brake Light On Dash
• Vibrations Under Breaking
• Speedo Not Working

Some people prefer replacing these units with second-hand units from breaker yards, problem with that is that this is a very common fault and almost definitely all of them will fail at one point or another so when buying a second-hand unit, you’re unaware of the history of the unit (has it previously been repaired yet or is it waiting to fail?).. once they’ve been repaired they don’t really come back or become faulty again and should last the lifetime of the vehicle.

Buying a new unit isn’t cheap at all, they start from £500+ and require programming/coding to your vehicle as well (either by a local electrician with the correct equipment) or a main dealer. You still get the same 12months warranty on a new unit, nothing special so there’s no real reason to go down this road until you’re certain your unit is beyond repair, which is very unlikely.

We remanufacture these units every day and we try to keep some of the most common part numbers readily available in stock to reduce turn around time. All units from us are pre-programmed ready to plug & play on the vehicle, meaning they do not require further programming. Always call us first prior to sending any units in and have the part numbers to hand so that we can confirm the price & turn around time. We do not take payment from you until the unit has been repaired and tested working okay & ready to come back to you & the best thing is, all our units come with the same 12months warranty.

If you do decide to send your unit in to us, we ask that you kindly send both the controller and the attached hydraulic pump so that we can fully bench test both parts of the unit. This means when removing it from the vehicle, you should remove it whole by disconnecting the communication cables and also the 4-6 hydraulic lines running into the pump. When re-fitting the unit, you will have to bleed all 4 brakes starting from the wheel furthest away from the ABS pump i.e. if the pump is located on passenger side front suspension turret, then you should begin bleeding from the driver side rear wheel.

Even if you’ve been told by others that your unit is non-repairable, don’t give up until you’ve given us a call.