I need help removing wheel speed sensor

Hi everyone,
At almost 130,000 miles on my 2000 Jetta TDI (ALH), I am now getting an
intermitant signal from the left rear wheel speed sensor. This is causing the ABS light to come on. I used the VAG scope and verified that the signal is dropping out on this wheel.

The problem is that I cannot remove the wiring clip from the sensor and I cannot remove the sensor from the hub.
Does anyone have any tips on how to remove the clip and the sensor?
I thought about removing the brake disc and seeing if I could use a punch to knock it out from the fron/outside.

Thanks!

The rear-left side ABS sensor is the more difficault to remove due to it is installed "up-side down" compaired to the right side.

This installation makes un-cliping the harness a challange.
what I do is first use a blast of compressed air to clear out dirt and sand from the clip area. Then using a long thin straight-slot (10" long) screw-drive I gently/ carefully depress the lock clip and work the connector off of the sensor.

As for the retaining screw for the sensor itself...thats going to be touchey.
Again a good blast of compressed air to clear away any entraped dirt and several shots of PB blaster. Carefully work the allen tool untill the screw start to move.....then more PB blaster....the one thing you do not want to do is sever / brake the head off of the screw.

Then..as you stated...remove the rear rotor...and you can get a punch to knock out the sensor.

Installing a new sensor...I use a rotory grinding stone to clean out the hole for the new sensor. For this I have a flex-shaft in my electric drill...the rotory stone make a nice job for the install of the new sensor

Thanks

Thanks for the tips Herm!

Good to know that the clip is up-side-down. The real problem on this side is that the brake line is routed right next to the end of the electrical clip! The line is riveted onto the rear axle so you can't even move it out of the way slightly to get a better grip on the clip.

I will try your suggestions.

Thanks again!

The line is riveted onto the rear axle so you can't even move it out of the way slightly to get a better grip on the clip.

You can pop the line out of those clips and gain a little access

if its like the front abs clip I had luck pushin the clip together as I worked the retaining clip and it came of easy that way I had to break one side to figure that out first.

Herm, sounds exactly like the procedure I used recently on one. I just used a dremel with a stone, though.

I am having the same problem with my rear left abs sensor. It is boken off flush with the wheel bearing housing hole. I have a couple of questions.
1) Do the 8mm carrier bolts have to removed to get the rotor off?The rotor is 102,000 mile old and it will need some pounding on the get it off the hub.
2) Once the rotor is removed is the sensor in plain view or does something else need to be removed?
3)Is it easily accessable to fit a punch there and tapp it out?
Thank you in advance!

You do not need to remove the the caliper carrier to remove the rotor.
Holding the rotor (fore & aft) tilt the rotor outward and slide the rotor away.

Once the rotor is remove you can see the ABS sensor. Use a drift punch through one of the lug-bolt holes in the hub. Hammer away at the sensor untill it is removed from the hole. It doesn't come out easily....once you get the sensor off it feels like victory.

See my above note about a rotory stone to clean out the hole...you'll need it.

Just finished. Wow victory is right! I had to use a small chisel and break it out piece by piece. Light read and reset using a $70 reader from ebay. worked great made my money back. Thanks for the advice!

everything stated so far is the truth....

omg! I beat the living hell out of the old sensor to get it out (driver side rear). Piece by piece until there was just a shell and that didn't come easily either .

My problem now is that I can't get the replacement sensor in the hole. I will try the grinding stone, but of course i need to go buy a flex adapter (lowes?). I tried to get the wire wheel in the hole (using dremel) but that really didn't help.
I already broke off the hold-down tab on the new sensor trying to get it in. And I tried to remove some of the outside plastic with a sanding drum to make it fit a little better but it's clear that this isn't a long-term solution.

The sensor needs to be in there with the correct alignment or else it won't pick up the wheel speed. Not having the hold-down makes me feel less than 100% about this.

Anyone else got tips on getting the new sensor in the hole w/o tearing it up?

Thanks!

-t

Like herm said, clean the hole up with a dremel, and make it fit....brute strength and ignorance for removal, a gentle touch for the install...its a rusty spot, and needs lots of attention to get things back into place. Rear brakes on any car that sees road salt, is a pain in the butt...regardless of manufacturer...

Craig

this site is really invaluable

I went out and bought the flex adapter for my dremel. I was skeptical due to it's larger than expected size. I bought it ($30 Home Depot) anyway seeing as I didn't have too many choices.

Let me say that it worked like a champ! I used the pink/coral colored grinding stone (Aluminum Oxide?) and after snaking it around a bit got it right in there and cleaned out all the rust and funk. The "replacement" sensor (which I have already ruined - see above) fit in there with ease! I have another new sensor on the way now - too bad I just wasted $40 by ruining the first replacement sensor.

I've been doing a brake overhaul on this car as well (now it has 132k miles). The dremel and grinding stone have been very very helpful in removing rust and debris from the brake hardware. I will look through the forums for some brake repair faqs, I'm sure they are there. If I had only looked before! If they aren't (hardly unlikely) I will gladly post my trials and solutions for the common knowledge.

In closing I have to say that this site is an awesome fount of knowledge. Every problem that I have had has been either previously covered quite thoroughly (with pictures) or promptly addressed by veteran members. Thank you thank you thank you.

-t

thermo said:

omg! I beat the living hell out of the old sensor to get it out (driver side rear). Piece by piece until there was just a shell and that didn't come easily either .

My problem now is that I can't get the replacement sensor in the hole. I will try the grinding stone, but of course i need to go buy a flex adapter (lowes?). I tried to get the wire wheel in the hole (using dremel) but that really didn't help.
I already broke off the hold-down tab on the new sensor trying to get it in. And I tried to remove some of the outside plastic with a sanding drum to make it fit a little better but it's clear that this isn't a long-term solution.

The sensor needs to be in there with the correct alignment or else it won't pick up the wheel speed. Not having the hold-down makes me feel less than 100% about this.

Anyone else got tips on getting the new sensor in the hole w/o tearing it up?

Thanks!

-t

Click to expand...

I hear ya. The first thing I destroyed is the bolt that holds the sensor. It snapped right off (and I was gentle and had PBblasted the heck out of it). Then - total destruction for removal of the sensor. Then I used a C-clamp with plastic caps on it to gently press the new sensor in. It is not completely seated (about 5mm gap) but adjusted properly and does pick uo the signal. No ABS light.
I only feel 65% about it, but I do not see how that sensor is going to move. When I am wrenching on the car with rainwater pouring down my back (because I was too self-absorbed to notice the black clouds when I got started) 65% success sounds awfully good.

Broken front sensor

Ok i was trging to clean abs sensors after a esp fault and broke front left speed sensor now i have a esp abs fault ugh so anyone have tip for removal of broken sensor its broken flush. Do i have to pull off hub cause that will be a huge issuecause i live in rust belt

Thanks guys
2010 jetta
Malone stage 2
Dpf delete
Dc stage 2 clutch
Custom intake

03jamesdarnell78 said:

Ok i was trging to clean abs sensors after a esp fault and broke front left speed sensor now i have a esp abs fault ugh so anyone have tip for removal of broken sensor its broken flush. Do i have to pull off hub cause that will be a huge issuecause i live in rust belt.

Thanks guys
2010 jetta
Malone stage 2
Dpf delete
Dc stage 2 clutch
Custom intake

Click to expand...

Is this on the 2010? I don't know if the 2010 is the same as a Mk4, but I changed one a few months ago and I just cut the end of the sensor off flush and tapped it back through the hole in the knuckle with a punch. There was no other way that thing was coming out of there. Once it was out, I cleaned the rust up and slipped the new sensor in. Been fine since.