ABS Light and Brake Ratatat Noise on 2005 Bounder W32

[rustyraven4952]

I have a 2005 Bounder on W32 chassis, my problem is with the engine running and vehicle in any gear except park and brake the pedal is depressed I hear 3 maybe 4 quick RATATA sounds. This happens only when the brakes are applied. I should mention that ABS light is on also. Any ideas or fixes on this mystery gremlin will be greatly appreciated.

 

[8Muddypaws]

There is an electrical pump that generates the ABS pulses in your brake lines. Sounds like yours is broken.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

How long has the ABS light been on?

 

[canam175]

I have a 2005 Bounder on W32 chassis, my problem is with the engine running and vehicle in any gear except park and brake the pedal is depressed I hear 3 maybe 4 quick RATATA sounds. This happens only when the brakes are applied. I should mention that ABS light is on also. Any ideas or fixes on this mystery gremlin will be greatly appreciated.

You need to have an ABS diagnostic completed to determine what the problem is, it might be a bad wheel sensor, the diagnostic will pinpoint the problem location.

 

[John From Detroit]

On the W-32 the odds are the hall effect sensors on the brakes are dirty.. I cleaned mine over and a over and a over again and finally said to 7734 with it I learned to drive before ABS so.

The Rat-a-tatt-tat however I don't know.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The rat-tat-tat could be the ABS actually engaging, i.e. pulsing the brake pressure to avoid a skid. It often makes a sound like a tattoo on a drum. If the ABS is malfunctioning (ABS light on) it could be activating when not needed. In any case, you need to get the ABS problem diagnosed and repaired.

Your post mentioned having a Workhorse W32. That has to be a typo - it's either a W22 or a P32.Please clarify because the brake systems are different between those two chassis models.

 

[Kirk]

If the ABS is malfunctioning (ABS light on) it could be activating when not needed. In any case, you need to get the ABS problem diagnosed and repaired.

If it is activating, you should feel it in the brake pedal. Even so, Gary is correct as this is a serious safety issue.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

If it is activating, you should feel it in the brake pedal. Even so, Gary is correct as this is a serious safety issue.

Good observation! When the ABS activates it's anti-lock function, you typically feel the pulsing thru the brake pedal and hear a low, stuttering sound from the hydraulics.

 

[RayIN]

The ABS system has no negative braking effect, they stop the vehicle regardless. You just need to manually pump the brake pedal. When we bought this MH the ABS light stayed on, my mechanic told me to use my pressure washer on straight-stream to wash the back-side of each brake very thoroughly, wait for the brakes to dry, then drive the MH. I do so and the ABS now only comes on at startup_as it should.
He said over time the tone rings become filled with road dirt, cobwebs, etc and the sensor cannot read wheel speed properly.
As to the ABC system clicking, mine does that when I press the brake then turn on the key. It's the ABS wheel sensors running a self-check, and I can feel the pulsing in the brake pedal.