My ABS warning lamp is on - what is broken?

There are two possible answers to this question: • Check to see if the red brake warning lamp illuminates when the car is started. Every warning lamp in a car is designed to illuminate at start-up as a check on the light bulb. (Yes, the manufacturer expects the driver to examine all 15 warning lamps every time the car is started.) If the red brake warning bulb does not illuminate, it is possible that the ABS warning lamp is illuminating to warn that the red brake warning bulb is burnt. Check with a mechanic about changing the bulb or, for the intrepid, dig out a Haynes repair manual and try taking apart the dashboard. • The second possible answer is not really an answer. The only sure-fire way to determine what is wrong is to take it to a dealer or a trusted mechanic with electronic diagnostic tools. There is no other clear-cut universal (read: cheap) solution. Some dealers will charge $75 just to hook up a car to a diagnostic computer. Places such as AutoZone may retrieve trouble ...  more