ABS Bleed

[TimeRacer]

Trying to find a scan tool that supports ABS bleeding with our cars. I know it's not critically necessary to do when you bleed the brakes, but want to have the option if a normal bleed doesn't do the trick. I bought a Launch x431 Creader and it doesn't appear to support ABS bleeding on the current software though it can actuate the ABS module. Also, can actuate the maintenance mode for the parking brake. Anyone have a scanner recommendation that can initiate the ABS bleed mode?

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[conchajm]

@TimeRacer, curious to know if you found a good tool for this. Bled all corners thoroughly, but still have a spongy pedal so my feeling is that I need to do the ABS bleed as I suspect air got in there and a regular bleed won't solve it. Same as you, my current Autel tool allows me to retract the EPB to change pads etc, but doesn't have the option for the ABS bleed. Let me know if you found anything that worked for you. Thanks.

 

[Blindeye_03]

@TimeRacer, curious to know if you found a good tool for this. Bled all corners thoroughly, but still have a spongy pedal so my feeling is that I need to do the ABS bleed as I suspect air got in there and a regular bleed won't solve it. Same as you, my current Autel tool allows me to retract the EPB to change pads etc, but doesn't have the option for the ABS bleed. Let me know if you found anything that worked for you. Thanks.

Which Autel tool do you have currently?

 

[conchajm]

I have a MaxDiag MD806 Pro.

 

[Stanleywinthrop]

Did you bleed the rears, cycle the EPB x 5, bleed the rears, cycle EPB x 5, and then bleed one more time?

I know that sounds like a lot, but I've found it necessary in the past to fully get all the air out.

If the ABS hasn't been activated I'm not sure how air would get in there.

 

[conchajm]

I bled all 4 and then did the EPB cycle x 5, bled rears agian, EPB cycle x 5 and bled rears one more time. I heard that air might get into the ABS if large amounts of air are introduced in the system (like with a caliper rebuild), and that regular bleeding would not remove that air trapped in there. Heard that to remove that air you needed to do an ABS bleed. Have you had a similar situation in the past. Happy to re-bleed again if it might solve the problem!

 

[TimeRacer]

@TimeRacer, curious to know if you found a good tool for this. Bled all corners thoroughly, but still have a spongy pedal so my feeling is that I need to do the ABS bleed as I suspect air got in there and a regular bleed won't solve it. Same as you, my current Autel tool allows me to retract the EPB to change pads etc, but doesn't have the option for the ABS bleed. Let me know if you found anything that worked for you. Thanks.

Never found a good scanner for this, wasn't worth the effort of buying and returning scan tools. However, unless you bled the reservoir dry during the bleeds I highly doubt there's air in your ABS system or master cylinder you'd need to 'shake' or agitate out. This is likely still air just caught in the lines or caliper somewhere that needs to make it to the bleeder. That's where the old fashioned way of bleeding (pressurizing the system) does a bit better of moving the bubbles to the right spots to ultimately get that brake pedal back.

 

[conchajm]

Thanks for the info. I’ll try a regular bleed once more cycling through the EPB a few more times as well and see if that does the trick.

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