The case of the antilock braking systems fault

Will your book, Automotive Brake Systems, 5th Ed, Professional Technician Series, tell me how to replace this unit? Does it include a DVD or CD to illustrate this process?

I have a Ford Technical Service manual and it says I need the bleed tool T90P-50-ALA to correctly bleed the system after changing the hydraulic unit. Is this true? ”

Halderman: Thanks for writing. The textbook explains how brakes and antilock braking systems (ABS) work but it does not include service information regarding how to replace it or to bleed the system on each individual vehicle.

The free supplemental information can be downloaded from the publisher’s website. These additional features are designed to help automotive instructors teach the topics and include thing such as:

• PowerPoint presentations for each chapter

• Test bank (list of questions that can be printed out in an order and for quizzes and tests).

• ASE certification test correction chart

• Image library that has all of the figures in the text. This allows instructors to use them on task sheets or for use in instructor-created Power Points.

• NATEF-corrected task sheets for use by students in the lab while performing automotive service procedures.

Therefore, being a textbook rather than an instruction manual, more information will be needed for each vehicle being serviced. You can access and pay for service information that covers your individual vehicle from several sources such as:

1. All Data (www.alldata.com)

2. Mitchell On Demand (www.ondemand5.com)

Many service procedures do require the use of special tools. For example, many ABS units require that a factory scan tool be used to bleed the system.

I think your best approach is to visit a professional service technician or shop and have them first verify that the unit is defective and then do the replacement for you.

James D. Halderman is an ASE-certified master technician, a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers and the author of 12 textbooks. Submit your automotive care questions to Halderman via e-mail at jhalderman2@juno.com, or write him in care of: Wheels, Marketing Publications Department, Dayton Daily News, 1611 S. Main St., Dayton OH 45409.