Service Antilock Brake System in Ram Trucks – How to Fix?

Modern cars and trucks are getting smarter and they now can throw a message to let you know what's wrong with the vehicle. Earlier you may have seen the check engine light whatever happened with the car and couldn't even think of locating a problem. Now it seems easier. But, in most cases, it only seems to be much easier than before.

Service antilock brake system message highlights

• Common reasons:ABS sensor faulty or disconnected
• How to fix:clean or replace the ABS sensor
• Possible consequences:ABS won't work, this is a safety issue
• Priority level:High
• Can you drive?Carefully
• DIY repair:Possible but complicated
• Repair price range:$100-$700

Here's what I will cover in this article:

• What are the reasons for the "Service Antilock Brake System" in Ram vehicles?
• How can you try and fix the problem on your own?
• How can you prevent this problem from happening?
• Can you drive with this message on the dash of your truck?

Let's get started!

Reasons for ABS failure message in your Ram truck

This message is pretty common for the 1500 and 2500 Ram trucks. It was first spotted around 2015 and after that owners have been noticing more and more cases of this message appearing repeatedly on the dash without an actual ABS problem.

The problem is that the code won't be stored in the control modules. After you turn the ignition off, the error code is cleaned and the next time you start the vehicle, it's OK and doesn't throw any codes or messages. This makes it much harder to actually locate the problem.

Here are the reasons for the "Service Antilock Brake System" message in your Ram:

1. Wheel speed sensors

One of the most obvious things to check is the health of the wheel speed sensors. These sensors are used by ABS, ESP, ESC, and other systems. The vehicle brain makes sure that all the wheels rotate with the predicted speed and that there are no slipping wheels or blocked wheels when driving or braking on slippery roads.

If a wheel speed sensor fails, it doesn't deliver the information about the wheel rotation to the control modules and the ABS can't decide whether it's needed to be activated right now and unblock the wheel while braking. That's why, the system just turns off and you see the message saying to service the antilock brake system.

This is one of the easiest things that you can locate but the problem is that you won't know which exactly sensor fails until you use a good scanner.

But what to do if all the wheel speed sensors are OK? In this case, you will need to look at some other possible triggers.

2. Trailer brake controller problem

In Ram 1500 or 2500, the problem with the trailer brake controller is worth considering whenever your truck fails to use ABS or any other braking system. The trailer control module in the recent generation of vehicles appeared to be faulty.

The module itself is not repairable, so it will need to be replaced and reprogrammed once found faulty. Unfortunately, this is not a cheap repair given the OEM controller is pretty hard to find and you will need to wait for it to be delivered for weeks.

Also, a trailer socket may be the issue. It was mentioned in the forums several times, so people really have this problem with Ram trucks, and replacing the socket solves the issue for them.

3. Wheel bearing

Although it sounds pretty weird, the bad wheel bearing in your Ram truck may cause issues. One of the most common problems is a set of lights on your dash including the ABS, Traction Control, and Service 4WD light combination. Also, you may hear whining noise when driving on highways from one of the wheels.

One of the explanations could be that the fault bearing creates micro-vibrations and they disturb the wheel speed sensor from working properly.

Anyway, it's worth checking the wheel bearings before you decide to pay for any more serious repair of your truck.

4. Wiring problems

If you drive your Ram truck in harsh conditions, chances are that you've damaged the wiring of the ABS system. Each wheel speed sensor has a dedicated wire that is placed in a pretty weird position under your vehicle. Of course, a big stone or old hard snow and ice can damage this wire and lead to immediate issues with the ABS system.

The problem is that the ABS will not recover after restarting your car, in this case. So, if nothing helps you reset the problem, chances are you've torn some wiring under the vehicle. You will obviously need some help with this.

5. Software glitches

If the problem is not consistent and only appears once a week or something, it means that your ABS module or some other electronic control unit has developed some glitch. One of the obvious solutions for that is to disconnect the battery for several minutes and let all the modules reset.

Also, you may disconnect the ABS module and let it reset without touching the battery. When doing this, you may also check whether all the pins in the clamp and on the module itself are clean and free of corrosion.

Actually, resetting everything you can reset is the first step before going to the dealership or repair shop.

What are your DIY repair options?

Before you go to the dealership and give your money to them, here are some things you may try doing on your own:

• Reset the control modules by disconnecting the battery. This will help you solve the problem at least temporarily unless there is actually some issue like a broken wire or fried control module.
• Use a scanner and check the wheel speed sensors. You may find tons of manuals and videos on how to do it, so I won't take your time now.
• Disconnect the ABS module and make sure that the connections are clean and good. You may also check if there was an impact or something else that could affect the module.
• Replace the wheel speed sensors if they are found broken. Actually, you can do this on your own in a Ram truck, it's not a very hard task.
• Get the vehicle inspected if nothing else helps you solve or even locate the problem. Professionals will eventually find the trigger.

You should know that dealers may try to repair one thing after another just to take money out of your pocket. So, it's very advisable to try and locate the problem on your own before you go to the dealership. Otherwise, dealing with the "Service Antilock Brake System" error message may cost you thousands of dollars.

Can you prevent this problem from happening?

Well, it depends on what exactly triggered the message. In most cases, you can't prevent it because this is the physical damage to the wheel speed sensor or the ABS module. But sometimes, the thing is in driving on harsh terrain without thinking about all those electronics and electrical connections.

Your Ram truck is made for towing and hauling. It's obviously not an off-road vehicle and it's bad for driving in mountains, mud places, or on stones. If you do that, the unprotected wiring may eventually catch a stone and get damaged. The same happens when you drive in deep snow with a hard crust on it.

So, use the truck in the situations it was made for and you will have much fewer problems with the vehicle.

By the way, Chrysler started the service bulletin connected with ABS failure in Ram trucks but it's been under review for ages and is not likely to end up being issues.

Can you drive when you see the "Service Antilock Brake System" error message?

Yes, you can keep driving. But remember that the truck will not have several important features:

• ABS will most likely turn off due to this failure;
• stability control features will not work;
• cruise control function will not activate, in these conditions;
• you will not be able to turn off the traction control system;
• in some cases, the 4WD will be deactivated and you won't be able to turn it on.

Other than that, the vehicle should be fine to drive. Remember that some extremely important safety features will be unavailable. This means you will need to be extra careful when driving because your health and even life are at higher risk than usual.

Instead of driving like that, you may try turning the car off and then on again to get the safety features back.

Final thoughts

Although this is obviously not the best thing that can happen with your Ram truck, the "Service Antilock Brake System" message is not the worst one, either. You need to know what can cause this issue and also how to cope with it. In this article, I've told you about both things in detail.

If you still have questions, just write them in the comments below and I will do my best to help you. Also, share your experience in dealing with this problem in Ram trucks and help others solve it easily without losing their money!