It seems like there is no fix for the ABS module on the hybrids unless you pony up $1000+ on a new module straight from the dealership. But my car isn't worth more than $5000 if that. I want to know if anyone has come up with a more economical workaround for the two pronged issue with the module which is the carbon brushes wearing down and the accumulator leak? My car has been sitting for months with no advancement towards a solution.
Called a 'junk yard.' Find a car with your type of part; take tools and remove; pay the fee, and; swap into your car. It is called 'sweat equity.' Bob Wilson
The issue is that if I go to the junkyard for these specific ABS parts, the module will have already been pulled entirely, as I've found out the last time I was at the junkyard. Aftermarket modules are $500+. But I guess it doesn't hurt to check out the yard again. I'm considering hiring an electronics engineering off of fiverr to look at the issue and see what they can come up with. I believe an economical fix for the hybrid ABS module is worth the effort because it will essentially save a lot of 2000's hybrids.
I was able to Google up enough junkyards to identify the one that had the part I needed. But your mileage may vary. Of course if you have to drive the broken car, I'd recommend eBay and be happy. Bob Wilson
The issue is, the hybrid ABS module is usually pulled out and sold as is. These are very in demand parts where the parts puller will have first pickings. So if I go to the junk yard, there will not be a hybrid thats available, along with the ABS module. On top of all of this, the module consist of two smaller parts that are worn out, which is the brushings on the abs pump and the accumulator. This is why I want to hire an electronics engineer to look at the ABS pump and see if there's an economical solution. If this can be fixed, it will override the engineering decision from Toyota as a whole and will save alot of hybrids.
If I remember right, Hybrid Pit Stop has claimed they can offer a rebuilding service for those. Seemed like they wanted to keep all the details close to the chest for commercial reasons, making it sort of faith-based from a customer's perspective, but they've advertised it anyway, at least for Gen 3 (2010–2015).
Checking in to give an update and ask a few questions. My highlander has experienced the dreaded accumulator/abs failure. Long story short I took out the small ABS pump motor and fiddled with it thinking it would somehow help the situation without knowing much about the situation. I removed one of the brushes and glued it back half butt causing it to overheat and fail. Much of my effort was trying to understand that small DC motor. This is particularly hard if you don't come from an electrical background. There' still some parts of the motor that I don't understand how it works but I'm at a point where I understand most of the workings, almost enough to retrofit a new motor in. At first, I wanted to study the small motor and save it at the same time. The realization is that the motor has to be torn apart to be studied because the endbell plate and the extra components on the motor is not what you'd normally see on DC motors. Because of the heat the coating around the wires have melted and shorted the windings. The motor is pretty much done for. The only use for it is to save the endbell, remove the small components if possible(inductor and two ceramic capictors) and retro it onto a new similar in size motor. The endbell is really tricky to understand because of the metal plates that's used as either + or - is hidden under plastic so you can't tell what's connected to what. And the only way to understand it is cut it apart. You can buy the ABS motor off of ebay for $100 but you have to retrofit the + and - wires and there's no guarantee it comes with the same components. I didn't want to go this route because I didn't want to spend$100 on a small motor when I can just get one from the junk yard for $10. Next up is the accumulator. I'm not going to even bother with this thing. Will just purchase an accumulator off of ebay for $150 and plug it in from a 4runner. The old accumu uses a metal bellow that, according to other posts, cracks and leaks nitrogen. I will also have to find out how to bleed the entire module. And with that, it should fix the ABS module issue for the 2nd gen hybrids. My question is, does the 3rd, 4th, and 5th gen use the this same system for regenerative braking? My understanding with this system is that the accumulator keeps pressure on the system at all times so that regen motor and ABS applies a braking force together. Whats the key differences with the newer gen hybrid systems?
