Some fords are known to have an issue where the front nearside ABS wire wears and one of the wires inside breaks, occasionally it will short out and you get this error.
Any decent garage would plug the diagnostics in, drive down the road while monitoring the ABS live data and it would be very obvious where the error is occurring. It would only take them 2-3 minutes to work it out.
There’s your problem right there sir data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
So, the saga continues....
Retrieved Kuga from local independent garage who told me that after investigating all sensors, the previously newly replaced ABS sensor was "fitted incorrectly", hence the continued appearance of the warning lights, and the ad hoc clanking noise from under the car. In addition, it was their conclusion, upon proper investigation of that sensor, is that the new sensor required a new wheel bearing as it was the pick up ring that was at fault (and the likely core of the overall issue).
No remedial work was undertaken due to the ford warranty, and Kuga is due in to Ford on Tuesday to be fixed - hopefully once and for all if they take heed of the mechanic's summary written on the invoice. I imagine Ford will do it quickly to get rid of me knowing that I'm trading in to a non-Ford dealer (thereby rendering the remainder of the warranty void anyway).
Re. the MOT advisories, this local garage is a testing centre too, and their tester told me directly that the ABS advisory isn't something he would have included because it wasn't witnessed during the test. Interesting, but it worryingly hints at inconsistencies among testing centres.
I'll post again on Tuesday only If there's anything other than a swift conclusion to this sorry affair. Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions, massively appreciated!
Exactly the same issue as our Mini - ours is an '05 plate so a worn wheel bearing isn't that surprising but I'd be annoyed if it were as young as yours.
No wonder you're getting rid, good luck with a swift conclusion now you have the facts.
I just cannot for the life of me fathom how it is that Ford did not identify the bearing issue when replacing the sensor last month. If they had, I wouldn't be here now with all this palaver. The cynic in me feels it's deliberate. Anyway.....
Over-reliance on system diags. The computer said there was a sensor fault on that wheel so they slavishly followed the computer & changed it. It should have been routine to check the bearing & pickup ring first. The fact that the sensor also appears to be poorly fitted just compounds the lack of care & knowledge that seems all too common these days.
It all seemed to start going wrong when they started calling themselves technicians rather than mechanics. Being "qualified" these days seems to hinge largely around knowing where the OBD port is...
I wonder if they would have tried harder had the initial work not been done under warranty....anyway, they can’t go wrong from here....can they?!?!
Even if the conclusion is swift and satisfactory do pop back in here and give us a data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Will do!
So, after having an independent garage inspect the Kuga last week, it yesterday went in for its scheduled appointment with Ford to be "fixed".
Before leaving it there, I took one of their "technicians" for a test drive in it. As is always the way, the ABS/stability warning lights did not appear, but there was some pulling when braking, and the intermittent clanging type of noise underneath did present itself. So I left it with them. And i have today collected it, and all now appears fine. However, the diagnosis by the independent garage was not upheld by Ford, instead finding that the culprit was a broken / corroded wire to the previously replaced sensor. They explained this was the reason for the warning lights appearing ad hoc. On questioning them about the noise and lurch however, they said these issues didn't present themselves during diagnostics (yet the mechanic witnessed this during the test drive). Ford stated that, if the independent garage's view regarding the pick up ring had been correct, then the car would not have passed its MOT last week anyway - which it did, of course. I have no idea whether that's correct or not, nor whether Ford will say anything just to get rid of me by now.
Anyway, having test driven the Kuga today, all issues appear resolved. Touch wood this continues until it gets sold to the car buying company coming to inspect it next week.