How to clean wheel speed sensor magnetic ring. Clean before replacing wheel speed sensor

In the video I am working with a VW. This can be done on any vehicle.
Clean debris from the magnetic ring, having a dirty sensor ring can cause wheel speed sensors to go bad or even damage.
There may also be an underlying issue as to why they are going bad, so cleaning the rings can give you access to see if there are any other issues before spending money.

[@ctrlaltpwr7219]

Heck yeah!

[@teunmeulendijks6561]

Thx for the vid, appreciate it. I did this yesterday on the rear wheel of our VW Golf VI. No need to take the brake calliper off even, if you have a good flashlight you can scrape the ABS ring with a screwdriver via other locations. Did struggle to get the sensor out, in the end by using 2 flat blade screwdrivers one from the top other from the bottom I could pry it out. Did a 20 km test drive and so far no more ABS error. The error was intermittent before so full proof yet it worked but I have good hopes :)

[@jasonhitch660]

So can of air? Use a air compressor? Soap and water? Or use a flat head screwdriver and scrap it?

[@mdr3w]

That may work.

[@mdr3w]

Test the resistance in the wheel speed sensors. The one that reads lower than the other is the bad one.

[@bendenisereedy7865]

Jeeze, you must live sonewhere really dry! There's no rust on your suspension and the brake rotor is spotless.

[@mdr3w]

Mobile, al. Most rainfall in US.

[@1111comment]

Can a bad tone ring somehow be related to a rough idle/rpm surge when weather is 85-90°

[@mdr3w]

Sorry for not seeing this sooner. No. That is not. Usually it's a bad fuel injector.

[@1111comment]

@@mdr3w Thanks, threw so many parts at it including injectors. Lucas transmission stop slip has reduced it A LOT; almost gone. But finally going to get the trans looked at it by a pro.

[@alshob]

thx!

[@manuelsalgado8510]

Can you shoot brake cleaner thru the hole?

[@VOLTAIRES_5]

how do speed sensors go bad if they are just magnetic? do you think after cleaning your strip you didnt need to replace the sensor? just asking because the sensors are $96 a piece

[@andrewcheatle4691]

I think bubbling rust can interfere with the magnetic signal picked up by the sensor - thus tripping avwarning light/error code. Doubt dust and grit ( as long as it's not metallic ) would have any effect.

[@mdr3w]

The magnet rotates. The sensor detects it. The sensor is electronic. Purchase an off brand one for $15.

[@michaelspeakman8924]

Mine is in the wheel bearing. Look at the wire that goes to the bearing . I had one that tested fine. But the ABS. would come on. It was old wire. Every time you turn the wheel it turns on.

[@joshreardon5207]

Same thing with me did u find out what It was????? Pls message me asap

[@HouseCallAutoRepair]

Looks like a really good way for someone who does NOT have a clue what they're doing, to completely destroy their sensor ring! I would NOT recommend this unless you KNOW exactly what you're doing!!!! You can also SCREW UP the magnetic field, magnetize the sensor wheel, or damage a magnetic component. Do at your own risk. I do this at times also, but it is VERY EASY to do damage that you CANNOT see without a scope

[@mdr3w]

You are correct. The general population wouldn't even know how to take the tire off. 🙄

[@battlehrfred]

i had a problem with my 2013 x5 35i 3.0 litre with 2 hundred thousand kilos on it, abs light came on, did a check, it show up that my right front abs sensor was a problem, pulled out my right front sensor, noticed that the flat plastic side on the sensor was chipped and had a grove cut through the plastic on the sensor. looked down in the hole couldnt really see anything... i know it had to be rust or debris that had gathered up over the last 9 years ,so i took a blow gun and blew out lots of rust dust and debris particles. i then put a piece of a centre punch of same size slowly and carefully down the hole whilst rotating the rotor until i felt a little noise, completely rotated the rotor 360 degrees a few times until the noise went away, for me it felt like it cleaned up the rust buildup.. i then installed a Holstein/ NEW sensor.all worked great . Then, after 3 months light comes back on again. check codes , right front sensor again...pulled out the new sensor. the new sensor did have a very slight marking on its plastic flat side( that faces the encoding ring in the bearing ), so i did the same thing to clean it up with a iron punch just a little bit more. again,blowed out all of some debris. i then sprayed wd40 down the hole and used compressed air to clean old dirty wd40 and it out again and installed another,out of the box, new sensor to be sure all was ok.just as i started up the vehicle, the abs/park brake/ traction control and all of these related lights, light up again as before . i used my ancel bm700, cleared codes and only moved the vehicle 300 feet and all lights came back on again and codes as the problem originally started. so now i feel i have to replace the wheel bearing and hub kit assembly. there is no noise or looseness whatsover in the bearing assembly..so,.im figuring the tone ring has rusted or now damaged because of the rust and or my cleaning and or the rust ruined the encoded ring . what are your thoughts and input please ty

[@christofffer]

Make sure that FLAT HEAD IS NOT HAVE A MAGNETISM TIP! You’ll have 4 wheel bearings that will need to be replaced!

[@theville3643]

What year & model VW is that?

[@mdr3w]

2010 tiguan

[@nydrell1969]

Good info bro ty

[@solaron99]

Very clever cleaning method of the speed sensor! Gonna try this on my 2006 Subaru Outback. Thanks

[@stevanrivera4885]

Like driver front or rear or passenger front or rear

[@1111comment]

Damn, went cheaper on my front brake pads. Can a bad tone ring or dirty sensor somehow be related to a rough idle/rpm surge when weather is 85-90°

[@mdr3w]

No.

[@mdr3w]

Sounds like a vac leak somewhere. Or fuel pump/filter/injectors/ distributing cap/etc.

[@mdr3w]

Any codes or check engine light.

[@1111comment]

@@mdr3w Changed throttle body, MAF & Map sensor, injectors, coils, spark plugs, o2 sensors, and new intake tube/ throttle gasket. Wasn’t getting codes or CEL Now, still no CEl but getting c0242, c0561, c0899 from car scanner app. Checked the ohms on a multimeter on the front abs sensors looks like they both dont work. Resistance didnt change from the default ‘1’. Need to wait til Monday, getting 90° that day

[@1111comment]

@@mdr3w Sucks cus the ‘12 Malibu has the sensors built into the bearing/hub

[@JoseSandoval-ic5xe]

Hi what symptoms where you having before you cleaned these??

[@jakubjakubiak9686]

ESP / ABS fault, parking brake malfunction

[@trackie1957]

Wheel sensor problems on my CRV caused every warning light and alarm to go off. It is an intermittent problem, and it came back a month after a garage replaced the sensor. I suspect a dirty ring or an incorrect gap😊

[@ruhsatigoek1632]

Very good video Super

[@stevanrivera4885]

What tire is this behind

[@rohansama]

Can we use some cleaner like WD 40 to clean the rotor or its not advisable?

[@mdr3w]

Any type of lubrication on the rotor may not be a good thing when it comes to braking. Talking about the braking surface.

[@RedPillAware]

WD 40 or similar solvents may damage the wheel bearing grease and eventually the bearing itself as cleaning the ring (demonstrated in the video) is right above and attached to the bearing hub.