WHEEL SPEED SENSORS

W
heel speed sen- tors can affect the quality of a passive signal. Metallic filings can collect on
sors are an in- speed sensor’s signal, however. the sensor’s magnet, resulting in an
tegral part of First, a passive speed sensor is in- erratic signal or a loss of signal. Rust
active safety effective at generating a usable signal between the wheel speed sensor and
systems. They at slower vehicle speeds. The control the knuckle or hub can disturb the air
measure the ro- unit may require the sensor signal to gap between the sensor and the tone
tational speed of the vehicle’s wheels be above a certain amplitude and the ring. Corrosion can get in between
via magnetic fields in a contact-free signal’s amplitude may be just too low the components and damage the tone
manner. Wheel speed sensors are clas- for the control unit to deal with it at ring. A warped tone ring will cause
sified as either active or passive, de- low speeds. Consequently, a passive the sensor gap to vary, causing the
pending on how they operate. The sensor’s signal may not come on line sensor output to vary in amplitude
classification may seem counterintui- as far as the control unit is concerned as the tone ring rotates. If a tooth is
tive, but here’s how it works: until vehicle speed is 5 mph or greater. missing or out of alignment, it can
•A sensor that operates and gener- Second, because the sensor relies also affect the quality of the signal.
ates a usable signal without an addi- on the oscillating magnetic field cre- Even a small chip in the tone ring can
tional supply voltage applied is called ated by the sensor magnet and the affect the sensor signal. Never use a
a passive sensor. Early, variable-re- tone ring, the physical relationship pry bar or hammer to remove a half-
luctance wheel speed sensors were between the two is very important. If shaft from a steering knuckle.
passive, and we’ll discuss their oper- One of the biggest shortcomings
ation first. of a system equipped with passive
•A sensor that requires a supply volt- speed sensors (and a frequent custom-
age to operate and generate an output er complaint) is false ABS activation.
signal is called an active sensor. There By design, the sensor signal weakens
Photo courtesy Robert Bosch

are several advantages to this design, as vehicle speed decreases, and most
which explains why it has been adopted false ABS activation events take place
for use on most late-model ABS, trac- at slow vehicle speeds. Even if the
tion and stability control systems. sensor gap is correctly adjusted, worn
A passive wheel speed sensor is po- or loose wheel bearings or other fac-
sitioned directly adjacent to a toothed tors may cause erratic sensor output
impulse or tone ring. The tone ring is signals and false ABS activation.
connected to the wheel hub or drive- This early, passive wheel speed sensor The ABS control unit compares the
shaft. Inside the sensor, a pole pin is design relies on a tone ring spinning close signal amplitude and frequency from
surrounded by a winding and connect- by on a drive axle or brake disc to allow it all of the wheel speed sensors on the
to generate an analog AC signal that di-
ed to a permanent magnet. The mag- minishes in strength when vehicle speed vehicle to determine if ABS activation
netic effect produced by the magnet is low. Its exposed location and larger is necessary. Any small difference be-
extends to the tone ring. The rotation size makes it more vulnerable to damage tween them may be interpreted as a
of the tone ring causes its alternating and deterioration caused by exposure to wheel that’s slowing too rapidly, which
heat, moisture, salt and other indignities.
teeth spacing to pass near the sen- can trigger ABS activation, particularly
sor. This brings about a change in the the gap between the sensor tip and at speeds below 10 mph, despite the
magnetic field. The changing magnet- the tone ring’s teeth is too great, the fact that the wheel is not locking up.
ic field induces an alternating voltage sensor’s ability to produce a usable To find the source of the erratic, in-
in the sensor winding. signal will be compromised. consistent wheel speed sensor signals,
The frequency and amplitude of Although the sensor gap can be ad- check for tone ring movement caused
this alternating voltage signal change justed on some vehicles, most can’t be by worn wheel bearings, and inspect
in direct relation to wheel speed. The adjusted. A nonferrous (brass) feeler the other components previously men-
faster the wheel’s rotation, the great- gauge must be used to measure the tioned. Worn or damaged components
er the frequency and amplitude of gap, if a spec is available. If the gap must be replaced.
the speed sensor’s signal. All of this is out of spec, and no adjustment is If DTCs or diagnostic procedures
takes place without the need of an possible, the tone ring or wheel speed indicate a passive wheel speed sensor
outside voltage supply from a control sensor probably requires replacement. failure, visually inspect the affected
unit. The sensor has just two wires— Dirt may accumulate on the sensor, sensor, its related wiring and connec-
ground and signal. A number of fac- which inhibits its ability to generate a tions for problems. A passive wheel

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 speed sensor can be checked by mea- unit, while a second wire handles the stalled in a vehicle in place of a mul-
suring its resistance with a digital mul- sensor signal. A third, ground wire tipole tone ring, a magnet is also af-
timeter (DMM). If the sensor resis- may also be employed. fixed to the sensor element. When
tance is out of specification, it will Unlike the passive sensor’s AC out- the impulse ring turns, the magnetic
not produce an accurate signal to the put signal, changes in the electromag- field in the sensor changes.
control unit. To verify sensor outputs, netic field produced by the toothed This type of sensor design permits
also compare them using an oscillo- tone ring passing the wheel speed greater signal accuracy. In fact, an
scope or AC voltmeter. active sensor is able to detect the first
Some ABS control units send a DC edge of the next tooth on the tone
bias voltage to the sensor through ring immediately after powering on.

Photo courtesy Federal-Mogul Motorparts

the ground wire, so the sensor can be Like the passive sensor design, the
tested by the control unit before the control unit uses the frequency of
vehicle is moving. If there’s a prob- the digital DC signal from the active
lem, vehicles with this type of system sensor to calculate the wheel speed.
will set wheel speed sensor codes the But unlike the passive sensor, it’s also
moment the key is turned on. The capable of detecting which direction
ABS control unit is looking at the the wheel is turning.
voltage coming back from the sensor. The elimination of tone rings sim-
High resistance or an open circuit plifies the design of the related pow-
can be immediately detected. ertrain components, and sensitivity to
Problems with these systems are electromagnetic interference is less
Later, active wheel speed sensors are
not always caused by a faulty sen- often incorporated directly into a hub
pronounced. Slight changes in the air
sor. Problems with the bias voltage assembly that includes a wheel bearing. gap between the sensor and magnetic
as it travels through the harness and This eliminates the need for a tone ring ring have no direct effect on the signal.
connectors may be to blame instead. on the axle and seals the magnetoresis- Active sensors also are less affected by
To measure the circuit’s bias volt- tive speed sensor inside the assembly, vibrations and temperature fluctuations.
where it’s less likely to be affected by
age, connect the meter’s ground lead dirt, corrosion or other contamination. The data from passive and active
to battery ground, and the positive wheel speed sensors can be observed
lead to the signal wire. If the signal is sensor cause the active wheel speed and graphed with a scan tool. Your
viewed on a scope, the 2.5V bias volt- sensor to produce a DC voltage sig- scan tool will also point to problems
age will raise above the ground line. nal. It’s a digital high/low voltage, with a specific speed sensor or its cir-
The DC bias voltage supplied to the unlike the analog voltage signal pro- cuit by logging a DTC. Look for a
circuit should be present without the duced by a passive sensor. clean signal from each sensor. Just
need for you to spin the wheel. The active sensor is a proximity remember that active sensors output a
With the sensor wiring disconnect- sensor with integrated electronics digital, DC square wave signal, unlike
ed, connect the positive test lead to that’s supplied with a defined voltage the analog, AC sine wave produced by
the harness connector leading to the from the ABS control unit. Instead passive sensors. Signals from all sen-
control unit and the negative lead of a tone ring, some active sensor sors on a vehicle should look the same.
to the connector that leads to the designs use a multipole ring that’s Look for abnormalities indicating bro-
ground for the ABS module. The bias integrated into a wheel bearing seal- ken or damaged parts.
voltage supplied by the ABS module ing ring as an impulse ring. Inserted Unlike passive sensors, active sen-
should be between 1.5 and 5V. If the in this sealing ring are magnets with sors shouldn’t be resistance tested with
voltage is outside the manufacturer’s alternating pole directions. an ohmmeter, as the results will be
specification, it may indicate a prob- The magnetoresistive components inconclusive. Your meter may produce
lem with the harness. integrated in the sensor’s electronic cir- a resistance reading when the leads
Passive and active wheel speed cuit detect an alternating magnetic field are connected in one direction, and
sensors can look similar, but their op- when the multipole ring rotates. This an open circuit when they’re reversed.
eration is dissimilar. The active, mag- sinusoidal signal is converted by the If there’s no output from a particular
netoresistive wheel speed sensor was sensor electronics into a digital signal. sensor, make sure it’s receiving the
designed to combat the weak low- The signal is transmitted to the control correct supply voltage from the control
speed signal characteristics of passive unit in pulse width-modulated fashion. unit and that nothing is impeding its
sensors. In some designs, the active In addition to magnetoresis- ability to return its signal to the control
sensor uses a tone ring and a permanent tive sensor elements, active sensors unit.—Karl Seyfert
magnet like the variable-reluctance pas- use Hall sensor elements to permit
sive sensor. It may have either two a larger air gap and to respond to This article can be found online at
or three wires. One wire delivers a the smallest changes in the magnetic www.motormagazine.com.
reference voltage from the control field. If a steel impulse ring is in-

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