2017 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited - ABS Light, Brake Light, Eyesight On
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Here is a list of tools I use every day at the shop. Let me know if you use them too in the comments!
General Information: This 2017 Subaru Outback came in from another shop with codes in the ABS light, Brake light, and Eyesight system light causing the dash to light up.(Pictured below) The other shop just finished working on the brakes and the codes were not in there before they started working on it. Even though they have codes in the Engine Control Module (ECM), Airbag system, and others, they were not concerned with them at this time.
First Thoughts: Looking at the codes in the systems, they seem to point to something wrong with the brakes that were just done. It’s important to do a visual inspection, especially if you are trying to fix something that someone else has recently repaired.
The ABS light on a car indicates there is a problem with the anti-lock brake system. The Anti-lock brake system is a safety feature of the vehicle that prevents the wheels from locking up and cause the vehicle to skid. This allows the vehicle to have more traction and control during emergency stops and slippery road conditions.
The scan tool I am using is Snap-on Zeus, but there are other scan tools that can pull these codes out of the ABS module too.
Diagnostics: I decided to try and clear the codes before I jacked the vehicle up and visually inspected the brake job. The codes come right back, so I know it’s a hard fault, meaning the computer sees something that needs to be immediately fixed. The code C1956, for the right actuator circuit, stood out to me. It says that it is a current fault, which means that the computer is saying that there is something currently wrong with that actuator. Of course, if it said history fault, that would mean that it was a problem before, but is not now. Usually, if it has both “current” and “history” in the description of the code, as it does with C1956, I take it as a current code. So I decided to jack up the car and do a little visual inspection. Everything seemed tight and normal, except for one thing. I looked at the plug-in for the right rear actuator, tugged on it, and it came right off. As you can see from the picture below, it was not plugged in all the way. That could cause a code like the one we are seeing.
Why would the technician from the other shop unplug the actuator? Well, on these vehicles with the electronic brakes in the back, they have a specific process when changing the brake pads. Either you put the car into “maintenance mode” with your scan tool. Or you go through another process that has you unplug the actuator. Either way is fine. I have always used the maintenance mode since my scan tool has that capability.
After making sure that the plug and pins were no damaged, I plugged it back in, cleared the codes, and test drove it up the road. Everything worked fine after and no lights were on the dash.
Check out this BMW that had the ABS light and Brake light on too! The fix is not the same as this vehicle!
Frequently Asked Question:
Where do I find wiring diagrams and step-by-step repair procedures for a Subaru?
The best online resource I use is Alldatadiy.com.
I used it for this case study to find the correct procedure for this 2017 Subaru Outback.
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