I was looking around the under side of my '03 Forester today, and I noticed a small-diameter hose going to each of the front wheels. (Disc brakes in the front.) It wasn't the brake fluid line, which is a larger diameter hose. Anyone know what this hose is for?

ABS (Anti-lock Brakes) cable?

thats not a hose thats an electrical cable, its for the ABS sensors

 

 

nipper

that is not a dumb question. Actually there is no such thing as a dumb question, except the one you did not ask. so ask away, if you have any questions about your Forester. We will be glad to answer them. Oh, and that hose is actually a signal cable from the ABS sensor to tell the ABS computer whether the wheel is turning. It is large because they try to protect that wire as best they can, as no signal from that cable tells the the computer that the wheel is not turning, and it would disable that brake. . .

Thanks, Gnuman. So, where is the ABS computer? Is it that rectangular black box mounted back by the gas tank?

[...]So, where is the ABS computer?[...]

As far as I know, since about '98 the ABS ECU (Electronic Control Unit) has been integrated with the hydraulic control. Look for a unit with four brake lines (steel tubing) coming out of it; on my '99 OBW, it's near the front right (passenger side) of the engine compartment. EDIT: Found this, might be interesting - http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/ABS.pdf

 

By the way, if an ABS wheel speed sensor cable gets damaged to the point that either its resistance or the signal from it changes enough from "normal", usually the ABS unit disables, signified by the dash ABS lamp being lit. With the Bosch system, you'll still have normal braking function, just no anti-lock.

 

--OB99W

good link!

very helpful

 

as for the box behind your gas tank, i believe that's the carbon canister...

Thanks, Gnuman. So, where is the ABS computer? Is it that rectangular black box mounted back by the gas tank?

 

The big "checkered" black box under the gas tank is the EVAP canister, it holds fuel vapors until the engine is at a certain perameter then it burns the vapors to keep from them being vented into the atmo.

There's a weird metal container behind the passenger rear wheel well on my 93 legacy wagon. Its not black or checkered, but bare metal. What the heck is it? I found it when trying to replace my speakers (it actually gets in the way of the new speakers, so I'm going to have to find different ones.... )

 

 

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewforum.php?f=19&sid=5e0c4e16328b6a0ee7fdebacbe8bfbf0

 

 

Jordan

Could be fuel seperator, some cars used that along with the Charcoal canister to catch fumes. Is it square in shape? Then thats what it is, whats it purpose is in life and how it works, your on your own

 

nipper