Guide
Mitsubishi BSW Service Required
Mitsubishi owners may get a warning on the dashboard stating BSW Service Required.
Mitsubishi ABS Warning Light On - Service Required
In this guide, you will learn about common problems that can cause Mitsubishi ABS light(s) to stay on and how to troubleshoot the ABS light yourself.
In most cases, Mitsubishi ABS lights come on due to a defective or dirty ABS wheel speed sensor. You will learn how to use an ABS scanner to find out which sensor is faulty.
What does ABS warning light mean on Mitsubishi?
If you notice that an ABS light is staying on, it means that the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) has detected a problem and is no longer working properly.
When your ABS module is disabled, your vehicle may skid and/or take longer to come to a complete stop under hard braking situations. The wheels on your vehicle may lock up, and your vehicle may skid if you brake too hard.
Traction control and stability control light
- You may see those warning lights come on as well. These systems depend on the ABS to function, so they will be disabled when there is a problem with the ABS.
Symptoms
- ABS light on
- Traction control light staying on
- 4WD light staying on
- ABS Service Required warning message
- Traction control, Stability, and 4WD depend on the ABS module to function properly. These lights may come on in addition to the ABS light.
- ABS service required warning on dashboard
Possible Problems
- Faulty ABS wheel speed sensor
- Defective clock spring
- Defective ABS module or pump
- Damaged wiring harness
- Bad or corroded connector
- Blown fuse
- Low battery voltage
To find out why the ABS light is on, read the fault codes outlined in the next section.
How to Diagnose Mitsubishi ABS problems
To find out why your ABS 'service required' warning is coming up, you will need a Mitsubishi ABS scanner to read fault codes from the ABS module. Note that generic OBD2 scanners cannot read ABS fault codes.
The procedure for reading and clearing Mitsubishi ABS light is straightforward.
- Plug-in the scanner into the OBD2 port under the dashboard.
- Turn on the ignition. Don't start the engine.
- Allow the scanner to power up and press scan or enter, depending on the scanner.
- Select your Mitsubishi model. Go to the ABS control module.
- Scroll down to Read Codes and press enter.
These instructions may vary slightly depending on the scanner that you are using.
What causes ABS light on a Mitsubishi?
The most common problem that causes the ABS light or warning message to come on in a Mitsubishi vehicle is a defective ABS wheel speed sensor.
Wheel speed sensor
A common problem that causes Mitsubishi ABS light to come on. In less than 30 minutes, you can remove the ABS sensor and clean it. The problem is that without reading the fault codes, you will know which ABS sensor is dirty.
Read the fault codes with a Mitsubishi scanner to find out which sensor is the issue. If you don't have a scanner, you will have to remove all the sensors and clean them.
Follow this guide to learn how to replace the Mitsubishi ABS sensor if you determine one is defective.
Blown ABS fuse or defective ABS relay
Check the fuse for the ABS in the main fuse box in the engine bay. If the ABS fuse keeps blowing, it indicates a problem with the ABS pump. Replace the ABS relay or swap it with one that you know works.
Defective ABS module
The ABS module or pump itself may fail. It will need to be replaced or rebuilt. Typically Mitsubishi ABS pump doesn't need to be coded, but the module may need programming.
By YOUCANIC Automotive Experts
Nov 2020
