I have a 1997 1.8TQ Automatic AEB.

This is my weird problem that started happening recently:

I got my pads/rotors done about a year ago... (maybe a little less).

Over the past few weeks, usually when I am in gridlock traffic on the highway, my ABS and (emergency) BRAKE lights come on (constant, NOT flashing) while I am driving. When I come to a stop, they shut off. When I start to drive again, they turn back on.

The weird thing is that I hardly use my brakes in that traffic (I usually just let the car roll slowly), and the lights will just come on and haunt me in this fashion. It mostly happens on my way home from work in the heat/traffic, not on the way there or in my everyday leisure driving.

I pulled P1606 (Rough Road Spec. Engine Torque ABS-ECU Electrical Malfunction), but usually if I leave the car sitting for a few minutes after I get home, the lights stay off...

My brakes don't squeal, but I do need to get the eBay control arm kit... could it be a wheel speed sensor? It doesn't do it all the time... mostly only when I am in slow moving traffic, but once it turns on, it will continue behaving as stated above until I drive normally for a while or get home and shut the car off for a bit. I also have a bit of brake dust that should probably be cleaned which I hear can obstruct the sensor down there?

 

It could be an ABS speed sensor. If you use VAG-COM you can access the ABS module and actually get a readout of the speed each ABS sensor is reporting. If any of the sensors are damaged, this is how you would know.

 

its your abs module. very common on these cars. mine is doing the same. there are a few places you can send them to get them fixed. the board gets hot and the soder comes undone