ABS pump keeps running after car is turned off

[Zeppo]

What could cause this? My son's '95 Legacy sedan was making a strange noise
after he shut it off the other night. I looked under the hood with him when
I got home 2 hours later and as best we could figure the ABS pump was
running (I didn't even know it had a separate power source). We ran it over
to my mechanic to be looked at in the morning but of course it didn't do it
while it was there.

It hasn't happened since but I'm a bit mystified what could cause this.

Any ideas?

Jon

 

[Jim]

What could cause this? My son's '95 Legacy sedan was making a strange noise
after he shut it off the other night. I looked under the hood with him when
I got home 2 hours later and as best we could figure the ABS pump was
running (I didn't even know it had a separate power source). We ran it over
to my mechanic to be looked at in the morning but of course it didn't do it
while it was there.

It hasn't happened since but I'm a bit mystified what could cause this.

Any ideas?

Jon

I've not had this issue with my Legacy, but my Miata has done this on
and off for over 12 years. The problem appears to be that a solenoid
gets stuck and keeps the pump running. I've found that striking the
right place will free it and stop the pump. At various times I've had
it looked at but have been told that unless it is acting up for the
mechanic, there is nothing that can be done. I've tried on a few
occasions to get it to the mechanic when this happened. The closest I
got was one mile away and then the solenoid freed itself and the pump
stopped.

I've come to live with it as a minor annoyance. It only happens once in
a great while. I think it's been over a year since the last time.

HTH,
Jim

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

What could cause this? My son's '95 Legacy sedan was making a strange noise
after he shut it off the other night. I looked under the hood with him when
I got home 2 hours later and as best we could figure the ABS pump was
running (I didn't even know it had a separate power source). We ran it over
to my mechanic to be looked at in the morning but of course it didn't do it
while it was there.

It hasn't happened since but I'm a bit mystified what could cause this.

Any ideas?

Jon

There may be a TSB for this. A quick search seems to indicate it is not
uncommon for your model;

http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/1995-to-1999-subaru-legacy-2.htm


Carl

 

[Zeppo]

I've not had this issue with my Legacy, but my Miata has done this on
and off for over 12 years. The problem appears to be that a solenoid
gets stuck and keeps the pump running. I've found that striking the
right place will free it and stop the pump. At various times I've had
it looked at but have been told that unless it is acting up for the
mechanic, there is nothing that can be done. I've tried on a few
occasions to get it to the mechanic when this happened. The closest I
got was one mile away and then the solenoid freed itself and the pump
stopped.

I've come to live with it as a minor annoyance. It only happens once in
a great while. I think it's been over a year since the last time.

HTH,
Jim

Thanks Jim. I've instructed my son to drive over to the mechanic if it
happens again during business hours. Hopefully it won't strand him one of
these days.

Jon

 

[Zeppo]

There may be a TSB for this. A quick search seems to indicate it is not
uncommon for your model;

http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/1995-to-1999-subaru-legacy-2.htm
Carl

Thanks Carl. That's what I figured. If I can get it to the mechanic when it
happens they'll be on the hook for a new pump, since they installed a few
months ago.

Jon