ABS light on its own — yes, you can drive carefully to a garage. Your normal brakes still work, but the anti-lock function is disabled, so the wheels will lock if you brake hard in the wet. ABS light AND brake (red) light on together — don't drive it. That's a hydraulic warning.
Quick one this, but worth getting right because the wrong call could put you in a hedge.
Will the ABS light fail my MOT? — Yes — since 2018 an illuminated ABS warning lamp is an automatic MOT failure. Get it sorted before test time.
Can I clear the ABS light by disconnecting the battery? — On some cars it'll come straight back on next drive; on others it'll stay off until the fault triggers again. Either way you haven't fixed anything, and an MOT tester will spot a recently-cleared code on the scanner.
Why does my ABS light only come on at low speed? — Classic sign of a dirty or damaged wheel speed sensor — they tend to read fine at high speed but glitch under about 5 mph. Cheap fix once you've identified the corner.
Bob's Mechanical Repairs — independent family-run garage in Birnam, Dunkeld, Perthshire. Call 01350 727 276 or email [email protected].