My wife's 2002, FWD Santa Fe has a growling noise that pops up from time to time when she's going slow and getting ready to make a turn. She's had the car about a year but I haven't been in the car when it happens but I suspect it's the ABS kicking in. It seems to be overly sensitive and activates early. There aren't any error codes in the OBD and I or the shop haven't been able to recreate it. Could this be a bad wheel sensor? Is there a calibration or test procedure?
The car has 77K miles on it, brakes and tires are about a year old.

Any ideas?

Thanks
mike

 

when you hear this noise is she pressing on the brakes? abs only work when the system detects wheel lock during braking? a common problem with those vehicle is that the sway bar bushings go bad causing an awful noise. like i said when do you hear the noise

 

My wife says her foot is not on the brake when she hears the noise. When she hears the noise and steps on the brake, she can feel the ABS pulsing immediately but then it, and the noise,goes away. It only happens when the car is going less then 10 MPH if that helps.

thanks
mike

 

okdoes this happen when she first starts the car and drive off? if so theABS system is doing a pump self check.

 

No, it happens after she's been driving for a while. I saw a TSB describing the self check process and it does sound like it may be what's occurring but not when it should happen. The self check is scheduled to occur during the the first time a car hits 8-10 MPH. In her case the speed range is correct but it's happening after she's been driving for a while. If she puts her foot on the brake, she can feel the ABS pulsing, but it's started to turn on with out applying the brakes.
thanks
mike

 

well the next step is you would have to take it to the dealer have them test drive the vehicle with you. what they can also do is record the tone wheel pattern(that's what the wheel speed sensors use to detect if the wheels are locking up) to see if there's a problem.