Skip to content
Book on WhatsApp

C0500

Anti-lock Brake System Disabled

A general status code indicating that ABS function has been disabled by the brake control module. It is set in addition to the underlying root-cause code that disabled ABS.

  • Check engine light: Not always
  • Emissions related: No
  • Repair difficulty: medium

Symptoms

  • ABS warning light on
  • ESC/stability control deactivated
  • Possible reduced brake assist
  • Speedometer may behave erratically

Common causes

Ordered by how often each turns out to be the cause.

  • Underlying ABS fault disables functionCommon
  • Communication bus fault to ABS modulePossible

Parts involved

  • ABS Control Module
  • Brake System
  • Communication Bus

C0500 is a generic OBD-II code defined by SAE J2012. Exact wording and diagnostic procedure vary by manufacturer and model. Code definitions are drawn from the public-domain OBDex dataset; the workshop notes are our own.