San Jose Mercury News, Calif., Automotive Inquiries Column.

Byline: Brad Bergholdt

Oct. 11--QUESTIONS: I have a 1997 Ford Explorer with anti-lock (ABS) brakes. Periodically, the ABS light on my instrument panel lights up. Sometimes it stays on when I first start the car, sometimes it lights up when I'm sitting at a stop sign and sometimes it just pops on when I'm driving. I notice nothing different about the car's braking ability and, if I turn the car off and then restart it, most of the time the light goes off.

My questions are: When the light goes on do my brakes lose their ABS? Once it goes on, why would it go off if I restart the car? The dealership said they would charge me almost $100 just to figure out ...