Damaged, chafed or corroded wiring or connector at the right rear sensor or along the harness to the axle or body; Metal debris or dirt on the sensor tip or magnetic encoder ring causing an erratic signal; Faulty right rear wheel speed sensor with an internal intermittent fault; Damaged, cracked, rusty or clogged tone ring or magnetic encoder, or one that is integrated into the hub bearing; Excessive wheel bearing play or incorrect sensor air gap or mounting; Poor power or earth supply to the sensor circuit or the ABS module; Fault inside the ABS control module.

C0516

Right Rear Wheel Speed Sensor A Intermittent/Erratic.

Generic
Chassis
Generic code
Medium severity

How this code is built

C: SystemChassis
0: Defined bySAE, the same on every car
5: AreaChassis area 5
16: FaultThe specific fault in that area

What it means

C0516 means the ABS/traction control module has seen an intermittent or erratic signal from the right rear wheel speed sensor (circuit A). The signal drops out, jumps or does not match the other wheels while the car is moving. The fault may come and go, so the warning lights can clear and return.

Symptoms

ABS warning light on, sometimes intermittently
Traction control or stability control warning light on
Traction or stability control not working, or cutting in when it should not
ABS pulsing or not working properly under braking
Speedometer or cruise control behaving oddly on some models
Fault appears only at certain speeds, over bumps or in wet weather

Possible causes

Damaged, chafed or corroded wiring or connector at the right rear sensor or along the harness to the axle or bodylikely
Metal debris or dirt on the sensor tip or magnetic encoder ring causing an erratic signallikely
Faulty right rear wheel speed sensor with an internal intermittent faultlikely
Damaged, cracked, rusty or clogged tone ring or magnetic encoder, or one that is integrated into the hub bearingpossible
Excessive wheel bearing play or incorrect sensor air gap or mountingpossible
Poor power or earth supply to the sensor circuit or the ABS modulerare
Fault inside the ABS control modulerare

How to diagnose

Read all stored codes and freeze frame data, noting the vehicle speed and conditions when the fault set, and check for other wheel speed codes.
Visually inspect the right rear sensor, its wiring and connector for chafing, corrosion, water ingress and loose fittings, flexing the harness gently while watching live data.
Compare live wheel speed data for all four wheels on a road test or with the wheel spun, looking for dropouts or spikes on the right rear.
Remove the sensor and check the tip for debris and damage, and check the tone ring or encoder for dirt, rust, cracks or missing teeth, following the procedure for the model.
Check the wheel bearing for play or roughness and confirm the sensor is seated correctly with the right air gap where one is specified.
Test the sensor circuit for resistance, shorts and continuity, and check supply voltage and earth, using the manufacturer's specifications for the model since sensor type varies.
If wiring, sensor and ring are all good, check the ABS module connector and power and earth feeds before suspecting the module.

How to fix

Repair or replace damaged wiring, and clean or replace corroded connectors or terminals.
Clean the sensor and mounting area, and clean the encoder surface if it is contaminated.
Replace the right rear wheel speed sensor if it fails testing.
Replace the tone ring, or the hub and bearing assembly where the encoder is part of it, if damaged or the bearing is worn.
Correct sensor mounting or air gap, and refit it securely.
Repair power or earth faults, and only consider the ABS module after all other causes are ruled out.

Can I keep driving?

Medium severity

The car can usually be driven carefully, but ABS and stability control may not work, so allow longer braking distances and take extra care on wet or slippery roads. Get it checked soon.

Guide written by AI from the code's definition. Confirm with a diagnosis before replacing parts.