Antilock Brakes

Commonly referred to as ABS (Antilock Brake System)

It’s that time of year again where the North has a lot of snow and ice, and the South has a lot of rain. Most cars today come with antilock brakes as standard equipment. Check the owner’s manual to make sure. The manual will show a picture of a symbol that will light up on the vehicle’s instrument panel during startup. This is called a trouble light. The manual will also explain that when this light comes on and stays on, the ABS has a malfunction and will not work. This does not mean that the regular brakes have a problem; the vehicle should be able to stop normally. The ABS is only used during panic stop conditions. If you have never experienced a panic stop with your ABS brakes then I would suggest that you do so. A good dirt road or parking lot that is secluded will work. Just make sure nobody is around when you try this. Now drive your car straight at approximately 30 MPH and slam on the brakes, making sure to continue holding the brake pedal down firmly. You should feel the brake pedal pulsate and you might even hear a humming noise. This will be the ABS pulsating the brakes. This is normal and the reason you need to experience this before you have a real panic stop situation. The ABS pulsates your brakes so you don’t slide and lose steering control. Your vehicle will also stop faster.

Now let’s talk a little about the vehicles weight and momentum. The ABS cannot overcome this if you are traveling too fast for conditions. An example would be to drive in a big parking lot covered with snow or rain. First go 20 mph and slam on the brakes while trying to turn. Then try it again at 35 mph. The vehicle will not turn at faster speeds because the momentum takes over. Just because the vehicle is equipped with this feature does not give license to becoming comfortable in climatic conditions. Maintain cautious driving in hazardous weather.