Is ABS a good or bad thing if it gets really wintry?
Discussion
Mine has gone (probably just a wheel sensor) and part of me says to get it sorted quick as things are supposedly getting wintry again in a week or so. But then my dad once told me he rolled into a car blocking his way on a hill because the abs kept releasing the brakes so he couldn't actually stop the car (not sure if he thought about using the handbrake, he just gently and slowly rolled into it and it may be that he would have skidded into it even if the abs wasn't there).
I know it is a very, very good thing generally when travelling about at speed but here I am talking about if you are driving about on say an inch of compacted snow at very low (walking) speeds on winter tyres. I can always just drive carefully and cadence brake if required until I get the pennies properly sorted.
I know it is a very, very good thing generally when travelling about at speed but here I am talking about if you are driving about on say an inch of compacted snow at very low (walking) speeds on winter tyres. I can always just drive carefully and cadence brake if required until I get the pennies properly sorted.
I have a faulty overall braking system, not faulty brakes. If it is a case of a sensor only job, fine, but if it is a case of ECU issues, broken cables that need investigating etc and a decent bill, I can't do that yet. I will get it fixed because I do think overall ABS is a very good thing, but I'm wondering if icy/snowy weather would make it essential to get it done or actually less so. On balance I think the sooner the better irrespective of the weather.
The ESP is faulty too by definition now, but bearing in mind a lot of people turn that off to enjoy driving as they intend, I'm not so phased by that, and I don't think any time it has cut in it has helped me avoid a situation. I accept that whatever gets done to sort the ABS will sort the ESP out too of course!
The ESP is faulty too by definition now, but bearing in mind a lot of people turn that off to enjoy driving as they intend, I'm not so phased by that, and I don't think any time it has cut in it has helped me avoid a situation. I accept that whatever gets done to sort the ABS will sort the ESP out too of course!
Blue Oval84 said:
Really? "Lots of people" turn it off? I've never met any of them who routinely turn it off on an average drive to work or blast up a motorway, why would you need to?
I agree with you that I've very rarely had ESP cut in, but on the occasions it has (once actually was the icy puddle situation that you describe) it is utterly invaluable, I know that on at least one occasion it has saved me from a certain accident.
Sorry, not having a go as clearly you intend to get it fixed, I just don't understand what sort of person thinks that switching it off is a routine thing to do. (I'm obviously excluding track days here etc.)
lots of people turn it off "to drive as they intend" is what I said. i.e if you intend to drive in a spirited way is what I meant, like motoring journos, trackdays, a blat on a b-road etc, I didn't mean that people routinely turn it off. I agree with you that I've very rarely had ESP cut in, but on the occasions it has (once actually was the icy puddle situation that you describe) it is utterly invaluable, I know that on at least one occasion it has saved me from a certain accident.
Sorry, not having a go as clearly you intend to get it fixed, I just don't understand what sort of person thinks that switching it off is a routine thing to do. (I'm obviously excluding track days here etc.)
Tunku said:
I think that most of you are missing the point that it's not the bloody brakes, it's the type of tyre you are using for the prevailing conditions. Most of you seem to have your fingers in your ears and going "lalalalalalalala"
PH really seems to be getting diluted these days.
Not really, the point is the question at the start of the forum and it is about brakes, not tyres. Incidentally I do have Continental Wintersport tyres on, so I haven't scrimped there at all.PH really seems to be getting diluted these days.
Ozzie Osmond said:
Agreed.
Equally there is little room to dispute that for the last 20 years a computer has been able to operate 3 or 4 brake pedals swiftly and simultaneously while allowing the car to be steered - something far beyond the ability of people*.
(* Except of course a PH driving god leaning casually against the bar, on his third beer and talking rather loudly...)
but has it caused cars to roll into other cars that would otherwise have stopped, that seems to be the big unknown even now.Equally there is little room to dispute that for the last 20 years a computer has been able to operate 3 or 4 brake pedals swiftly and simultaneously while allowing the car to be steered - something far beyond the ability of people*.
(* Except of course a PH driving god leaning casually against the bar, on his third beer and talking rather loudly...)
Incidentally, it is all a bit academic (although an interesting question, given the debate that ensued) because the fault lights have gone away and the systems are back up and running. Will pull the sensor cables apart and reconnect at the weekend.
itz_baseline said:
This. It's an MOT failure so needs sorting sooner or later, might as well be sooner.
as I said below, it has sorted itself out, so I'm glad I didn't pay for a diagnostic. Incidentally in the meantime I braked many times and went round many wet corners and I didn't crash or die, not even once!Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff