hokiemax

Sometimes when I'm coming to a stop and there are ripples on the road, I hear "click click click" from my brakes and braking power is reduced SIGNIFICANTLY. I almost got into an accident due to this other day.


Is this normal? Is this because the ABS is activated? But I thought ABS helps stop the car better. I never had an ABS equipped car before and I can't tell if this is normal or not.

Also, when I think about it, I think I almost always have the car in gear (1st or 2nd) and the clutch pressed. When the car is iactually in nuetral while I'm coming to a stop, I don't think the "click click" ever happened. Might be a coincidence.

What do you say?

hokiemax

mid-day bump.

S2KEvolution

ABS just keeps your brakes from locking up. (Hints the name Anti-Lock Braking System)

if you don't have ABS, you slam on your brakes and they lock up
if you have ABS, you slam on your brakes - right before the point where they would lock up (if you didn't have ABS) - it's like they the brakes let go and grab again to prevent them from locking up... catch my drift?

when you don't have good contact with the road, the brakes will work a little harder kicking in the ABS...

in other words, it's happend to me plenty of times, so don't worry about it. it's just something me, you, and everyone else has to deal with

jguerdat

The ABS certainly does "click" and you should feel it in the pedal. From the sounds of it, you encountered a road with ridges/ripples that went from side to side so you were basically skipping over the surface. When you have good contact with the surface, the tires can scrub off speed but losing traction will cause the ABS to kick in and try to maximize the braking effect. If you didn't have ABS, you probably hear the tires chirping instead of the ABS clicking.

I think you noticed normal operation and shouldn't worry. It was the road surface causing loss of braking ability, not the ABS. Physics is King...