Camaro abs problems

[phenomic]

I have a 97 z28 camaro and I noticed today that i could lock my brakes up at high speeds. I never tried it before so i decided to on open highway. At 50mph, i just slammed the brakes and instead of slowing down like ABS does, it just locked up and kept sliding. I tested it a few more times and same thing happens (Low trac light comes on when i do this). I am now wondering if my abs is broken or if i don't have it at all. How can i tell if i have it for sure? I ended up driving into a ditch a month or two ago during a rainstorm and i think the fact that i slammed the brake instead of pumping it had something to do with it.

I have never had an abs inop light but i do have ABS fuses in my fuse box all of which seem to be working. Is there any way i can tell if i have abs or not and if i do have it, what do you think is causing it to malfunction? I have new pads and i think my rotors are ok. I plan to flush the system some time this week.

 

[moribundman]

The effect of ABS is very pronounced, and while some systems result in more pedal pulsing and an unsettling stuttering sound than others, all are clearly noticeable. If your car has ABS, and if you could permanently lock the wheel(s), then the ABS is defective, in which case an ABS must come on -- unless the bulb is defective or was removed by a previous owner.

ABS allows you to still steer the car even with the brakes fully engaged. You shoudl eb able to test that, but don't kill yourself or someone else.

It's beyond me how someone wouldn't test the brakes on a new (or new used) car before buying it. Even on my well-maintained car, I do test the ABS once a week (while making sure nobody is behind me!). Not to mention you should always familiarize yourself with a new car before taking it out into the unknown -- like a rainstorm!

About flushing the brakes: make sure you know what you're doing, or you might have a nasty surprise coming your way.

Just my two cents, and I'm off my soap box.

 

[kevm14]

If the system on the 97 Camaro is the same as my 95, then it's fairly unobtrusive. I don't feel much in the pedal, or hear much pulsing. Pretty refined operation, for an F-body.

As to the topic starter, that is just plain scary. Perhaps your ABS inop light bulb has been removed? I cannot imagine that the ABS wouldn't work yet the ABS controller would think everything is kosher...

 

[kevm14]

Good call, eljefino. Assuming it passes the bulb test I really don't know what to say. I guess I'd start at the wheel speed sensors or see a friendly dealer to use their Tech 2.

 

[phenomic]

Well my brake pedal itself says anti-lock on it so i guess it is. It self tests when i turn the car on because the light comes on for a second or two with the rest of the lights and goes off.

Do you think its malfunctioning if when i slam the brakes while moving for it to look them up and skid? How do i go about locating whats the source an fixing it?

 

[sxg6]

my old 97 eclipse gsx was the same way, i could lock up the brakes, but every time id stay straight as an arrow.. so i went to mitsubishi and asked them if it was malfunctioning.. and they said no, thats exactly what its supposed to do, keep you straight.. soo.

 

[kenw]

some vehicles have antilocks on either the front or rears only. The non-ABS wheels will lock like "normal".

 

[eljefino]

Should get an abs light with key-on self test along with the rest of the idiot lights...

 

[moribundman]

quote:

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some vehicles have antilocks on either the front or rears only. The non-ABS wheels will lock like "normal".

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What cars have antilock brakes only in the front? That seems very unsafe, as locking rear wheels are more dangerous than locking front wheels. Both my VW Scirocco, none of which had ABS, were equipped with a (mechanical) system that would prevent the rear wheels from locking up before the front wheels would lock. Not being able to steer with locked front wheels is a problem, but locking rear wheels are easily lethal.

 

[Matt_S]

Mori, a lot of pickup trucks had rear-only ABS in the years that ABS was first coming on the market. It proved itself to be ineffective, though, and is no longer used to my knowledge. I think that's what kenw is referring to. The Camaro in this post should certainly have 4 wheel ABS.

In my experience with ABS, you should feel some kickback in the brake pedal and hear the pump working. If you don't, they're not functioning. I couldn't tell you exactly what the problem is, but I'd get a mechanic to look at it.