What to do when ABS becomes too intrusive?

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: Tosh
I just flipped through my Acura CL Helms service manual, and one thing that stands out is there is a 'detection item' for 'different tire diameter' (as the ABS bases its actions on relations between wheel rotational speeds and vehicle speed. But you haven't changed the tire OD, right?


They're about 1/4" smaller. Shouldn't matter but, that's very interesting. I wonder if inputting a different diameter in the computer could alter how aggressive the ABS is??

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
How is the ABS working when you try to threshold brake with the fuse in? Does the ABS cut in too soon? My buddies 97 Odyssey was doing that and he had some sensors replaced which seemed to solve the problem.
I also wonder with your sticky tires, if the ABS is calibrated to only accept a maximum deceleration rate, you might be trying to exceeded it and the ABS doesn't allow for it, or maybe it goes into a safe mode or something... You could try braking on a gravel road and see if it works normally there.



Threshold braking produces the best results but it kicks in before the tires are at their limit. If I brake on the threshold of ABS kicking it (never thought I would say that) it stops better. But once the first pulse happens, it's all over.

Like I mentioned in the other post, I wonder if I input a smaller diameter into the computer, it would allow for quicker deceleration rates.... That's assuming all sensors are in working order.

I've also wondered if there's a set decerleration rate of the car or the tire which abs will kick in regardless of lockup.

One thing is for sure, I can't come close to using these tires to their max with ABS activated.

 

[another Todd]

If you know how to drive, I mean really know how to drive, then ABS is carp. As posted above you can stop quicker without it. I was nearly in two accidents because ABS "released" the brakes. I finally pulled the fuse, and the brakes were much much better. The ABS light stayed on and was annoying. When I got new tires I went taller and fatter. They got much better grip so I Put the ABS fuse back in and it is acceptable, but I would still rather not have it. The wife and kids sometimes drive my truck (2000 chevy), thats the only reason I leave the fuse in.

 

[wafrederick1]

The early Ford fullsize trucks starting in 1991 did have ABS problems and there is one thing to do fix the problem.Disconnect the ABS under the driver's side dash.The rear brakes work a lot whole better.GM does have problems with the full size 4x4s,with the speed sensors and I totall disagree with their fix under the recall they had: Clean the wheel speed sensors in the front.It does not fix it and comes back.The real fix is to replace the front wheelbearings instead and the problem is gone.

 

[UNC017]

Two step solution: Pull the ABS fuse (in the case of our old '93 Vision TSi, I pulled both the controller fuse AND the heavy pump motor fuse). Step 2: remove the bulb from the "ABS" warning light on the dash ;-)

I never wanted ABS- it came with one of the option packages that the old Eagle was loaded up with. I left it alone until it started having problems (false triggering like you're describing) and then I disabled it. Drove the car another 150,000 miles that way. I was absolutely amazed when we bought the PT that replaced the Eagle that there was a 2005 car still sold without ABS. Amazed, and thankful.

I don't know what I'll do in the future to avoid ABS. Just keep disabling it, I suppose.

 

[demarpaint]

I don't like ABS and feel I have better control without it. Speaking with young drivers about pumping brakes they have no idea what I'm talking about or why I'd want to do it. Wish ABS brakes were an option! I for one wouldn't order them!

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I don't like ABS and feel I have better control without it. Speaking with young drivers about pumping brakes they have no idea what I'm talking about or why I'd want to do it. Wish ABS brakes were an option! I for one wouldn't order them!


The average new driver is so dumbed down from what they used to be. Pulling the fuse permanently is not an option because the girlfriend occasionally drives the car. There's no doubt she's safer with the ABS functioning. But with all these bandaids, traction control, stability control and and ABS, driving skills have gone away. I think everyone should learn to drive on a car without all this. I do think it's better for 90% of the drivers out there but people learn to rely on technology instead of learning to drive.

I had a breakthrough today. Stopping is greatly improved with the ABS functioning. I turned my traction and stability control off. This affects ABS. I know it goes from 4 channel to 3 channel but I'm not sure how else it affects it. This made a night and day differnce. Still a little worse than no abs but a huge improvement. This, I can live with. It seems to be much more aggressive and the pump pulses faster.

 

[JHZR2]

dumbing down is the norm. as people lack understanding in math and physics (even inherent understanding such as what driving a car SHOULD provide), they get dumber and dumber. The funny part is that they demand higher and higher wages!

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: BuickGN
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I don't like ABS and feel I have better control without it. Speaking with young drivers about pumping brakes they have no idea what I'm talking about or why I'd want to do it. Wish ABS brakes were an option! I for one wouldn't order them!


The average new driver is so dumbed down from what they used to be. Pulling the fuse permanently is not an option because the girlfriend occasionally drives the car. There's no doubt she's safer with the ABS functioning. But with all these bandaids, traction control, stability control and and ABS, driving skills have gone away. I think everyone should learn to drive on a car without all this. I do think it's better for 90% of the drivers out there but people learn to rely on technology instead of learning to drive.



So true. Ever watch a new driver get stuck in snow, and tell him to Rock the car? The look is priceless. I had a friends son tell me he drove a stick but had some problems with hills. Forget about explaining how the clutch worked and the foot work required for a hill. I asked him if he knew how to use the Emergency brake to hold the car so he could work the clutch and the gas w/o having a foot on the brake. Clueless. We rely too much on gagets, skills are slowly fading away.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I don't like ABS and feel I have better control without it. Speaking with young drivers about pumping brakes they have no idea what I'm talking about or why I'd want to do it. Wish ABS brakes were an option! I for one wouldn't order them!

Pumping the brakes?!

Actually the only time I've done that is sliding sideways into the stop box on a autocross run. I needed to stop but I couldn't let the back tires hit the cones. So I pumped the brakes hoping the back end would come back in, but it didn't. The guys at the timing table weren't impressed to have a cone slide under the table...
I'm not a fan of ABS either, it has its place for total surprises but everytime I've needed to brake hard I've had some indication that I needed to cover the pedal at least. I also practice panic stops once in a while so I've got a pretty good idea how hard I can jam the brakes on and how much to back off if I lock a wheel.

 

[wafrederick1]

Most insurance companies will ask if the vehicle has ABS and most rates are lower with ABS.

 

[tig1]

Go to someone that has a wheel sensor scaner. Two months ago I had a sensor isue with the right rear sensor. On sharp right hand turns the ABS would activcate. The scanner ID the sensor and alls well.

 

[rpn453]

Originally Posted By: wafrederick1
Most insurance companies will ask if the vehicle has ABS and most rates are lower with ABS.


Did they finally get a study showing that ABS reduces accidents or accident severity? Previous studies showed no benefit.

 

[RH+G]

I would clean all the wheel sensors and see if that imporves it. It sounds like u might have a bad wheel sensor

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: rpn453
Originally Posted By: wafrederick1
Most insurance companies will ask if the vehicle has ABS and most rates are lower with ABS.


Did they finally get a study showing that ABS reduces accidents or accident severity? Previous studies showed no benefit.


I see people not taking advantage of the ABS. Where I live, there's a turn off of a 55mph road and I watch inattentive drivers fully into ABS rear end people that are turning when they could've swerved into the next lane gone around them. People don't take advantage of the stomp and steer.

 

[The_Jeff]

Originally Posted By: BuickGN

I see people not taking advantage of the ABS. Where I live, there's a turn off of a 55mph road and I watch inattentive drivers fully into ABS rear end people that are turning when they could've swerved into the next lane gone around them. People don't take advantage of the stomp and steer.


Well then they'd miss their exit.

I'm sure like safer intersections make the rest of a road more dangerous, by placating drivers, ABS helps folks recover more quickly from texting and other distractions.

As for your traction control, congrats on finding that bug. Maybe some processor is overloaded with bandwidth with all that stuff running. Can you leave it off or do you have to remember every time you start the car to push some button?

 

[BuickGN]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: BuickGN

I see people not taking advantage of the ABS. Where I live, there's a turn off of a 55mph road and I watch inattentive drivers fully into ABS rear end people that are turning when they could've swerved into the next lane gone around them. People don't take advantage of the stomp and steer.


Well then they'd miss their exit.

I'm sure like safer intersections make the rest of a road more dangerous, by placating drivers, ABS helps folks recover more quickly from texting and other distractions.

As for your traction control, congrats on finding that bug. Maybe some processor is overloaded with bandwidth with all that stuff running. Can you leave it off or do you have to remember every time you start the car to push some button?


Unfortunatly I have to remember everytime. It's unfortuate because at 258hp, I don't need traction control and I'm very comfortable going sideways not that it has ever happened except for when I do it on purpose.

Now that I've had more time, I've tried it both ways back to back on the exact same section of road and it's consistantly much better with traction off.

Sad but true what you said, ABS helps drivers recover from distractions like texting. Even the guys, young guys on the acura forums act like little girls. They are afraid to take the car out of the garage with the traction control disabled. I don't know how we survived all these years without the electronic babysitter.