What You Need to Know About ABS

Most modern cars/vehicles nowadays are equipped with a lot of safety devices. One of the most important features that one should look for when buying a car/vehicles is anti-lock braking system or better known as ASABS.

WHAT IS ABS?
Not many people know that ABS originated in airplanes; developed to shorten the distance that is necessary for landing. ABS did not appear in road cars until 1966, when Jensen FF installed a system called Maxaret, which was developed by Dunlop.

However, this system only employed electronic sensors to avoid locking the disc brakes instead of employing computers and wheel speed sensors.

ABS is an anti lock braking system that keeps your base brakes from locking up. In vehicles not equipped with ABS, the driver can manually pump the brakes to prevent wheel lock-up. In vehicles equipped with ABS, the driver's foot remains firmly on the brake pedal, allowing the system to automatically pump the brakes.

WHY ABS IS IMPORTANT
ABS allows the driver to maintain directional stability, control over steering, and in some situations, to reduce stopping distances during emergency braking situation, particularly on wet and slippery road surface. Rear wheel ABS prevents wheel lock-up so that your car stays in a straight line. If your car has ABS on all four wheels, you also keep steering control. If you have steering control, it is possible to avoid a crash by steering around hazards if a complete stop cannot be accomplished in time.

Most new car models offer ABS as either standard or optional equipment. To find out whether your car has ABS, you can read your owner's manual, check your instrument panel for an amber ABS indicator light after you turn on the ignition, or when you buy, lease or rent, you can ask your dealer or rental car company.

How to notice that the ABS is working? In many vehicles, drivers may experience a rapid pulsation of the brake pedal - almost as if the brakes are pushing back at you. Sometimes the pedal could suddenly drop. Also, the vales in the ABS controller may make a noise that sounds like grinding or buzzing. However, in some cars you may feel a slight vibration.

What ABS does is similar to a person pumping the brakes. It automatically changes the pressure in the car's brake lines to maintain maximum brake performance just short of locking up the wheels. ABS does this very rapidly with electronics. However, you have to remember that you should not pump your brakes if you have ABS. Just hold your foot firmly on the brakes pedal. It is important not to take your foot off the brake pedal when you hear a noise or feel pulsation, instead, continue to apply firm pressure. Remember you can still steer the car.

ABS systems are all very similar in the way they control brake pressure. However some systems are designed to prevent only the rear wheels from locking up as can be found on some pick-up trucks and sports utility vehicles. Rear-wheel ABS keeps the vehicle from spinning out of control but the driver will not have steering control if the front wheels lock-up. All other ABS systems including those for cars and multi-utility vehicles are designed to keep all four wheels from locking up. Check your owner's manual to see what type of ABS you have.

However, one thing that everyone has to remember, although ABS will help in bringing the car safely to rest, it will not be able to assist if the vehicle is placed in an unrecoverable situation. Please read your owner's manual for more details on the complete operation and benefits of ABS. You can also familiarise yourself with the system by test-driving your vehicle in an unobstructed parking lot at a speed above which the ABS activates