ALT-1 Anti Lock Braking System
In simple terms, the ABS or Anti-lock Braking System is a safety feature that comes with most vehicles in North America these days. ABS was first developed for aircraft as a tool for aiding the pilot to stop the aircraft in adverse conditions. The technology has now found its way into the motor vehicle industry and it is, in most cases a standard feature with new vehicles. It becomes a bit confusing for a driver who drives a vehicle equipped with ABS when he or she does not understand a few simple things about the feature. To assume that the ABS takes full control of the vehicle when in tricky driving conditions is a misconception. Driving skills still takes precedence in the actual manoeuvring of the vehicle.
A few basic tips should be able to help the average driver in understanding what to do and how to do it when certain conditions exist. Do not pump the brake pedal instead; apply enough force on the pedal to stop the vehicle quickly. Always allow enough distance and double the distance behind vehicles when driving on wet roads and use better discretion on snowy and icy roads. If you drive one of these four wheel drives, bear in mind that pumping the brakes turns the ABS on and off which results in compromising your braking efficiency. The system was designed to pump the brake for you automatically and faster than you can do it yourself. Concentrate on steering the vehicle. This simple error is what causes a lot of SUV's to end up in the ditch during wet or wintery weather conditions.
Periodic maintenance of the ABS system is required and should be done either at the dealership or by a suitably qualified service depot. Brake fluid breaks down and loses its chemical properties in vehicles that have ABS so following the manufacturer's recommendation for service, would save a few dollars over the long term. Unless you are going to repair the ABS system in your vehicle yourself, there is hardly a need to know what the system is comprised of and how it goes about doing its various functions. Usually the layman's approach is the best way to deal with problems that may pop up.
When you start your vehicle the ABS light in the instrument panel will come on for a few seconds and will then turn off. This is normal and indicates that the ABS is working fine. If the light turns on and stays on then there is a problem. If the normal brakes are still working and it should be, take the car to the dealer for service. If both the ABS and brake lights are on in the instrument panel, it means that you have no brakes. Do not drive this vehicle at all! Have it towed to the dealer for repair as soon as possible.
