Dashboard Series: Anti Lock Brake System

Dashboard Series: Anti Lock Brake System

Whether it be to prevent hitting an animal crossing the road or to avoid an accident, nearly every driver has needed to hit the brakes a little harder than they’re comfortable with. These split second moments on the road demand your car’s braking system perform at its peak when you need it most. One of the most critical components in ensuring your car brakes when it needs to while allowing you to maintain control of your vehicle is the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS). The anti lock brake system in your car is an ultra-smart computerized feature that gives you more traction as you brake by allowing your tires to continue rotating as you come to a stop. Without this system, your car’s wheels are at risk to lock up and start skidding, causing you to more easily lose control of your car during aggressive stops.

While this system is very complex and uses an instant-by-instant analysis of your tire’s rotation and your braking patterns, your car’s anti lock brake system may need maintenance to keep you safely on the road. If your car’s ABS light comes on, your braking system is compromised and may falter in a panic situation.

Faulty Wheel Speed Sensor

As your tire rotates, a sensor located on the inside of each hub sends your car’s computer information as to how fast each wheel is spinning. If one of your wheels slows faster than the others as you brake, your ABS will release hydraulic brake fluid pressure going to that wheel. This will encourage your wheels to evenly spin to an abrupt stop without locking up. If one of these crucial sensors is damaged, your car’s computer will not be able to read the affected wheel’s speed putting you at risk to experience a lock up while braking.

Loss of Hydraulic Pressure

The hydraulic system of your ABS is critical in maintaining a consistent wheel speed as you stop by either increasing or decreasing the pressure on your brakes as needed. But just like most fluids in your car, the fluid in your ABS’s hydraulics need to be changed every so often to replenish lost fluids and expel any trapped air that can negatively impact your brakes. Typically, this time frame lies in the range of 5-7 years, but your vehicle’s needs may vary based on the make, model, and your driving patterns.

Corrosion and Other Damage

Corrosion of your vehicles ABS can it to fail if left unchecked, from preventing the relay of information from the wheel sensors, to decreasing or eliminating the effectiveness of the systems wiring. Additionally, the hydraulic lines in this system can corrode through time causing your system to leak fluid. If you top off the fluid in your vehicle and the ABS light remains on, your vehicle may need a line to be changed. In either case, properly maintaining your vehicle’s ABS by getting them checked by a professional is crucial in keeping your brakes in peak condition.

Your Anti-Lock Brake System is literally a life saver. According to a study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ABS is responsible for up to a 38% drop in rear-end collisions and up to a 33% drop in single vehicle collisions. As an increasingly used tool in modern vehicles, this safety feature has become a critical tool in preventing serious injury and death on the road. For this reason alone, it is extremely important to care for your car’s ABS, and call BBack Care Care any time your anti lock brake light illuminates on your dash.

Schedule your appointment online today.

Study: https://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv21/09-0436.pdf