ABS problem discovered today when driving on ice!. Still here, so not too bad.

[Sandybill]

Bought 1999 colorado gxtd a month ago. Great car, second colorado. Drove on ice today and discovered that when braking at low speeds on ice when ABS should kick in, brake pedal deflated and grinding/juddeering noise occured. Almost ran into a bin lorry at about 3 miles an hour. highly embarrasing. Realised that it also happens but to much much less degree and only occasionally whenbraking hard and turning a corder in second gear. Again ABS opportunity?

Not a mechanic, but looking for possible causes. I think it is ABS given the conditions it occurs under, but looking for experience/advice.

Thanks

 

[Chris]

Sorry, but that sounds like normal ABS operation to me. It may not feel like it, I appreciate, but flattening pedal and juddering sounds pretty usual. Not stopping isn't good, but not seeing what you were driving on makes it hard to say really. ABS not a magic bullet. On thick ice, nothing's gonna stop you.

Chris

Welcome by the way. You are in the right place for cruisers.

 

[silvercruiser]

yes my colorado makes all those noises, and if you know its going to happen it really works well.

 

[Sandybill]

yes my colorado makes all those noises, and if you know its going to happen it really works well.

Wow. Had a slightly older colorado for a couple of years before this one and didnt experience this effect. Not disagreeing with you guys, just surprised that something that feels so utterly wrong, sounds like i am travelling with gravel gravel in the brakes and doesnt stop the car is how it is supposed to work. guess that is why they have forums, to share that kind of experience. I am going to have a few more goes, just need to get out before the ice melts!!

Thanks guys.

 

[Sandybill]

one other thing I forgot to mention. The problem seemed get worse the more I tried it, if you see what i mean. As in I tried ot stop, grinding/judering, let up brake and repeated, this time more depresssion and less grip, repeated etc... Is that because the ABS needs to replenish a resevoir or compresssed air supply? or somesuch? PLease excuse non tecnical and possibly stupid questions. Just concerned as I will be driving my littl'uns around and want to make sure the brakes aren't b*ggered!

 

[Chris]

Hey, it could well be stuffed, but just saying that in terms of what you described, the pedal operation sounds quite normal and as no faults are showing on the dash connected with the reliability of the system, it's unlikely to be defective. Give it a good test. You can always pull the fuse and go out and give it try with no ABS too.

Chris

 

[Sandybill]

Thanks Chris, will do that tomorrow. Probably only bloke in the South West praying for a good freeze tonight!

 

[helen07]

I can't help wondering if your ABS is working fine but but your break disc's are warped or just plain worn out ?

 

[stumog]

does the brakes have any pads left in them? there could be a stone between the backing plate and the disc.

 

[Graham]

As the others have said, sounds like the ABS is working as it should be, perhaps the problem is you have no meat left on the pads, and now it is metal against metal ?

But when you say "brake pedal deflated" did you mean it went all the way to the floor? ,, ,, because that really isn't normal.

Gra.

 

[froggy Steve]

ABS wont stop you an awful lot faster, but will let you steer around something in a more controlled way. Did a skid pan day a few years ago, and if you dont have ABS and lock up the wheels, turn the wheel shap left or right (whatevers best at the time), and take your foot off the brake a few feet before impact, the car will 'hop' to the side your steering too......takes some nerve if the thing you are going to hit is a person! (this was in a Sierra!)

Steve

 

[Sandybill]

am going to get brakes checked anyway. Sadly despite some snow, all the roads were flamin clear this morning! Will come back with report on brakes when I have them checked. Thanks for your help everyone.

 

[grantw]

ABS will still come on in the dry or wet roads ... just takes more speed and more braking ...

 

[helen07]

The purpose of ABS is to prevent wheels locking when you slam the breaks on , this improves traction and so stops you quicker is all , allowing you to steer away from a hazard until the vehicle comes to a full stop . I imagine at slow speeds gently pressure on the brake pedal would in fact stop you faster than ABS .
ABS protects us from our natural instinct which is to slam on the brakes in shock . It does not improve our standard brakes at all . In an old car before ABS was invented we were told to pump our brakes (thus allowing the wheels to turn a little to improve traction) to bring a car to halt in an emergency situation .

 

[tim falce]

Sounds exactly the same as the ABS on my 99 Colorado, it frightened the life out of me the first time it activated. Don't forget that if all wheels lock up then the ABS won't work anyway.