The secondary (front) circuit of the brake master cylinder feeds the rear brakes.The primary (rear) circuit of the brake master cylinder feeds the front brakes.This pressure is transmitted through four normally open solenoid valves contained inside the HCU, then through the outlet ports of the HCU to each wheel. When the brakes are applied, fluid is forced from the brake master cylinder outlet ports to the HCU inlet ports.The first car to have ABS as standard across the range was the 1985 Ford Scorpio.Anti-Lock Brake Systems (ABS) Operate as Follows It used a hydraulic ABS system, but it wasn't until 1978 that we saw the first electrical ABS system – the type that is fitted to modern cars – as an option on a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The history of ABSĪBS brakes were originally developed for planes in the 1950s by British tyre manufacturer, Dunlop, as a way to give pilots more control when landing and to avoid flat-spotting and tyre blowouts.īy 1966 the technology had filtered down to cars, more specifically the Jenson Interceptor FF grand tourer. Quite apart from that, it could mean there is something seriously wrong with your brakes which should be investigated by a mechanic.īecause your ABS brakes form part of your car's other safety features – its stability control and traction control – if they're not working as the should, your car's other systems may also be affected. An illuminated ABS brake light is an automatic fail on your MoT. If your ABS light flashes on (it will usually have the letters 'ABS'), it means there is something wrong with your ABS brakes – the brakes themselves, their sensors or control unit – although it's worth checking you car's handbook for a specific explanation. Plus, the build up of snow in front of the tyre helps slow your car. In snow, you'll actually be better off without ABS in some situations because a locked wheel can bite through the snow into the road below. They should also be very good in the rain, but on ice they're less effective – particularly if you car hasn't got winter tyres fitted – in these sorts of conditions, the grip levels are so low that it's impossible to put any sort of braking force into the tyre. ABS, meanwhile, does that without you needing any skill or composure.Īnti-lock brakes work at their best on dry roads, where their pulsing on and off doesn't have a major effect on braking distances. In a car with no ABS, you'll lock the wheels and steering will be impossible, unless you're a skilled driver who can, in a stressful situation, manage the brake pressure and unlock the wheels. A classic example would be you're driving down the motorway, you look to the left to read a road sign, but when your eyes turn back to the road a car has stopped dead in front of you and you instinctively slam the brake pedal as hard as you can. When will ABS (anti-lock brakes) activate? The pulsing brakes mean the wheels continue to turn as the car slows and you can, hopefully, steer around the impending collision. Stamp on your brake pedal and, in the context of ABS, these sensors are poised to detect a locking wheel, the minute one is detected, the sensor sends a message to the ABS control module, which counter acts the lock by rapidly increasing and decreasing pressure, essentially turning the brakes on and off many times in a second, which is why you feel a pulsing sensation through the brake pedal. How does ABS (anti-lock brakes system) work?Ī car with ABS fitted has sensors on each wheel that measure its rotation speed, whether it's accelerating or decelerating – these sensors were pioneered in ABS but are now used by a variety of different safety systems on your car, including traction control and stability control. ABS does the same thing, you just don't have to think about it. Without ABS, your front wheels will lock if you brake hard and the car will skid in a straight line, irrespective of what way the front wheels are pointing, unless you release some brake pressure and allow the front wheels to spin again. ![]() The picture above demonstrates this theory. What is ABS (anti-lock brake system)?Īnti-lock brakes stop you car from locking up the front wheels if you brake hard to make an emergency stop, meaning you can steer around obstacles rather than careering into them. If your car is older than that, the easiest way to find out if your car has ABS brakes is to find a quiet road and relive your learner driver days by performing an emergency stop – if your car has ABS it'll stop without locking its wheel, if there's no ABS your wheels will lock and you'll slide to a halt in a cloud of smoke. ![]() Does my car have ABS (anti-lock brake system)?įrom 2004, all new cars sold in the UK have ABS brakes.
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