Im from Florida, dont have a lot of experience in the snow, but in the 4 years ive had to deal with snow even i have figured out that ABS is not really a good thing. It engages with even the slightest touch of the brakes. And ive read that ABS actually increases the stopping distance in some situations, and ive run into these situations. Granted it gives you more control, but sometimes id rather stop faster lol. (the worst is the damn speed bumps in my complex that i keep plowing over, ouch!)

Anyone else have an issue with their ABS? Any of you have experience with a car with and without ABS and can say it doesnt make a difference, or does make a difference? (preferrably the same car (maxima)) Any of you actually disable ABS? or do you just take even more precaution in the snow (even lower speeds, even longer distances, etc) and deal with the ABS kicking in?

 

Apparently I dont have ABS b/c my wheels will lock in the rain if I apply hard brakes. Im moving back to denver in 8 months for college, snow should be fun

 

stop whining, your from florida. its like 20 degrees outside right now, and my old 95 is shakin, abs should'nt kick in unless ur slammin on ur brakes for a quick stop, or a hard one. snow has never affected my abs, just the formentioned.

 

I don't have ABS and there's quite a bit of snow on the ground up here in MT. I'm used to driving other vehicles with ABS, but my max doesn't have it. I think I prefer not having it b/c I can feel when the car starts slipping and let off the brakes a little if I need to. My experience with most ABS is that they are way too touchy.

 

wtf does me being from florida have to do with my abs kicking in on snow? my abs kicks in no matter how hard i touch the brakes.

 

ive never applied my brakes hard enough in the snow to find out. when its snowy out i drive like ive got a brain unlike some people i know.

 

Says the guy that drove and wrecked after drinking 4loko....

 

yeah

 

I've had ABS on every vehicle. Only ever had it kick in a handful of times(usually <5mph). We get plenty of snow/ice in SLC, UT too.

I just figure if you're driving correctly, your ABS shouldn't be kicking in. And ABS was never meant to stop you in a shorter distance, just to give people who's only reaction is to mash the brakes some ability to steer, while they are panicking about realizing they didn't leave enough stopping distance for the conditions.

Keep the ABS, learn how to drive for the conditions.
Curiosity question, does anybody know what your insurance would do if your vehicle was equipped with ABS, but had been removed, deactivated?

 

perhaps if your ABS is kicking in so easily, it may be a sign that you don't have the appropriate tires?

 

my abs does it in the snow i tap the breaks and locks up in the snow. but most of the time in the snow the max is side ways with ebrake up.

look foward for wesenday 16 inchs of snow coming weeeheeee

 

Just learn to brake with the ABS.

Personally I've never had mine kick. Maybe you just need to adjust your driving habits homie lol.

 

good point. for sure, my car isnt really built for snow. i run bfg kdw2s, stage 3 clutch, and if theres enough snow my front lip acts as a snow plow. i was just curious if anyone had experience maybe pulling the ABS fuse for even a little bit of a stopping advantage. ill make do tho...

 

yo, like im not even over exaggerating, i can be going less than 5 miles per hour, coming up to the speed bumps in my complex, and i slowly touch the brake and i get that damn pulsing in my pedal...BAM! CLUNK! exhaust slamming on the speed bump and all. its so sensitive. i assume since yall get real snow up there, and its fluffy, this problem isnt quite as common. but here, you might as well call it an ice rink.

 

ding ding ding!! I found the problem...

And if it's such an ice rink you need to look into snow tires, possibly studded(if it's that bad).

 

So question, it snowed in philly about a week ago. My car was stuck on a steep hill, I was pretty much flooring it in first to try to get up. I got up eventually, But my ABS light came on. But went off when I restarted to car later that day.

 

You must be driving through a large puddle of water for your wheels to lock or your tires or alignment is no good. I don't have ABS and the only time my wheels lock in the rain is over a puddle of water.

 

Problem found.

Crappy snow traction with ABS is the same as crappy snow traction without ABS.

 

I've had own cars with ABS and I personally don't like it in the snow as much as without ABS which my maxima doesn't have. I like to control the brakes on my own especially when I slip or slide. But traction depends on your tires. Just my opinion...

 

If your ABS is activating, your wheels are slipping. SLOW DOWN and brake easier in the snow. ABS isn't a system that will stop your car on slippery roadway just as it stops on dry roadway. The fact is it takes you much MUCH longer to stop on slippery roadways. ABS will keep the wheels/tires from skidding out of control.

ABS brakes will stop your vehicle quicker and safer on slippery roadways.
It will not stop your car if your tires can't provide any traction.

SLOW DOWN IN BAD DRIVING CONDITIONS. Common sense people, really.
If your running a Z rated or high performance summer tire, don't expect to have much traction (if any) on snow and ice. (ABS wount help you either) You need to have All Season or Snow Tires to have good traction on snow and ice.

 

ABS kicks in after it detects a lockup.
AFTER.

Think about that.

 

In situations where one's wheels are locking up, one is usually surprised or trying to avoid something.

In that situation, one's ability to modulate braking power and one's ability to think analytically about his responses are greatly reduced. I would much rather have ABS and just slam on the pedal. (I don't have ABS, and I don't understand how it wasn't standard by 1997.)

As mentioned above, if your ABS activates, you're already locking up. So with ABS, if you're activating the system, you're braking too hard and you'd need to back off in a non-ABS car anyway. If you're an expert at surprise brake modulation, then ABS isn't hurting you. If, like everybody else in the world, your slipping tires catch you off guard, then ABS can save you a lot of trouble.

 

+1 on the tires. With decent tires I haven't had much issues with it kicking in while when running bald tires in the past, it wasn't fun. Felt the abs plenty then.

 

+1
Also, I don't know what you guys are talking about. I can lock-up in completely dry warm weather. Brake modulation is something you must learn, so just start practicing. Take it out on a snowy back road and do 40-0mph stops, get the feel for it.
Like I said, it's not just a problem in in-climate weather.

 

your tranny went into that disable mode i think. mine did the same thing when i got stuck in the snow, blinked at you a few times, right?

 

i *think* that it was because his front wheels were spinning while the rears were not. i could be wrong, but im making that assumption given the fact that my ABS light illuminates when i get on the dyno.

thanks for the replies tho guys...

 

I hate ABS it has almost caused me to wreck my last car and I couldnt be happier that my max dosnt have it.

 

It actually stayed on. No blinks. Scanned my ECU for hidden codes. Nothing came up.

 

" Some anti-lock system can apply or release braking pressure 16 times per second."

can you react that quickly? ...

its like the saying "guns dont kill people people kill people",

ABS will not change the laws of physics, your driving will ultimately decide ABS is just a +1 tool.

 

...with your four channel foot, and four brake pedals!

 

I was waiting for someone to say this. Thank you for bringing sense to this thread.

 

In tech school I was taught that a proffesional driver can react 10% faster than abs. I good driver can stay right on the edge of locking up, where a abs locks and unlocks. This was in '03 and I dont think abs technology has improved much since then.

 

Sure.....under controlled conditions when practicing. Not so when that truck blows a stop sign in front of you.
If one wheel starts to lock up, the driver will reduce brake pedal pressure, reducing braking force on the wheels that aren't near locking. That isn't efficient use of the available traction, you're throwing away three tires braking force to stop one from locking.

How can anyone keep 4 wheels at incipient lockup, all at the same time, under emergency conditions, with a single brake pedal?

Simple! Try and push the ABS pedal through the floor.
Job done.

 

 

I've lived in NY a better part of my entire life so here's my two cents worth on ABS brakes in the snow:

I'm assuming we all know how ABS brakes function, so I won't go into that part. With that said, if you consider the method behind to madness, and then consider that thought about it increasing distance, yes it makes sense. in the snow, you obviously have less traction which therefore makes it more likely that you if you hit the brakes, your wheels will lock up (thus triggering the abs). Because of this lack of traction due to the snow, it is absolutely plausible that you're braking distance will increase based upon your speed.

having driven cars both ABS equipped and without, the ABS helps, but if you're a halfway competent driver, you'll know just how much force you need to apply based upon the conditions present on the road. of course, having ABS helps a little bit should, for instance, somebody cut you off and you need to turn, but let's be honest, in the snow?? I doubt it will matter that much.

The point is, take it EASY! Learn how you car handles in the inclement weather and proceed from there. Don't do 90 unless you plan on becoming a permanent fixture in the nearest telephone pole or building...

 

No abs speed sensor, no abs for me. Who cares when you have winter tires.