I was complaining for almost one year that my ABS was very easy to activate.

ACura said : it's normal it's a very good abs system etc...

We don't have any false reading

I change again my winter tires this winter thinking that it was due to them.

about a month ago i slided on an icy road for about 300 feet without being able to retrieve brake efficienty so i ended up with the hand brake, that save my life because i was arriving to a crossing.

But it was in winter and difficult to prove. Last time they change something near the wheel and need to take off the ABS sensor, it was all rusted and broke when they toolk it off.


My question is. Is it possible that the sensor is faulty and the check engine light is not able to detect it. For example could the sensor detect a wheel lockage but in reality it's not the case.

I would like more technical info about how a sensor is made and how is working, thanks.

And if some people have this feeling of bad brake distance, insist to make them check the sensor.

Now everything is ok and the ABS kick in normally

It's always difficult to have to fight with acura because often they check the computer and that's all. No errors means no problem for them, i think it's not the best to always check a problem.

 

Most abs wheel sensors are a coil of wire wound around a metal core.
At the tip, the core picks up notches in the axle.
Each notch makes a pulse in the coil, all 4 wheels report to the abs computer and if there is one wheel that reads different, its marked as spinning (traction control), or locked up (abs).

The abs ecu operates solinoid valves to bypass the brake pressure to the locked up wheel. That can happen very fast, and can prevent a wheel locking up.

Most systems test the coils (resistance) and look at the pulses.
If a pulse is low (dirt, bad sensor) a code is set, and the alarm light is lit.
I do not think you can have a bad sensor without an alarm.
The pulses are there, or they are not. If they go missing, or go weak, the alarm
should be set.

All abs does is allow you to steer the car, it does not decrease stopping distances. If you have no traction, the abs can not help you.
If you stomp on the brakes and the abs does not kick in, and the car does not slow down, that is a brake system problem.

Many things can cause the brakes to go away,:

Wet pads and rotors,
moisture in the brake fluid (boils making steam),
power boost failure,
master cylinder problem,
abs valve body problem.

For the brakes to work well, you need good tires.
The EL42 is not a good tire...

Brett

 

THank you for your technical answer

I know the ABS won't decrease the distance of braking, but they should be able to retrieve some grip as soon as the wheel unlock, that didn't seem to happen

For the story, i was witout ABS and VSA for one week, and it was great in snow and ice to not have it, really better control.

For the tires i have winter tires GOOD YEAR ULTRA GRIP ICE GW3 i think they are great tires for winter, so i won't put the fault on tires.

May some notches were lacking they change the ''universal joint'' not sure for the french translation.

 

Can someone help me, my ABS lights has been on for a minute now. I read that you can use a paper clip and read the amount of flashes that it will give you a code to what is going on. I tried that The first time I got 1 long flash and 6 shorter one. The second time I got a long flash and 7 shorter ones. And last I got a long flash and 8 shorter flashes. I was reading that each long flash is worth 10 and the shorter ones are worth one which would have brought my total to (17,18,19) Can anyone please tell me what these calls means or where I can go to get them