Anti-Lock Brakes: What you Need to Know
An Overview of Anti-Lock Brakes
Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) are an important safety feature on many contemporary vehicles. They work alongside the engine control module to increase the safety of your vehicle and pump the brakes for you instead of relying on the driver to do so. In certain situations, the ABS system will work with the engine control module to slow and stop the vehicle without locking up the brakes on individual wheels, which often led to crashes in the days before ABS became a standard issue on vehicles. This system is especially helpful during skidding conditions on the road.
What are the Limits of Anti-Lock Brakes?
While ABS can be helpful in certain driving situations, the driver must be willing to make changes to their driving habits for the ABS to be useful. For example, drivers should avoid speeding, tailgating, and driving while tired in order to make the ABS a useful part of the safety features of their vehicle. Safe driving habits are more important to your safety while driving than any feature on your vehicle can be. ABS can help you steer through a skid, but it cannot make up for poor driving. Drivers must pay attention to the road and their surroundings and use common sense when driving for the ABS to do its job.
Common Signs of Failing ABS Module
If your ABS light is on, it can mean many things, including an ABS module failure. It’s important to take your vehicle to a qualified service center like Matthey Automotive in Collingswood, NJ, to have the warning light error codes read. You might have low brake fluid, or you could have a catastrophic ABS module failure. Only with a diagnostic and a technician to read and interpret the error codes can you know for sure. Another sign of a failing ABS module is if you have to press the brake pedal more than once to get it to engage. Eventually, this issue can escalate to where your brakes don’t work at all. You don’t want to get to that point, so you need to take your vehicle in for brake repair as soon as you notice this type of symptom.
Expert ABS Repair in Collingswood, NJ
If you have problems with your brakes locking up, that’s a clear sign of problems with the ABS module since preventing lockups is what the ABS module is meant to do. The technicians at Matthey Automotive are here to help you stay safe on the road with a fully operational ABS module, so if you notice any problems like those mentioned here, get your vehicle to them as soon as possible to avoid catastrophic failure of the ABS module and any collision that might result from it.