Media post: Advantages and Disadvantages of Anti-Lock Brakes

If you are driving a car or truck made after the 2004 model year, it will have Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS) installed.  Before that date many manufacturers were installing them anyway with some actually available as expensive accessories.

There is no question that ABS technology has saved untold lives over the years because of the simple fact that they work. What they do is help re-establish traction when a vehicle is skidding during slippery driving conditions. However, as important as might sound, there are some that people that don’t care for ABS systems. As it turns out there are some reasons for this. Let’s take a deeper look.

What ABS does

One of the most unnerving things that can happen when driving in slippery weather is that when you apply the brakes, one or more of the wheels may lock up. And if your car’s front wheels are skidding, your steering becomes almost useless.

Historically, the best technique to prevent skidding is to pulse the brakes rapidly with your foot so that traction is maintained. A driver who is skilled at this can usually avoid wheel lockup, but an ABS system does this job automatically and usually more efficiently. No wonder federal regulations required that all cars and trucks manufactured after 2003 needed to have ABS systems installed.

How they work

We queried the service experts at Genesis of North Atlanta, a local Genesis dealer in Kennesaw, GA about ABS system technology and got the low-down. Basically, ABS systems operate like self-controlled brakes. When an ABS system detects that a wheel, or wheels, are locking up, it releases/reapplies the brakes rapidly. This allows the skidding tire to re-establish traction so one can control the car again.

ABS systems have three functions parts: a means of telling when a wheel is about to lock-up; a means of releasing the brakes; and a means of restoring the pressure to the brake line after being released.

Advantages of Anti-Lock Brakes

Stopping a skid. As mentioned above, an ABS prevents lock-ups and skidding, especially in wintery slippery conditions or even just when hitting a patch of sand. Anti-lock brakes have been proven to work effectively by helping drivers maintain control of their vehicle.

Traction control. An ABS shares some of the infrastructure of Traction Control System (TCS) do. This is a new technology that also ensures that each wheel has traction on the road but it does so when a vehicle is accelerating and a tire loses traction. Because the functional parts of an ABS and TCS system are similar, it makes it easy for manufacturers to install both systems at the factory.

Lower insurance costs. Because it is a thoroughly tested safety device with a track record of effectiveness, insurers build the reduction of risk that occurs with ABS into their premiums. This may not be the case with an older, non-ABS equipped car.

Disadvantages of Anti-Lock Brakes

Despite the fact that anti-lock brakes are a proven safety feature, not all drivers are sold on this technology, at least not on the earlier versions. Here are some of the downsides that some drivers have explained.

Inconsistent stop times. Anti-lock brakes are made to provide for surer braking in slippery conditions. However, some drivers report that they find stopping distances for regular conditions are lengthened by their ABS systems. Honestly, this isn’t a factor with today’s ABS systems but in the early days, some drivers didn’t like it.

Expensive repairs. An ABS can be expensive to maintain, especially on older cars. Expensive sensors on each wheel can cost hundreds of dollars to fix and this is common as systems age.

How Can I tell if My Car has an Anti-Lock Brakes System?

Do you have a pre-2004 vehcile and you don’t know if it has ABS in it? First, see if the car has an indicator, in the dash, that lights “ABS” when the vehicle is started. However, if this is not the case, then there are a couple of things you can do. First, look in the vehicle owner’s manual, this will state if the vehicle has ABS or not. Second, you can ask your local brand dealer to take a look at it.