Anti-Lock brakes - How should they feel?
Posted: Sun Dec 08, 2002 10:52 am
Vehicle:
1993 Legacy Wagon 4WD w/ABS
Description of the problem:
Anti-lock brakes are new to me. This is the first car that I've had
equipped with them. I went to a local huge parking lot the other day after
it snowed 5+ inches to see how they work (and see how the 4WD worked as
well). I got up some speed and hit the brakes, and the (usually otherwise
firm) pedal went all mushy down close to the floor and I heard this sound
that was a steady pulsation/creaking, but was fairly loud. I could feel it
through the pedal and hear it through the firewall. It sounded like a loud
regular creaking/clacking noise somewhere about 15-20/second.
Now, the theory is sound. This is the Anti-Lock system pulsing the brakes
for me. And it did seem to work. But 2 questions:
1) is my brake pedal supposed to go all mushy during anti-lock operation?
2) the creaking/clacking/buzzing was so loud that my wife released the
brakes once on a slippery road, thinking the car's brakes had broken. Is
the anti-lock system supposed to be this loud? I kind of figured one would
hardly be able to hear it. it's not terribly loud, but it's loud enough to
make you say "what was that and is something broken?"
Mainly I just want someone to verify that this is how the system is
supposed to sound/feel or not. We have been having problems with the brake
calipers on this car, and just replaced the 2 front ones because they were
absolutely frozen (rusted slide pin). I want to be sure that we didn't
misss something.
Thanks oodles,
Chris Chirdon
Pittsburgh, PA
1993 Legacy Wagon 4WD w/ABS
Description of the problem:
Anti-lock brakes are new to me. This is the first car that I've had
equipped with them. I went to a local huge parking lot the other day after
it snowed 5+ inches to see how they work (and see how the 4WD worked as
well). I got up some speed and hit the brakes, and the (usually otherwise
firm) pedal went all mushy down close to the floor and I heard this sound
that was a steady pulsation/creaking, but was fairly loud. I could feel it
through the pedal and hear it through the firewall. It sounded like a loud
regular creaking/clacking noise somewhere about 15-20/second.
Now, the theory is sound. This is the Anti-Lock system pulsing the brakes
for me. And it did seem to work. But 2 questions:
1) is my brake pedal supposed to go all mushy during anti-lock operation?
2) the creaking/clacking/buzzing was so loud that my wife released the
brakes once on a slippery road, thinking the car's brakes had broken. Is
the anti-lock system supposed to be this loud? I kind of figured one would
hardly be able to hear it. it's not terribly loud, but it's loud enough to
make you say "what was that and is something broken?"
Mainly I just want someone to verify that this is how the system is
supposed to sound/feel or not. We have been having problems with the brake
calipers on this car, and just replaced the 2 front ones because they were
absolutely frozen (rusted slide pin). I want to be sure that we didn't
misss something.
Thanks oodles,
Chris Chirdon
Pittsburgh, PA