Thanks for the info, what’s the likelihood it fails and locks up and is there any way to make sure it doesn’t?
ABS is one of the few systems on a vehicle that are designed to fail safe. Typically when ABS fails completely it acts like a vehicle that was never equipped with ABS.
ABS pulsates the brakes when you slam on them really hard. That keeps the brakes from locking up. Without it if you slam down hard the brakes will typically lock up. ABS won’t cause a lock up issue, but not having it will cause lockups.
So when it fails, it just fails and no longer works. The control module will throw some error codes that help you narrow down the issue. 9 times out of 10, it’s a bad wheel speed sensor. The wheel speed sensors on most vehicles are located in the hub assemblies. That’s a really hot location since not only are your brake rotors tied onto your hubs, but just the rotation of the wheel bearings in the hubs generates a ton of heat. So usually your speed sensors will fail before anything else on an ABS system will.
The only vehicle I know of where ABS control modules fail commonly are 97-2004 Corvettes. GM mounted the control module for the ABS on a bracket on the lower frame member right behind the bumper. So they get splashed with water when you go through puddles. They had a recall where they relocated the control module to the firewall, but you still find a lot of C5s with their modules in the original place.
Ok someone else said they default to locking up when they fail, that’s what had me asking. Thanks again.
That’s probably the quick way of saying the detailed version TheRedComet explained. Because if they fail and you slam on your breaks, they’ll lock up. I think you just took it to mean lock up while you’re driving normally.
When ABS first came out, I was skeptical. Until I drove them. I have never driven a car without ABS that could stop as quickly.
Yeah I read it as their default after failure was locked. And I didn’t like it heh.
Are you saying that “I had to drive, I was too drunk to walk” is no longer an acceptable excuse? 
I don’t like drunk driving charges for people on bicycles or lawn mowers. At the very least it should be a lesser charge.
Even a skateboard in some places. I don’t know how they get away with that. I don’t need a license to ride a bicycle.
I kind of think non speed boats should be able to blow a 1.5 too and get away with it lol. Not the jet ski people though, they should be drowned.
Several years ago, some over-zealous fish & game officer up here cited a guy who was drifting down the river through town on an inner tube for DUI because he was drinking beer. The judge threw it out, but the poor schmuck lost a days work over it. I expect folks at F&G are still giving the officer ■■■■ about it.
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Hell you can get a dui on a horse in certain locations.
I don’t know how it is everywhere, but getting a drunk in public charge is super easy here. If you’re the passenger with a DD one way they’ll get you for is by asking everyone to step out of the vehicle so they can search for open containers. You do that and bam. Drunk in public charge.
It’s crazy how much power game wardens have in Mississippi.
“I suspect you were spot lighting. I’m going to search your parked truck on your own property without a warrant because I’m a game warden. And that basically makes me a minor deity.”
