ABS eliminated

[djvx]

I eliminated my ABS brakes when I did my rotors this summer (by mistake). But I decided to try it through the beginning of winter to see If I like it better without the annoying chattering on the pedal and the unwanted gliding through intersections I experienced last winter. So far it has been much better. Solid Braking on icy, snowy, deeply frozen snow pack, and slushy areas.
I actually couldn't get it to stop with ABS sometimes. I'm still worried about the time when I'll have to slam them on out of sheer reaction, I think that's where they pay off.

[Ebenezr]

My VX has been working fine without ABS as long as I have had it -4 months. The mechanic that was employed by the used car lot that sold it to me tore the ABS sensor wire out of the rt front when "she" did the ball joints. A 200 dollar loss I have not delt with yet.

[JAMAS]

when "she"

probably not the reason it got broke. A bad mechanic is a bad mechanic.

[tom4bren]

I'm still worried about the time when I'll have to slam them on out of sheer reaction, I think that's where they pay off.

I highly recommend that you find an empty parking lot or a deserted road to test it out. It's always better to 'know by experience' how your vehicle will react.

[deermagnet]

I actually couldn't get it to stop with ABS sometimes.

That's just what a lot of us have found out. Our ABS is just too sensitive. It can get you killed! I disabled mine permanently and before that I installed a cut-off switch that I used during slippery conditions.

It's no fun when you need to stop and the ABS won't let it happen. There's times when you just need to stop ASAP and there's no place to steer around. In that case, ABS will cause an accident. Hopefully, no one will be killed or injured.

Mark Griffin

[atilla_the_fun]

Jeez guys, I was just about to make a thread on this. My ABS starts working again when its freeze your balls off cold, which it always is here in Minneapolis. My diagnostics and the ABS light tell me that the module needs to be replaced, but it comes alive when its really cold.

I've been driving with the ABS on sometimes, and with it OFF sometimes and I was freaking out last night thinking one of my calipers had detached. I couldn't stop at lights without going 50ft past them, what the hell?? All the streets are snow-packed, but I never had these issues when the car warms up and the ABS light comes back on. I don't usually skid either.

I've never owned a car with ABS before, I knew about he pulsing (which is NOISY) but not about the ****ty brake distances.

Does anyone have a broken ABS module? I'd like to take it apart and see why mine re-activated when it gets cold, but shuts off after running the car for more than an hour (heat)

Its 4 degrees F in minneapolis right now

[deermagnet]

Atilla, you're seeing the same thing as many of us. Do you really wanna fix it and make sure the ABS is on all the time? One day you may end up in the middle of an intersection and get t-boned by a big rig. That would suck!

Mark

[WormGod]

By habit, I always keep quite a bit of distance between me and the car forward anyways. Think it comes from living in DC with a manual tranny and just not wanting to sit on my brakes all the timer. Easier to just coast and torque brake, using that space to slow stop. I adopted this with my VX naturally. Different in an auto however, so at speed, I stay quite a ways away from folks.... in traffic, I tend to stay in a lower gear and keep some distance. Needless to say, I never go through brakes. I will probably go through a tranny first, heh.

Because of this, I have never had to put it to the test with a hard brake. In any weather. I never was happy with the operation of the VX ABS system. It always seemed a step behind me and fought me no matter what I wanted to do. Can't say I miss it.

[Ebenezr]

So I guess I DON"T want to fix my ABS.?

[Ebenezr]

probably not the reason it got broke. A bad mechanic is a bad mechanic.

I knew I was walking on eggshells when I spoke of gender. But she is a bad mechanic. She also reworked the brakes and tied off the rear brake line to the lateral rod which connects the axle to the frame. So with every bounce the brake line bends up and down. Nice. Then she was given a kia van to fix the water pump on and placed the timeing belt on wrong and bent the valves.

[rowhard]

My ABS starts working again when its freeze your balls off cold, which it always is here in Minneapolis.

Mine did the same exact thing when it got down into the 20's here but after the engine compartment warmed, the light came on.

[vt_maverick]

So how do you disable the ABS? Pull all the ABS fuses?

[JAMAS]

So how do you disable the ABS? Pull all the ABS fuses?

wait patiently until it disables itself....

Worked for me

[JAMAS]

Mine did the same exact thing when it got down into the 20's here but after the engine compartment warmed, the light came on.

Mine too.....wierd.

[deermagnet]

So how do you disable the ABS? Pull all the ABS fuses?

Yes, it's just that simple. There's only one ABS fuse in the box under the hood. Then you can try to put out the ABS light if you want to.

A long time ago when I first realized the danger my ABS presented, I would pull the fuse the night before an expected snow storm, and replace it a day or two later. Then I figured an easier way would be to install an ABS cut-off switch. I could turn it off instantly from in the cab. I put the switch in the blank next to the mirror heater switch.

http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/switch.html

If you replace the fuse or turn the switch back on, the light will not go out and the ABS will not work again until the ignition is turned off and on again.

That worked great for years until I developed an ABS problem. I never tried to fix it. I pulled the fuse, put out the light, and never looked back.

The repair manual says that ABS uses a large amount of electricity. Without ABS, there'll be less strain on your alternator and battery.

Mark Griffin