[updated:LAST EDITED ON 28-Aug-02 AT 02:12 AM (EST)]Gent's (and ladies too) PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not take risks with ABS systems (or any brakes for that matter). We don't even need to think of what could HAPPEN if brakes should FAIL (not stop). Tragedy COULD just as quickly occur if the opposite should happen - the "SENSORS" lose their senses and decide to LOCK `EM UP. The driver of any vehicle that happens to be behind us ain't gonna' be tickled (nor would we) not to mention the driver that "T-bones" us should we be turning left and suddenly or abrubtly come to a halt in the middle of an intersection. I could be WAY wrong about the electronics and the sensors, but we have the KNOWLEDGE that 'stranger things have happened' as well as 'ANYTHING is possible'. Anyone for "never say never". Somebody straighten me out lickedy split `cause I'm gettin' real nervous readin' `bout all these braking 'issues'. I, for one, have been rear-ended, once, and have had three spinal cord surgeries - not fun! The up-heavel this has caused me is im-measurable or in-calculable. And don't let me get started on kid's being put at risk! I gotta' quit typing - my hands are shaking

 

>Gent's (and ladies too) PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not take
>risks with ABS systems (or any brakes for that matter). We
>don't even need to think of what could HAPPEN if brakes
>should FAIL (not stop). Tragedy COULD just as quickly occur
>if the opposite should happen - the "SENSORS" lose their
>senses and decide to LOCK `EM UP. The driver of any vehicle
>that happens to be behind us ain't gonna' be tickled (nor
>would we) not to mention the driver that "T-bones" us should
>we be turning left and suddenly or abrubtly come to a halt
>in the middle of an intersection. I could be WAY wrong about
>the electronics and the sensors, but we have the KNOWLEDGE
>that 'stranger things have happened' as well as 'ANYTHING is
>possible'. Anyone for "never say never". Somebody straighten
>me out lickedy split `cause I'm gettin' real nervous readin'
>`bout all these braking 'issues'. I, for one, have been
>rear-ended, once, and have had three spinal cord surgeries
>- not fun! The up-heavel this has caused me is im-measurable
>or in-calculable. And don't let me get started on kid's
>being put at risk! I gotta' quit typing - my hands are
>shaking

Well I know on my dad's grand am the abs dont ""apply" brakes it simply turns the pump on and off about 30 times a second to modulate so its not gonna come on and stop you in an intersection.
now if its really jacked up it might lock up a tire or something if you ARE applying brakes.
I would talk about my 2002 ranger but only having owned it for 3 monthes i'm not sure if the abs works totally similar to that.

Rand
Disclaimer: I am not a mechanic etc.

 

FYI, the ABS system is only bleeding off pressure in our Rangers, if we had traction control like my Cougar then it could apply the brakes.

 

Point taken, and it's an interesting one - I just got a little 'down' the other night reading, what I took as, guys taking their brake "problem's" too lightly, or for granted - and I KNOW I got, probably, too emotional about it - it just hits real close to home for me personally. After I settled down and thought about it, I had a 'panic'-stop a couple months ago, and later when I thought about it, I did NOT notice ANY "buzzing" or vibration\pulsating, as I have from some other vehicles I've driven and heard about (some seem to "buzz" if you attempt to stop on a grain of sand i.e. too soon) from my `99 Ranger ABS (disc\drum set-up). I believe mine is 4-wheel ABS, but I just had the front job done about 10,000 miles\6 months prior (75% of that mileage being highway) and the rear job done 6 months prior to that (?). Though I did have these brake jobs professionally done, I suppose I am guilty as well of not tending to my brakes at the first HINT of questionability. I apologize if I offended anyone.