Wheels locked up

Two days ago I was driving down a highway just after a rain shower when I had to slam on my brakes to keep from hitting someone who pulled in front of me. My wheels locked up like the abs wasn't working, there are no warning lights or anything. Does a wet surface affect the abs or do you think it's something else?

 

i know on ice it doesnt matter cuz there isnt enought for pushing on the wheel so the car actually thinks its stopped but i dont think a wet road would be able to be that slick

 

Yea, I'm not sure, it was just after a light rain so I know that's when the oil seeps up through the asphalt and makes it really slick, just didn't know if it had happened to anyone else.

 

have you tried to duplicate the problem? maybe find some gravel on a backroad and see if the antilock is still not working.

 

youll slide on gravel youll have to try it on the same surface

 

my anitlocks kick in on gravel.

 

well ive never tried it i jsut guessed

 

Don't know if this helps any, but it is a similar experience.

My parents had a 95,96 buick that did the same thing after it rained. It seemed like when the water got on the ABS sensors (that's what GM told my parents) it would lock up and pull to the left. If I recall correctly GM did nothing about it locking up.
Although this happened more after it had sit out in the rain for a few hours, but it did lock up with me while driving after a rain shower (just like in the orginal post)
Hope you get it figured out!! Would suck if that causes an accident!

 

FYI to everyone, ABS actually increases your stopping distance. I highly recommend learning how to threshold break to stop as quickly as possible.

 

Are you sure it wasn't still spinning? Even with ABS they will lock/release/lock/release and you can/will still screech the tires. Some cars you can feel it pulsing, some you don't. I can't say I've really noticed it through the pedal on this truck yet, and I've stomped it hard a few times. However, there was still traction in turning so it had to be working.

 

I hate ABS period. It is a pointless addition to automobiles

 

Hardly.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-lock_braking_system

It's almost impossible to keep the vehicle in a straight line with all four wheels locked up. ABS still allows a little bit of steering.

 

Exactly why I hate abs. It allows you to maintain steering in exchange for longer stopping distances. I think people should learn how to drive better and learn how to threshold break rather than rely on a computer to give them piece of mind.

If you attend a basic accident avoidance class they teach you A LOT. One track as painted metal with sprinklers on and the instructor told us it is about as slick as teflon coated in STP (and laughed as very few of the young people knew what STP was). They taught me all the low traction tecniques, and it was a BLAST to attend.

 

And I should be more clear, I meant ABS doubles your stopping distance from a threshold break, not from locked/skidding wheels.

 

Here is an interesting line in the link you posted as well:

 

Right, but unless a state mandates that you take said, class... people won't do it.
So the auto manufacturers are just planning on people being retarded drivers.

 

Not everyone is as proactive about driving techniques as the TacomaWorld community. I don't think it's realistic to do away with ABS in order to save insult those of us who can actually drive.

If you have ABS just disable it.

 

I agree, I don't care for ABS myself but, very few people actually know how to drive, panic, and just mash the brakes with no steering without it. On the general whole, ABS is probably a good thing, but for the few people out there that still know how to drive... it's just another VSC system waiting for wire snips.

 

good points guys. I just wish people DID have to take those classes or were part of the behind the wheel/drivers ed program