When I step hard on the brakes, my Taco skids. ABS does not engage.

So I thought if you have ABS, as I do on my 2015 TRD Sport 4 x 4, going 70 mph on the freeway you can step hard on the brakes and ABS will engage. However, during those few times on the freeway when I've had an "Oh Shit!" moment - that's when you notice a little late that brake lights are on ahead of you - my truck started skidding instead of the ABS engaging. I'm writing to ask you who are more knowledgeable than I if this is OK or not?

I just didn't think it was possible to skid if you have ABS, and I'm experiencing skidding during emergency braking. And NO, I'm not a bad driver. Never been in an accident. I'm talking about braking during those times when brake lights go on ahead of you and you react by hitting the brakes too hard. Hope you have been there so you understand.

I'm asking my question because if I really get into a jam I need to know are my brakes working properly or not?
Thanks in advance for any info.

 

Your brakes are probably working fine, also if you have to keep mashing on them in all of these situations - maybe you should not follow so close behind.

 

Take it out on a dirt road and try it again at lower speed. My guess is that it will work fine but it's useful to know. There may a limit to how fast you can go before the ABS becomes ineffective. 70 mph is a LOT or tire rpms and the ABS may be ineffective or outright shut off at that speed and un predictable. I'd start with the test and ask the Dealer IMO.

 

ABS sucks anyway.

Mine comes on way too easily. I use the killswitch alot.

 

I don't know if it's just me, or if I'm one of the few that know how to drive but abs has come in handy for me. Big ass tires, heavy weight, wet roads in a hilly area are always a bad scenario.

 

How do you know when ABS engages? I feel dumb for asking.

 

You can feel the brake pedal pulsing under your foot.

 

It's pretty damn noisy in these Tacomas. You will feel it in the pedal and likely hear a grinding noise that will just about startle you if you don't expect it or understand what it is.

 

@Clyde Crashcup - ABS can create its own form of skidding. However, it's not solid skid. The wheels should not completely stop spinning. ABS will commonly cause momentary skids or wheel lock ups if you are traveling at high speed and mash the pedal really hard (I.e. Emergency braking / panic braking).

That said, if following at a safe distance you should have plenty of time to firmly press the pedal without: A) Crashing. B) Engaging ABS or skidding.

If your ABS does not engage it would be worth having it checked while still under warranty. ABS is a great safety feature and is built in and should be covered by warranty.

 

Wow, this is a first. Someone complained about their ABS not working. Usually everyone complains that the ABS is too sensitive and activating when it should not, me being one of them. That's why there are threads about disabling ABS.

 

You guys, of course I should apply pressure to the brakes gradually and not follow too close behind. I actually have zero accidents and zero tickets. I'm an excellent driver compared to most other drivers. I don't drive slowly in the fast lane. I move over for faster drivers. I don't cut people off. I use my turn signals. I'm saying, in L.A. traffic where I am navigating through the most terrifying traffic you can imagine, which goes form 80 mph to stop and go, then 80 mph again, sometimes, like as often as you might win anything from a scratch off lottery ticket, sometimes I have to push on my brake pedal harder than usual to avoid hitting the car in front of me, and the truck skids like it's on ice, okay? At that point, like Elvis, ABS has left the building. If there is no ABS when going 70 mph and needing to stop quickly, then this is good to know. You have all done a hard tap on the brakes such as I am describing. Yes, in my vehicle ABS works on ice or muddy situations. I have felt my brake pedal go squishy and heard the duh duh duh duh sound of the ABS kicking in at much slower speeds, but not when going down the highway and hitting the brakes hard. I thought ABS would kick in during those situations, but it doesn't, and I'm okay with that, if that's the case. I learned threshold braking from some driving training at Skip Barber, and I'm probably better at braking than ABS is. Most of you probably can do better that ABS can. I'd just like to know if my ABS is broken or if my expectations are too high. If you drive a truck like mine, wouldn't you want to know?

 

If your tires are truely locking up at 70 mph, then the ABS is malfunctioning.

 

FYI, i want to say at some year, either 09+ 11+ or 12+ they reprogrammed the braking system so that in the event of a panicked stop, the system will auto go full braking force and auto engage abs because of this. Often this happens so abrupt that the weight transfer to the front lightens the rear quite a bit causing them to skid easily.

That stated. OP go out to a dirt road n mash on the brakes, id bet ABS kicks in without issue. If you were skidding at 70mph, trust me you would know it.

 

No, that is incorrect unless you can pump your braking foot in msec. and only apply braking force to each wheel independently as needed. Then no you are not better than the ABS System.

Here is some light reading about it: http://brainonboard.ca/safety_features/active_safety_features_abs.php

http://www.toyota-global.com/innovation/safety_technology/safety_technology/technology_file/active/

 

More than likely, not. ABS is most likely beneficial for those that DON'T know how to drive. Especially in limited traction situations.

 

It's worked for me abs placebo...

 

When you hit the brakes and your truck doesnt stop because the ABS sucks, tattooing the vehicle in front of you.

You'll feel the brakes pulse. I personally hate the ABS on this truck. In MOST, not all, cases i feel i can do a better job and should probably do the disable mod.

 

Your ABS should work in all braking situations - unless you manually disable it. You will hear and feel it working (it makes a ton of racket) and in most vehicles, the ABS light will illuminate on your dash. If it's not working - at any speed - you should have your braking system checked right away.

As for those of you who feel you can threshold brake or pump the brake pedal faster / better than your ABS, you're sorely mistaken. I thought I could, then my son (a Toyota Technician) had me test the theory in an empty icy parking lot. Not even close. In fact the toughest thing about ABS for those of us that learned to drive before it came around is that the safest / fastest means of braking in new vehicles is to literally imbed the brake pedal in the floor and steer.

 

I think having the electronic brake booster makes it alot more sensitive, TRD off road models.

 

Off road brakes are way touchy. I never had the feeling that I had complete control of the pressure on the pedal. It would go from slightly braking to head slamming off the steering wheel. lol. My current sport has normal feeling brakes.