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Everything You Need To Know About The Anti-Lock Braking System

Everything You Need To Know About The Anti-Lock Braking System

Your brakes are the key safety feature on your vehicle. And nothing is more important than safety. That makes the anti-lock braking system critical.

If you’re concerned about your vehicle’s braking system, you may be searching, “Anti-lock braking repair”, “How does the ABS work?”, or even, “What is the anti-lock braking system?”. If so, we can help. We can give you the information you need regarding many components of your vehicle. Here’s what you should know about anti-lock braking.

What Is Anti-Lock Braking?

The anti-lock braking system prevents your brakes from locking, which is crucial to avoid skidding. If you’ve ever skidded along a wet or icy road, you know the awful nervous feeling it induces. When you lose control of your vehicle, you realize just how precarious driving a giant piece of machinery can be.

The anti-lock braking system, or ABS, is designed to stop your car from skidding over slippery surfaces. When your wheels skid, you’re not getting the traction you need to control your vehicle. ABS allow you to stop quicker and allows you to steer while you are braking.

How Anti-Lock Brakes Work

Your ABS has four main components: the speed sensor (or sensors), pump, valves, and controller. Each of these four components must work together to help stop your vehicle from skidding. Here’s how each component or set of components works:

Speed Sensors

To work properly, the ABS needs to know when your wheel is about to lock up. To know this, you have speed sensors on your wheels. By judging sudden changes in speed, the sensors can anticipate locking.

Valves

Every brake operated by the ABS has a valve in its brake line. In some systems, the valve has three positions. In position one, the valve is open so pressure from the master cylinder can go through to the brake. In position two, the valve blocks the line, cutting that brake off from the master cylinder and preventing the pressure from increasing, even if you push the brake pedal harder. In position three, the valve releases some of the pressure from the brake.

Pump

Because the valve can release pressure from the brakes, you need a way to put that pressure back. The pump serves this function. When a valve lessens the pressure in a line, the pump can increase the pressure again.

Controller

The controller is a computer in your vehicle. It observes the speed sensors and controls the valves.

ABS In Action

Typically, your vehicle’s controller monitors the speed sensors, looking for odd decelerations in the wheel. Wheels experience a rapid deceleration just before they lock up. It’s not good for the wheel to stop much faster than the rest of your vehicle, so your controller reduces the pressure to that brake until it senses an acceleration. At that point, it increases the pressure until it sees the deceleration again.

Come Visit The Meadowvale Auto Repair Specialists (MARS) For All Your ABS Needs In Mississauga, ON.

You can trust MARS for all your brake maintenance and repair needs. We have friendly and expert technicians who can get your ABS operating at full capacity once again. To book an appointment for ABS service, please click here. To learn more about what we do, please get in touch with us via our website or call us at 905-821-4992.

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