the pros and cons of ABS
ABS is a key driver of vehicle safety, and the pros are that it reduces vehicle skidding and retains steering control for the driver. If you get into a skid in a car without ABS, you won’t be able to steer it if the front wheels ‘lock up’ and skid – unless you apply cadence braking, which is pumping the brake pedal as fast as you can – though this will not be anywhere near as fast as an ABS can manage.
The advantages ABS offers far outweigh the disadvantages, but on loose road surfaces the system can activate when you don’t want it to, while ABS systems can also be expensive to repair if they malfunction.
Does my car have ABS?
Almost certainly, yes: all new cars sold since 2004 in Europe have to have ABS, and it was standard fitment to several cars well ahead of that date; all new Mercedes models sold since 1987 come with ABS, for example.
What does an ABS warning light mean?
Cars with ABS systems have a warning light that should come on and then go out every time the car is started. If the light remains on, this indicates a problem with the ABS, which is likely to have been deactivated as a result. You will still be able to drive the car, but bear in mind there will be no automatic braking assistance should you get into a skid. Your car will also fail its MOT test if the ABS light is on.
Several issues could be behind an ABS warning light, but common issues include a faulty wheel-speed sensor, a broken ABS pump, or a faulty control module.
You can try turning off then restarting the car to see if this clears the fault, but chances are that if you see an ABS warning light, the car will need the attention of a mechanic, and you should get it booked in with a garage or service center as soon as possible.