Q: What is the four-wheel anti-lock brake system?

You have two braking systems on your car – the standard system that kicks in when you press the brake pedal under normal conditions and a four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS). The ABS works only under certain conditions. It’s tied to your normal brakes, but not part of the system.

Under certain types of hard braking, the ABS system will kick in. The only thing this system does is to ensure that you don’t lock up a wheel during hard stopping as that can send the car into an uncontrolled spin. The ABS measures wheel speed and will pulse the brakes on a wheel that’s turning faster than the others to ensure safety.

Tips

• ABS does not shorten stopping distance.
• ABS does not make driving on wet or slippery surfaces safer.
• You may hear noise from the ABS pump during operation. This is normal.
• You may feel the brake pedal pulsate when the ABS activates. This is normal.