ABS??

When did ABS become a standard here in the US?

I ask because my 2003 Durango doesn't seem to have it. There is a small module mounted on the drivers side fenderwell that one of the brake lines goes into, but my truck just locks up on slick surfaces. As I remember, there are no speed sensors on any of the wheel hubs either.

A few years back we had an '07 Taurus base model as a loaner when our Fucus was in for some warranty or crash repairs or something. I believe it was without ABS. I know it didn't have it on the rear. Left foot braking in the snow FTW!

According to the brake text I use for my night class. Federal Motor Motor Vehicle safety standard N0. 126 requires Stability control be standard on all vehicles under 10,000 pounds by Sept 1 2011, therefore requiring all those vehicles to have 4 wheel abs, I think before then it was not required just prevelent. So 2012 cars and light trucks.

I think ABS became standard just a few years ago.

iceracer wrote: I think ABS became standard just a few years ago.

Not to nitpick, but ABS and stability control became "mandatory", not "standard". Not sure where I'm going with this comment; I just hate to see the continuous and exponential increase in government regulation called anything other than what it is.

Most definitely Required. they made ABS a requirement on big trucks (with few expections ) in 1997. ABS was apparently never made a requirement by it self on light duty vehicles but when they mandated (Required) Electronic Stability control on all cars and light duty trucks in 2011 ABS was part of the deal as it is necessary to make the system work. I'm not a big fan of Requirements masquerading as standards.

O.P sounds like you have an R-WALL system, used only to limit rear wheel lock up.

ABS on cars and trucks didn't happen at the same time. I'd be surprised if your Durango doesn't have 4-wheel ABS in 2003. That being said, I don't think NHTSA requires ABS yet. It's just become standard equipment.

Don't know about "standard", but my 97 F150 had rear wheel only ABS. First time it activated I was sure something had broken. But it did keep me from sliding down an icy hill out of control.

I thought the stability control legislation didn't specifically mandate electronic stability control, instead just mandating cars remain stable under specific conditions, effectively requiring stability control. Is this not the case?

All vehicles can be ABS-free if you just pull the fuse. Much safer this time of year in my Silverado.

In reply to Streetwiseguy:

However, on some vehicles, like BMW's, it throws off the brake proportioning. It goes very rear bias. My dad tried it and almost looped on the first hard stop.

How is ABS-free safer?

Now traction control in deep snow is an issue. I turn off the TC in my Jetta to get up my hill.

In our smart fortwo the ABS and TC and stability control are tied into the same circuit. Without the SC the car would swab ends easily under braking due to the super short wheelbase and rear mounted engine. Just wish I could disable the TC in the snow.

I agree that you probably have the RWAL as previously mentioned.

Duke wrote:

iceracer wrote: I think ABS became standard just a few years ago.

Not to nitpick, but ABS and stability control became "mandatory", not "standard". Not sure where I'm going with this comment; I just hate to see the continuous and exponential increase in government regulation called anything other than what it is.

I didn't want to say required/mandatory since I was not up on gov't regulations.

In reply to vwcorvette:

In general, abs allows steering of the vehicle for the tradeoff of stopping distance. Stability control exists for two reasons, 1) cars that are horribly unstable/hard to control/unsafe in the first place, and 2) for the mouth breathing general populace that have no clue what "car control" even means.

Also note, if you are trying to correct a slide when sc kicks in, it will spin you. Just like pumping the brakes with abs nullifies what they are supposed to do.

yamaha wrote: Also note, if you are trying to correct a slide when sc kicks in, it will spin you.

TRUTH! I hate stability control with a passion when it's on the car I'm driving.

But for the general population, I think it's one of the greatest active safety inventions ever, right up there with metal wheels or working brakes.

I found BMW has some of the best and least intrustive ABS on the planet. Most of the time I was not even aware it was there on my Ti. (and it did work, I tested it on occasion while on gravel)

My older GM saab's ABS sucked big time.. with new wheels in rain, that pedal would vibrate your foot on all but the most gentle of stops. I actually wired in a defeat switch to the fuse for stopping in snow.

the Volvo is better.. but still more instrusive than my BMW was

when I redid the hard lines on my '97 F150 we just did away with all the rusted up ABS hardware completly ( it was on the rear wheels only ) and so rusted I don't know if it would ever have worked anyway

mad_machine wrote: I found BMW has some of the best and least intrustive ABS on the planet. Most of the time I was not even aware it was there on my Ti. (and it did work, I tested it on occasion while on gravel)

The only time I "tested" the ABS in my E30 was when it was broken (damned relay...). I was really wishing for it as I was fully locked up and sliding towards a wall of cones after totally missing a braking point...

The ABS in my TDi is pretty good. It'll only intrude under full lock-up or icy conditions. I also turn the traction control off when it's snowing as it makes the handling unpredictable.

My '95 Cummins was supposed to have rear wheel ABS, but it never worked while I owned it. The rear wheels would lock up easily. My old '90 E150 was the same.

Wonkothesane wrote: I always disable the ABS in our 96 Subaru Wagon in the winter time... You simply can not get the car to stop in snow/slush with it. It's WAaaaay too sensitive. When there's slush and snow on the ground, some times you have to drag a little bit of tire to get down to traction. Plus, as soon as it comes on, you completely lose the ability to modulate the brakes for (what feels like) 3 minutes. Of course, I think it's only a second or two, but that seems like way longer than I want to "be without" my brakes...

Substitute "00 Silverado" for "96 Subaru wagon" and you have my answer too.

mad_machine wrote: I found BMW has some of the best and least intrustive ABS on the planet.

When I started out autocrossing I drove my E46. I would always turn off the TC but never bothered with the full-defeat mode, because I can't recall the ABS ever coming on during a run, even on street tires.

My 2011 Fiesta has all three, ABS, TC and SC. I find that they are very non intrusive. I have no problem with any of them since I drive the way I was taught many years ago when we didn't have these nannies. Gently on the brakes to slow. When accelerating on slippery stuff, when the wheels spin, let up on the throttle. I have to work to get the SC to activate, just for kicks. Also, I am not an old fart driver. I drive somewhat aggressively, compared to most. Of course how aggressive can you be with 120 HP.

Was discussing with a boss what the traction control sysytem neede to do for rain setting on a 1000HP strret car. His answer: if it's raining don't let the car start...

I just picked up a new DD without ABS, I forgot how much I prefer not having it. Even myself, an uncoordinated idiot with slow reaction times, can handle threshold braking.

When I was ice racing my ZX2/SR without ABS, was asked a couple of times if it had it, because I could out brake some of them.