# ABS on in 1cm of snow? Wtf?!



## Mk3_gurl (Feb 12, 2004)

mk4 golf - 2.slow. 

Pulled out of driveway, came to stop sign, brakes vibrated/pulsed violently, going about 20 km per hour in 1 cm of snow. The pedal just shook. Took it on a cleared/no snow road, brakes are 100% fine. Wtf? ABS Sensor?


----------



## Elwood (Aug 10, 2001)

Tires? Summer compound? No tread?


----------



## biggs88 (Mar 6, 2011)

Mk3_gurl said:


> mk4 golf - 2.slow.
> 
> Pulled out of driveway, came to stop sign, brakes vibrated/pulsed violently, going about 20 km per hour in 1 cm of snow. The pedal just shook. Took it on a cleared/no snow road, brakes are 100% fine. Wtf? ABS Sensor?


Do you know what ABS is?

You where driving on a light coating of SNOW!
When you tried to come to a stop, the ABS kicked on since there was slipping due to the snow.

That vibrating pulse was the ABS pulsing the breaks so they did not lock up and have you go sliding 20 feet.

Of course on the clear road, the ABS did not kick in.

No worries! Your ABS is working like it should!


----------



## Mk3_gurl (Feb 12, 2004)

No abs should kick in when going under 20kms in less than 1 cm of snow, that's just ****ed. No worries, I just pulled the fuse...waiting for the comments after this one! :facepalm:


----------



## biggs88 (Mar 6, 2011)

Mk3_gurl said:


> No abs should kick in when going under 20kms in less than 1 cm of snow, that's just ****ed. No worries, I just pulled the fuse...waiting for the comments after this one! :facepalm:


ABS can and WILL kick in under 20kms in less than 1cm of snow.

I suggest you educate yourself about how ABS systems work before you go pulling. . .

Actually, I dont even care. Take all the ESP fuse out to. Drain the brake lines also.


----------



## 87vr6 (Jan 17, 2002)

You do know that if you have summer tires on your vehicle, they're pretty ineffective when the temperature drops below 45 or so? The compound stiffens up significantly, reducing your traction, hence making it way more likely that your abs will kick in at the conditions you described.

Put your damn fuse back in.


----------



## biggs88 (Mar 6, 2011)

87vr6 said:


> You do know that if you have summer tires on your vehicle, they're pretty ineffective when the temperature drops below 45 or so? The compound stiffens up significantly, reducing your traction, hence making it way more likely that your abs will kick in at the conditions you described.
> 
> Put your damn fuse back in.


No No. They know better. 

Keep the fuse out and make sure you drain your brake lines. You don't want to be driving around in snowy conditions with brake fluid in your brake line.


----------



## Mk3_gurl (Feb 12, 2004)

biggs88 said:


> No No. They know better.
> 
> Keep the fuse out and make sure you drain your brake lines. You don't want to be driving around in snowy conditions with brake fluid in your brake line.



Good idea! THanks for the tip!


----------



## biggs88 (Mar 6, 2011)

Mk3_gurl said:


> Good idea! THanks for the tip!


No prob! Were all here to learn.


----------



## sigmoidfrond (Jun 15, 2006)

biggs88 said:


> No No. They know better.
> 
> Keep the fuse out and make sure you drain your brake lines. You don't want to be driving around in snowy conditions with brake fluid in your brake line.


Amen. First time I drove my 1.8T Jetta in the snow with the Wolfsburg wheels/tires I WOULD have been better off with no fluid in the lines! Believe me, you want that ABS kicking in ANYTIME it loses traction. Even at < 5MPH testing on a parking lot with summer tires I almost slid into a ditch. Because I was braking like it was my dad's '52 Dodge.


----------

