What to Do If Your ABS Warning Light Comes on

If you've been following the news in the automotive industry fairly recently, you will have noticed that some big companies are investing a lot of money in a push towards the driverless car. You may think that this is very bold and wonder how it could work, but in truth there have been many innovations over recent years that have been trying to take the responsibility for safety out of the actual driver's hands. One of these innovations was the ABS system, which you may not have been aware of. However, the light associated with this system is now flashing in front of you on the dashboard. What is this all about?

Taking Over Your Braking

This annoying light refers to your anti-lock braking system, which is a very clever invention that is designed to stop you from panicking during an emergency situation and losing control of your vehicle. In this scenario, you're likely to put all your force into your right foot as you stand on the brake pedal to try and stop the car and the system will, instead, take over the effort through the central computer. A number of sensors are fitted which will detect when you take this action, which will almost always "skid" each wheel and stop them from turning. However, the car will still be moving and will in this situation not be decelerating.

To regain control, the computer will open a hydraulic valve which will release the pressure that you're applying momentarily, before reapplying it again. This will make the braking effort much more efficient and allow you to regain control.

Is This Critical?

The ABS warning light is prompting you to take action, but you don't need to panic and stop driving the vehicle altogether until it's fixed. You do, nevertheless, need to make an appointment with your mechanic as soon as possible.

Simple Fix

Before you do this, see if you can reset it without needing to do anything else. To do this, switch the car off and turn it back on again. Alternatively, have a look to see if the fuse is blown and may need to be reset.

Initial Investigation

You can also employ a visual check to see if there is any damage to the sensors. Have a look behind each wheel in turn and you will be able to see the sensor and attached wires next to the brake assembly. It's possible that they could have been damaged by stones or other debris from the road. If these look okay, it's also possible that the brake fluid pressure could be faulty and this will need to be investigated more extensively.

Visit a local vehicle repair service to learn more about ABS systems.