MY02 WRX ABS Problems

[Andrew]

My MY02 REX has ABS activation problems and low speed when the break is not
being applied heavily (just covered, just enough for the rear break lights
to activate) , mostly while turning and mainly on encumbered (rough) road.

Any body had a similar problem? Keep in mind I just changed the rims around
and the service Dept has blown out the Callipers.

Andrew

 

[Kimball]

My MY02 REX has ABS activation problems and low speed when the break is not
being applied heavily (just covered, just enough for the rear break lights
to activate) , mostly while turning and mainly on encumbered (rough) road.

Any body had a similar problem? Keep in mind I just changed the rims around
and the service Dept has blown out the Callipers.

Andrew

Is this a new behavior that started after the dealer touched your brakes? Or
was the dealer trying to fix them?
Similar symptoms have been cronic with the new age WRX in the US since the
beginning.
Look in the discusion forums over at www.nasioc.com, you will find dozens of
items over the last 2.5 years. The latest "official" investigation results are
currently posted in the News & Rumors forum.
The ABS on mine seems a little oversensitive to me, but it's my first ABS
equipped car so I have no personal point of comparison. We have plenty of
"encumbered" roads in my part of the States. Most city streets in Seattle were
paved 50-100 years ago and haven't been properly rebuilt since.
After 44,+++ miles it's "normal" for me

 

[Andrew]

No it wasn't after work had been performed on the car and I forgot to
mention it only effects the Front Right Hand Side only, its always going off
at a drop of a hat.

Anyway I will look into the forums you have pointed out to me and see what I
can find.


Thanks Kimball

Andrew

 

[Jon]

You can work around that problem by braking hard before the bump, let the
brakes go then brake hard again. This is also leads to more ride comfort.

 

[Andrew]

I am talking about just 1-5 Kmph (mostly pulling into a car park etc..) not
even applying the break really just covering it.

 

[David Betts]

I am talking about just 1-5 Kmph (mostly pulling into a car park etc..) not
even applying the break really just covering it.

If that is true then there is something wrong with your car. Get it
fixed.

Most of the US complaints about over-sensitive abs are down the
heavy-footed driving. Unless the UK spec is dramatically different to
that in the rest of the world - and I don't believe it is - then you
have to really stamp on the pedal to make the abs work....even in icy
conditions. In fact, I'm always amazed at just how brutal you have to
be. Never made mine work by accident in, I suppose, getting on for 20
years of driving with abs-equipped cars - mostly Imprezas.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Ken Gilbert]

My MY02 REX has ABS activation problems and low speed when the break is not
being applied heavily (just covered, just enough for the rear break lights
to activate) , mostly while turning and mainly on encumbered (rough) road.

Any body had a similar problem? Keep in mind I just changed the rims around
and the service Dept has blown out the Callipers.

Andrew

andrew,

it's the abs computer being over-aggressive.

there's some great threads about it on nasioc, as the other poster
suggested.

afaik, there's actually a NHTSA investigation going on right now.
some members have gotten questionairs in the mail.

do yourself a favor and pull the fuse when driving on gravel or snow.

jm2c
ken

 

[Kimball]

I am talking about just 1-5 Kmph (mostly pulling into a car park etc..) not
even applying the break really just covering it.

Some people have reported a defective or loosely mounted ABS sensor, that sounds
more like your problem than the general "oversensetive ABS" issue that has been
debated.

 

[Kimball]

If that is true then there is something wrong with your car. Get it
fixed.

Most of the US complaints about over-sensitive abs are down the
heavy-footed driving. Unless the UK spec is dramatically different to
that in the rest of the world - and I don't believe it is - then you
have to really stamp on the pedal to make the abs work....even in icy
conditions. In fact, I'm always amazed at just how brutal you have to
be. Never made mine work by accident in, I suppose, getting on for 20
years of driving with abs-equipped cars - mostly Imprezas.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

The US WRX brakes are different (ie cheaper 2 piston calipers) from other
markets. So software programming and operation might vary noticably.

 

[David Betts]

The US WRX brakes are different (ie cheaper 2 piston calipers) from other
markets. So software programming and operation might vary noticably.

Might, but I don't see why. Lots of Imprezas have different brakes
fitted, including aftermarket. No reason why that should affect the
abs settings. The so-called 'over-sensitivity' issue is about
heavy-footed driving. Sounds to me, however, like this guy has a
fault.

It really is very simple. If the driver is activating the abs
unintentionally on a regular basis, then either there is a fault in
the system or the driver is not modulating his or her brakes properly.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Andy Mason]

David, I may not have mentioned this before, but you can **** right off.

I've had enough of your comments about heavy-footed / ham-fisted /
dumb-assed / etc. North American drivers. Most of the complaints about
over-sensitive ABS are from people you've never met, about cars you've never
driven. Whether or not the UK and NA spec cars are identical is a moot
point, as it's been pointed out before that not all NA cars seem to
experience this problem.

Have a look at www.nasioc.com and you'll find some instances of people
saying "Aha, that's what you guys were talking about" after the first time
they experienced it. In any case, let me assure you that I'm a reasonably
competent driver, but that my ABS sucks, and my clutch shudders on cold
starts.

Waiting for your apology,
Andy Mason
2002 WRX Wagon

 

[tom]

Word. My ABS has been working overtime with the winter snow and ice
out on the roads. To say that it should only happen when you STOMP on
the brake pedal is absurd. It should activate when ever a wheel slips.
That's the reason for it's existence right? And it doesn't take a
whole lot to make a 3000 pound object slip on ice. My upcoming tire
change to snows will help eliminate this significantly.

 

[David Betts]

David, I may not have mentioned this before, but you can **** right off.

It really is very simple Andy. If you regularly activate your ABS
accidentally then either you are routinely braking too hard for the
road conditions or there is something wrong with the ABS. If you have
had the ABS checked out and there is nothing wrong with it then the
problem is with your driving. From your use of language it is clear
that you are probably not bright enough to accept that.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

 

[David Betts]

Word. My ABS has been working overtime with the winter snow and ice
out on the roads. To say that it should only happen when you STOMP on
the brake pedal is absurd.

Not quite what I said, Tom, is it? I said I was surprised at how
brutal you have to be to make it work, even on ice, but then I don't
lock my wheels when braking on ice unless I intend to. In icy
conditions I always pretend there is a raw egg between my foot and the
pedal and slow down using the brakes as little as possible. You
certainly have to break the egg to make the ABS activate.

You do have to stomp on the pedal to make the ABS activate on smooth,
dry tarmac. I know, because that's the only way I have experienced
ABS activating. Obviously on a bumpy, dusty, loose or otherwise
slippery surface - let alone snow or ice - it will activate at a
lesser pedal pressure. Fact is, though, you still have to braking too
hard for the road conditions to make it activate. It really is common
sense.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Verbs Under My Gel]

David, I may not have mentioned this before, but you can **** right off.

I've had enough of your comments about heavy-footed / ham-fisted /
dumb-assed / etc. North American drivers. Most of the complaints about
over-sensitive ABS are from people you've never met, about cars you've never
driven. Whether or not the UK and NA spec cars are identical is a moot
point, as it's been pointed out before that not all NA cars seem to
experience this problem.

Have a look at www.nasioc.com and you'll find some instances of people
saying "Aha, that's what you guys were talking about" after the first time
they experienced it. In any case, let me assure you that I'm a reasonably
competent driver, but that my ABS sucks, and my clutch shudders on cold
starts.

Waiting for your apology,
Andy Mason
2002 WRX Wagon

Well, leave it to a ham-fisted North American to get offended by
Betts' comments

Seriously, the ABS on my '02 Leg. GT is the _worst_ I've ever
experienced. I think I'm going to install a switch to dis/enable.
I'm not even going to get into how horrible the clutch is!

 

[Andy Mason]

It really is very simple Andy. If you regularly activate your ABS
accidentally then either you are routinely braking too hard for the
road conditions or there is something wrong with the ABS. If you have
had the ABS checked out and there is nothing wrong with it then the
problem is with your driving. From your use of language it is clear
that you are probably not bright enough to accept that.

David Betts
(e-mail address removed)

Well I'm glad to hear that it turns out that you weren't even remotely close
to being incorrect on this issue. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

I'm simply comparing the experience I had with my previous 1993 Nissan
Altima, a 10 year old family sedan, to that which I've had in my WRX. In
the Nissan, I liked the ABS so much that I kept it in good shape by regulary
working it out on a small, inevitably icy, hill with a stop sign at the
bottom in my neighbourhood. Not to worry, I made sure the intersection was
free of any traffic, pedestrians, animals large and small, etc. In the WRX,
not only do I and many others find OURS (not yours) to be too sensitive, it
also seems to release braking pressure, and not reapply it at all quickly,
which seems more like a design flaw than something that could be "checked
out."

The Nissan stopped faster than I could, the WRX does not. Pretty simple.

Since no one mentioned anything about regularly activating their ABS, just
about how badly it worked when it did activate, or about how it activated
when it shouldn't, then your points above aren't entirely relevant.

Rest assured that my use of language was related to a few years of browsing
through this ng and reading your postings which repeatedly dismiss
out-of-hand some common and valid complaints with such condescension as:
"Most of the US complaints about over-sensitive abs are down the
heavy-footed driving" (A direct quote. Remind me which one of us isn't
bright enough again?)

Andy Mason
Genius

 

[Sammy Lee]

Andy

It seems that you're being a trifle precious in your response to David.

I too have followed David's posts in this NG for years and must say that he adds
a touch of reality to this NG. He does it with his tongue firmly placed in the
side of his cheek with no malicious tones ever.

The fact that you you used to drive a Nissan Altima and a your WRX doesn't
perform to you satisfaction you want to blame someone and become unsavory if you
don't agree with their post.

I have driven many Subarus in the USA and Canada as well as my home in Australia
(5 Subarus in the family) and I've never experienced the symptoms you have
described.

I drove a Forester through the Rockies last Christmas with minimal activation of
the ABS.

So the issue boils down to two thing:

1. There might be something wrong with your car, I don't know, discuss it with
Subaru.

2. David's driving technique is correct. I agree with his theory on the use of
brakes and never had a problem. Perhaps you could attend an Advanced Driving
Course where you can understand the theory of driving and the relationship of
braking. This may overcome your problem.

3. Yelling abuse at people on this NG tends to pigeon hole you into the
unhelpful category, something I'm sure you're no really trying to do to
yourself.

You my simple thoughts on a very hot Sydney afternoon.

 

[tom]

We must be talking around each other. Now, I am no expert, but I do
believe that the ABS always activates if it senses a wheel locking up
upon braking. I've had it do so braking at a particular intersection
because there are several manhole covers there and at speed, one of
the wheels loses contact with the driving surface. And on ice, I don't
see any reason to use the brake as little as possible. Why? I take it
slower, but why avoid using the brake? It's sole purpose is to reduce
braking distance right? Just my opinion. Have a good one.

 

[Greg Reed]

Sammy Lee wrote:

So the issue boils down to two thing:

1. There might be something wrong with your car, I don't know,
discuss it with Subaru.

2. David's driving technique is correct. I agree with his theory on
the use of brakes and never had a problem. Perhaps you could attend
an Advanced Driving Course where you can understand the theory of
driving and the relationship of braking. This may overcome your
problem.

3. Yelling abuse at people on this NG tends to pigeon hole you into
the unhelpful category, something I'm sure you're no really trying to
do to yourself.

So which two of these three things does the issue "boil down to"?

With tongue planted firmly in cheek,

- Greg Reed

--
1976 Cadillac Fleetwood Formal Limousine
1989 Audi 200 Turbo Quattro sedan 5-speed
2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue
2001 Chevy Astro AWD (wife's)
2004 Forester 2.5XT 5-speed (coming soon!)

 

[PeterD]

I thought the purpose of ABS was not to reduce braking distance, but to
allow you to control the vehicle by not letting the tyres lock up.

I had an experience the other day where my ABS kicked in unwanted though. I
was braking normally for a red light, and there was a little skip in the
road where i think the tyres momentarily lost contact with the road. All of
a sudden, the brake pedal started pulsing, felt really weird.