snow and brakes - the car or my driving?

elsien

I was lucky enough to be driving back from Heathrow to Brum on Monday night :rolleyes: - the car was fine all the way up the motorway in the snow, but when I got home, the last stretch was down a very steep and icy hill.
I put the brakes on, they slowed me a bit then the brake pedal started juddering up and down and making weird noises and I couldn't come to a stop. I released the brake and applied it slowly with the same effect.
The car's a skoda fabia, a couple of years old, and I've not had a car with antilock brakes before - (the previous one was a 15 year old clio.)
Is the problem with the car or how I was driving it, and if it's me, what do I do next time?

daveyjp

Its the ABS kicking in and you aren't the only one to query the horrible noise. ABS only allows you to steer whilst braking, it may not allow you to stop any quicker and in some situations not having it can be a bonus.

inmypocketnottheirs

elsien wrote: »

I was lucky enough to be driving back from Heathrow to Brum on Monday night :rolleyes: - the car was fine all the way up the motorway in the snow, but when I got home, the last stretch was down a very steep and icy hill.
I put the brakes on, they slowed me a bit then the brake pedal started juddering up and down and making weird noises and I couldn't come to a stop. I released the brake and applied it slowly with the same effect.
The car's a skoda fabia, a couple of years old, and I've not had a car with antilock brakes before - (the previous one was a 15 year old clio.)
Is the problem with the car or how I was driving it, and if it's me, what do I do next time?

The juddering and noises are all part of the ABS (antilock braking system) functioning and it is all quite normal - if a little disconcerting at first. It is simply the brakes being applied and released very quickly, far quicker than a person could do.

If the vehicle still isn't stopping it is because the tyres can not get anough grip to be effective, as if you have hit black ice. Applying the hand brake would just cause the rear wheels to lock and possibly skid more and cause more of a hazard.

The symptoms you describe are all perfectly normal, and an indication that the ABS is working as it should. Of course ABS won't prevent an accident, but it is an excellent safety feature none the less.

Hope this helps!

elsien

Thanks both - I was panicking a bit, wondering what I'd done to my car!

BillScarab

On some cars you can turn the ABS off,this can be an advantage in snow as the wheels will then lock and build up a dam of snow in front of the wheel which stops the car.

Going downhill in icy or snowy conditions you just need to be in as low a gear as possible and use engine braking and use the brakes as little as possible.

Alias_Omega

elsien wrote: »

I was lucky enough to be driving back from Heathrow to Brum on Monday night :rolleyes: - the car was fine all the way up the motorway in the snow, but when I got home, the last stretch was down a very steep and icy hill.
I put the brakes on, they slowed me a bit then the brake pedal started juddering up and down and making weird noises and I couldn't come to a stop. I released the brake and applied it slowly with the same effect.
The car's a skoda fabia, a couple of years old, and I've not had a car with antilock brakes before - (the previous one was a 15 year old clio.)
Is the problem with the car or how I was driving it, and if it's me, what do I do next time?

In car, will be little book. Book explains features of car.

Females + Cars = :rotfl:

elsien

I will treat that last remark with the contempt it deserves.
I'm fairly sure said little book will not make a feature of bucking bronco brakes and loud unexplained noises.

newlywed

Alias_Omega wrote: »

In car, will be little book. Book explains features of car.

Females + Cars = :rotfl:

If your car is not new then it is quite possible that there will be NO little book. None of my cars have been newer than 10 years old so never had a handbook That would have nothing to do with the fact I'm female

cyclonebri1

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: Keep your sense of humour:rotfl:


There's a whole new generation of driver, (male and female), for whom the last couple of weeks have been a bit of a revalation.

The only cars I saw stuck were rwd BMW and Merc cars, so there is some justice;) :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Also loads of 4x4 drivers who realised that they may go better in the snow but they can't stop any better

elsien

I was on my way back from a week in Norway (-27C) - studded tyres are definitely the way to go!

Alias_Omega

^^ Was ment to be a joke..

I had this with the wife, a new driver from the summer, never driven on thick ice before, many questions about different things.

Including how to change a wheel, i replied with.. "im certainly not doing it"..

one wife, can now change a wheel..