Accident-ABS failed?

Nobbie1967

My advice would be to take the insurance payout and buy another car. Do not waste your time trying to assign blame to a faulty ABS system. I suspect that in the excitement of the accident you may not have noticed the ABS.

Do you still have the car? You could take it somewhere private and try an emergency stop and see if the ABS cuts in?

I doubt the legal protection will cover this as there's is little chance of success given the reliability of ABS systems against your word that it didn't work properly.

Car_54

supermum38 wrote: »

I never said I haven't had accidents but I can say I avoided them with ABS because my car stopped. It did not stop. It is also a similar model to my car of nine years. Yes, I bought it from a trader with recommendation and the check was offered. I bought it with a new MOT and warranty.I am not looking to place blame as this doesn't even affect my insurance which is protected. I have business use and fully comp insurance.

I was just hoping to drive a safe vehicle and I'm relieved I didn't hit a child.

Sorry, if you don't agree.

We don't agree because we know how ABS works, and it's very clear that you don't.;)

lister

I really hope this is a wind up, but I rather fear that I am mistaken.

I wonder how anyone ever managed to drive more than a few feet without crashing back before the advent of ABS... Actually no I don't, I managed 20 years of driving without it without out ever hitting anything, so I require my 'Driving God' badge to be sent to me in the post!

flashg67

I'm quite incredulous reading this. Most of the relevant points have been made OP:_
1. ABS doesn't make your car stop any quicker in most everyday circumstances
2. If your ABS was faulty, there would have been a warning on the dash, and this would only mean the ABS wasn't working, the rest of the braking system is unaffected.
3.A visual brake check wouldn't be able to say if there was an ABS fault, unless something really obvious was broken, and this would likely have put your warning light on anyway. The ABS system consists of both mechanical & electronic parts, many of which are impossible to just look and say whether they are serviceable or not - that's why there is a dash warning installed
4. The crash sensors determine the severity of the crash / deceleration and 'decide' whether to deply the airbags. Airbag deployment would write many cars off with the costs of replacement. - I'd only want them to go off if needed.
5. I can't see your insurance company wasting their (our) money by having a car inspected unless there was a fatality or serious injury.

arcon5

lister wrote: »

I really hope this is a wind up, but I rather fear that I am mistaken.

I wonder how anyone ever managed to drive more than a few feet without crashing back before the advent of ABS... Actually no I don't, I managed 20 years of driving without it without out ever hitting anything, so I require my 'Driving God' badge to be sent to me in the post!

Good for you.
I'll send you a badge for the most condescending and self righteous person. Unfortunately though your joint first with atleast 2 other members

arcon5

Op...
Did the car skid?
Does the abs light illuminate then go out on start-up?

If yes to both you have every right to be concerned. Doesn't affect the outcome of the accident or take blame away from You, but definitely worth looking in to why as I've known dealers in the past to fiddle with these systems. Or at the very least you'll understand better what to look out for when you do your own checks

System

supermum38 wrote: »

I never said I haven't had accidents but I can say I avoided them with ABS because my car stopped. It did not stop.

It did not stop because you were too close. You shouldn't be relying on ABS to make up for poor driving. Stop driving up the backsides of people and you won't run into them. I can count on the fingers of one hand with ones spare how many times in the last 30 years and over 2,000,000 miles I've had ABS come on and in every event it was because it was on snow or ice.

I was just hoping to drive a safe vehicle and I'm relieved I didn't hit a child.

A safe vehicle can't make up for a poor driver, ABS can only do so much and it is NOT a guaranteed accident avoidance system. Quite clearly the thought of hitting a child wasn't in your head as you were driving up the backside of the car in front or not paying attention to what was going on around you and not realising they were braking or had stopped.

Quite clearly driving for work for 4 years hasn't taught you anything.

marlot

supermum38 wrote: »

This afternoon I was unfotunate enough to write my car off after going into the back of another car ONLY the air bags did not go off and I don't think the ABS worked!

... I genuinely believe this accident shouldn't have happened.

Like many drivers, you were driving too close and/or not paying enough attention. We've all done it from time to time. This is why I'm a fan of drivers having to do some top-up training every few years. Including me.

Many people don't press the brake pedal firmly enough for the ABS to kick in. In the panic, its easy to forget. But it probably wouldn't have saved you.

When you get the next car, leave a bigger gap!

Norman_Castle

supermum38 wrote: »

new discs and brakes fitted at a national Autocentre. Would they have checked the ABS? There were no warning lights or messages

Its possible the new brakes hadn't bedded in properly which could cause weak braking.

The ABS system tests itself, if faulty there will be warning lights.

I never said I haven't had accidents but I can say I avoided them with ABS because my car stopped.

ABS is Anti Lock Braking. It allows you to press the brake as hard as you can without the wheels locking. The brakes are stronger without it.

iltisman

I have come across some road conditions where ABS has increased my breaking distance. Downhill with potholes and loose gravel is one where my old mini stops much better than my ABS equiped Fiat.