Braking in the snow
Thread Starter
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, Ontario
Braking in the snow
I have to admit, this my first encounter with the ABS brakes and I really don't like the way they work.
Here it goes: with snow/slush (just like today in TO) or ice, if I step on the brakes the ABS starts chattering and the car just keeps rolling, and it takes quite a time and distance for it to stop. I tried to switch off ESP but cannot see any difference. This happens even at low speeds and my old Sable with no ABS, in the same conditions, just stops. On black pavement the braking seems to be normal, I never got the ABS to intervene. Is this how the brakes are supposed to work on 2001 Allroad?
Here it goes: with snow/slush (just like today in TO) or ice, if I step on the brakes the ABS starts chattering and the car just keeps rolling, and it takes quite a time and distance for it to stop. I tried to switch off ESP but cannot see any difference. This happens even at low speeds and my old Sable with no ABS, in the same conditions, just stops. On black pavement the braking seems to be normal, I never got the ABS to intervene. Is this how the brakes are supposed to work on 2001 Allroad?
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,277
Likes: 2
From: Toronto
Your Saab is much lighter = shorter stopping distance.
Tire makes a huge difference.
ESP only turns off traction control. Does nothing for ABS or braking. You cannot turn off ABS without pulling the fuse.
Even if you disabled the ABS, your car would just slide the same distance with the wheels locked.
What tires and how much tread left?
Tire makes a huge difference.
ESP only turns off traction control. Does nothing for ABS or braking. You cannot turn off ABS without pulling the fuse.
Even if you disabled the ABS, your car would just slide the same distance with the wheels locked.
What tires and how much tread left?
Thread Starter
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, Ontario
Thanks for the input.
Thread Starter
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, Ontario
Your Saab is much lighter = shorter stopping distance.
Tire makes a huge difference.
ESP only turns off traction control. Does nothing for ABS or braking. You cannot turn off ABS without pulling the fuse.
Even if you disabled the ABS, your car would just slide the same distance with the wheels locked.
What tires and how much tread left?
Tire makes a huge difference.
ESP only turns off traction control. Does nothing for ABS or braking. You cannot turn off ABS without pulling the fuse.
Even if you disabled the ABS, your car would just slide the same distance with the wheels locked.
What tires and how much tread left?
As per manual, ESP off activates a different ABS mode to take advantage of extra braking power due to snow or other material present in front of the tire. To what extent it works, cannot tell, the slippery tire probably overrides any advantage.
Funny, the original Pirellis behaved the same way but now I realized the marginal tread must have made them work this way.
The most obvious explanation is sometimes hard to arrive at, thanks...
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AudiWorld Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 433
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From: Milwaukie, OR
All allroad's had ABS standard. If all four tires are sliding on ice then ABS won't help since there isn't a difference in speed between any of the tires. When you turn the key to ON but not start you should see the ABS light on.
