My car is making loud noises when I stomp on the brakes, is something wrong with my ABS?

Although ABS has been around for years, many still do not understand how ABS actually works. It is generally known that ABS has something to do with the car brakes during heavy braking, but the common misconception is that it helps you brake better. It doesn’t, let us explain.

ABS stands for Antilock Braking System. Yes, it has something to do with car brakes, but it doesn’t help the car stop faster. Instead, it works to keep the driver in control when under heavy braking.

Contrary to popular belief, expecting the brakes to hold the wheels in a death grip and coming to a standstill immediately is as dangerous as not stopping and hitting the obstacle.

This will only cause you to lose control of the car as one or more wheels will lock up and stop turning. When one or more wheels lock up, the wheel will begin to drag or skid. You might find yourself skidding towards another obstacle instead.

To prevent the wheels from locking up while under heavy braking, you are advised to ease off slightly on the pedals while braking hard. This will release the wheels just a little bit so you will retain steering ability during a sudden stop in the car.

This is what ABS does automatically during heavy braking. The principle, also known as threshold braking, is to release the wheel right before the maximum stopping ability occurs right before it begins to skid. So by releasing the brakes just a little, releases the wheels right before it causes the car to skid.

So, if you ever encounter a moment where you need to stomp on the brakes, do not be alarmed when you car makes loud noises when ABS activates in the background. That is a sign that your ABS is working fine.