Acura Integra 97 ABS doesn’t work and no abs light is on. The abs light is never on when I’m driving thecar. However, the abs system won’t work when I stop in snow. Do you know what might be wrong?
In my experience I have only had abs kick in in snow and ice in near panic stop situations at slow speeds. In a safe slippery place slam on the brakes at 10 mph and see if they kick in. It may be they were not determined to be needed, can you describe better when you think they should have deployed?
Does the ABS light come on before you start the engine? If you turn the key to “ON,” but not to “Start,” the ABS light should come on. If it does, and then it goes off after you start the engine, the ABS is working.
Or at least the ABS computer thinks it’s working.
Please give us more information about why you think it’s not working. Be specific.
I’ve tried what waterboy suggests, but I’ve never been able to slam on the brakes hard enough, of purpose, to activate the ABS on my '97 Acura. I have felt it activate on its own, but very rarely, maybe once or twice since I’ve owned the car. But then I don’t drive it in snow.
The ABS on my other car will kick in if things are REALLY slippery, but I don’t feel it very often.
Please check and make sure the light comes on. Let us know.
Did you buy this car used? Could there be some black tape applied to the ABS light?
Heh. Have seen that “fix” once or twice, where people figure that if they can’t see the light, then nothing is wrong. The ostrich defense.
How do you know it doesn’t work? Are you actually sliding?
I was on snow going about 15-20 and i slammed on the brakes and there was no abs that kicked in. When i turn the key to the on position the abs light comes on, when i start the car the abs light goes off. So i’m not sure what the problem might be.
Perhaps if all 4 wheels lock up at the same moment, the system does not detect a problem…ABS depends on a difference in wheel rotational speed to activate…If the wheels are all stopped, it’s happy with that…It has no way to know the vehicle is not stopped…(??)
If you have decent in the snow all-seasons or winter tires the ABS will not kick on at all or enough to have the feeling.
When I have had winter tires on my vehicles it is very rare to have the ABS engage because the tires actually have traction.