I have a 2007 Honda Fit. When I am driving slowly and brake while driving on a rough surface there is a sound either creaking or grinding that is accompanied by vibration of the pedal. I have tried to convince myself that this is just ?road feel?, but it?s really disconcerting and even the crappiest cars I have owned didn?t do anything like this. Is this normal or do I need to take it in?
My best guess is that your previous cars did not have ABS, and what you are feeling is the ABS engaging on your Fit. Did you previously have ABS?
I have felt ABS in rental cars when I have had to brake suddenly. I thought that ABS would only be engaged if I was in a situation where it is likely that the breaks would likely lock-up i.e. braking suddenly. With this problem it only happens when I am braking on a rough surface and only going a few miles per hour.
You’re correct.
There is no need to hit the brakes hard enough when driving slowly, to activate the ABS.
Driving slowly on ICE is a different story where wheel lock up can occur.
However, I suspect there may be either a faulty wheel sensor setting off the ABS due to excessive vibration or you have a loose/broken suspension component causing the erratic feeling in the brake pedal.
This is NOT normal. Take the car back to the Honda dealer and let them fix it. One of the nice things about owning a new car is the WARRANTY. In general, Honda vehicles are fun to drive and inexpensive to maintain. If there is something not quite right about your new car, go back to the dealer and they will correct it.
Don’t be concerned about ABS. You have to hit the brakes REALLY hard to activate it. I’ve tried to activate the ABS on my Accord, but on a dry road in good weather I cannot make myself slam on the brake pedal hard enough to activate it.
I have felt it working in wet weather conditions, as it should, but it does not activate in normal driving. Your ABS should not activate in normal driving, either.
If your Honda dealer is any good at all, they will say, “Please bring it in and let us look at it, because it should NOT be doing that.”
I guess we need to define “normal driving.” You said this happens on rough pavement. How rough? I live in an area with LOTS of rough pavement, and I have two cars with ABS. I’ve only felt the ABS working in wet weather or snow (mostly snow). Regardless of the roughness of the pavement, including unpaved roads, the ABS does not activate during normal driving.
You have to be on some seriously rough pavement, such as a dirt or gravel road, and be going fast and braking HARD, to activate the ABS.
If, however, the ABS kicks in, you will feel a pulsation in the brake pedal. That’s normal for ABS, and not to be feared. It means the system is working as it should, but it’s hard to imagine you are driving in a manner that will cause the ABS to activate on a regular basis.
You’re not a crazy driver, are you?
Have you taken the car back to the dealer?
As the other poster said: YOU HAVE A WARRANTY!!!USE IT!!!Keep taking the car back to the dealer until YOU are HAPPY or have a logical explanation for the way your brakes work.
I really don’t think this is ABS. I have felt ABS in other cars as a regular pulsation. This is a creaking or grinding sound that is coupled with a vibration that is not on a regular rate like ABS. It seems like the consensus is to call the Honda dealer and cash in on the warranty…
Thanks for the help.
Good advise. I have avoided doing this because I can’t really afford to be without the car, but I also can’t afford to have a new car (my first ever!) to be defective.
By “rough road” I mean the un-cared-for streets of Boston. I am no off roading, jsut driving to work on raods that need re-paving. I can see a rough patch coming up and braked intentionally to provoke the problem. I guess I am Honda dealer bound. Thanks for the help. I promise that I am not just a retard who think ABS is a defect!