[cromwell]

I've read a few posts about folks having problems with their brakes during this cold snap. This has been my experience- I went to set off the other morning but could only go forward with difficulty- I thought I'd left the handbrake on but hadn't (funnily enough, I could reverse ok but not go forward). After a while of crawling, things seemed to come free and ok driving was restored. A couple of days later, after setting off in the morning, the drive on the car felt really 'wobbly' (like a flat tyre). I pulled over, put the handbrake on and off a few times and then the car seemed to drive ok. This morning, I drove the car off and had trouble going forward, again as if it was restricted by the handbrake- then the ABS light came on for a while and then went off. After a short while of these problems, everything seemed ok and the ABS was working on the icy roads.
It seems to me like the handbrake was freezing partly on, even when released but now I'm worried by the ABS light- are / how might the two be connected? The 'ABS' light has never come on before.
Any thoughts much appreciated.
Cheers.
James

 

[SuperSwede66]

The handbrake cables have been known to freeze with the handbrake therefore remaining on (on one or both sides). The rubber gaiter at the end of the cable wears and lets it moisture/water. Simple answer for the time being is to not apply the handbrake overnight if you can possibly avoid it.

See how that goes and if ABS light stays off then I don't think you've got anything to worry about. It may be that it detected that one wheel wasn't turning and threw up an error as a result.

 

[NedLudd]

The handbrake cables have been known to freeze with the handbrake therefore remaining on (on one or both sides). The rubber gaiter at the end of the cable wears and lets it moisture/water. Simple answer for the time being is to not apply the handbrake overnight if you can possibly avoid it.

See how that goes and if ABS light stays off then I don't think you've got anything to worry about. It may be that it detected that one wheel wasn't turning and threw up an error as a result.[/b]

- is the right answer. Exactly that has happened to me a couple of times - ABS is tripped because a wheel isn't turning, due to frozen handbrake, and it gets all confused.

Just don't use the handbrake unless you're on a slope.

 

[tramlines]

My ABS came on after I was parked in heavy snow and slush and I thought it may be the snow/slush was covering the sensor etc on the inside of the wheel. After stopping and after restarting later the ABS was off and its not happened again and we are in our 8th day of heavy snow fall.

 

[tramlines]

It happened again today after being parked over night in deepish snow and the hand brake was also frozen on. After too-ing and fro-ing it releasd and I got under way with the ABS light on. Same as before when I stopped for 15 mins, parked in 'P' and came back to the car it was OK, ABS off. Now its in the garage with the hand brake off.