Insight ABS more sensitive than most? - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

budomove · 02-19-2008, 03:35 PM

Hey Everybody,
I have been driving a non abs 91 civic hatch for a few years, and am out of practice, but it seems that the ABS on the insight engages when totally unneccesary, anyone agree?
In the snow (which I know activates ABS more easily), the ABS made it so that I could barely get any stopping power. Threshold braking seems impossible with the low point of ABS engagement on the insight. like everybody else who complains about ABS, it just seems to get in the way of doing what I need to do in order to stop. Snow and wet weather may be tough without ABS, but a week ago in a snowstorm the ABS pulsated, and interfered so much that I couldnt really slow down fast enough. They need to bring the "locking threshold" up, so normal ABS-free braking can occur up until just before the brakes might actually lock. My dads element has ABS that is almost the same, but not quite as sensitive. grrrr.

frank

Daox · 02-19-2008, 04:08 PM

If your driving for fuel economy, you really shouldn't be braking that hard. You want to avoid brake use like the plague.

Other than that, I have no info on the Insight's ABS, sorry.

budomove · 02-19-2008, 04:24 PM

In traffic, I try to keep my momentum until I know for sure that the person in front is braking for real.. I just cut it a little too close in the snow, forgetting the ABS might act up. Doh!

budomove · 02-19-2008, 04:36 PM

Citrus Smoothie on Insightcentral said this:

The Insight's ABS system is an early version (well, 1999) that is not particularly sophisticated; that combined with the light weight of the Insight (lower traction) means that the ABS kicks in earlier than you would be used to on other cars. HTH

NoCO2 · 02-19-2008, 08:00 PM

I was going to suggest that it was because it is using 8 year old technology, but I have a 2000 Accord with ABS and I can use plenty of the brakes in dry conditions without it even so much as kind of kicking in. It makes sense though, they probably adapted the ABS system from a car similar to my accord which weighs in a just around 3000 lbs and the insight, which ways much less, has a lot less friction on the road to begin with, so someone probably goofed up in development and either didn't know or forgot to figure in the cars weight into the control system for the ABS.

budomove · 02-19-2008, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoCO2

my accord which weighs in a just around 3000 lbs and the insight, which ways much less, so someone probably goofed up in development and either didn't know or forgot to figure in the cars weight into the control system for the ABS.

3000-1870=1130lb difference

cool.

Whoops · 02-19-2008, 10:44 PM

I don't think the weight is making zippo difference. The ABS in theory uses the wheel position sensors to determine if a wheel is starting to lock up and then it momentarily releases the pressure on that wheel. It is intended to make it so us dummies driving the car can't lock up the wheels, so we, in theory have some steering control.

Personally I hate ABS, any way you slice it. I'd rather take my chances with the dummie behind the wheel. At least then, when I need to stop, I can do something about it. When the ABS goes into it's oscillation/confusion mode, which I've had it do on gravel roads, it makes it very tough to try to stop, when you could, because generally when I need to try to stop, I need to stop, far more than I need to steer into something.

I greatly prefer non-ABS and if I could figure out a way to turn it off, particularly on gravel roads, I would. However, in your circumstance, I thought it was supposed to help. Guess you wanted to stop, huh?