Brakes delayed failure after crossing ford

R400 said:
That fact that you were able to steer the car into a hedge completely rules out skidding, you would have just gone straight into the car in front if you were.

Because it happened once and not again since means it's almost certainly electrical, so some component in the ABS system is failing, a mechanical fault isn't likely to fix itself.
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None of that makes any sense.
 
R400 said:
Sorry, brain fart. My first point still stands, but the car has ABS so shouldn't be in that situation in the first place.
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Why not?

ABS doesn't stop you quicker, it allows you to retain control over the car in circumstances where the wheels would lock. Therefore if he came around a corner too quickly and/or hit a patch of low adhesion and slammed his brakes on he'd find himself unable to stop where he wanted to but able to steer out of the way into the hedge.

So it sounds like the ABS did exactly what it is supposed to do and allowed him sufficient control to avoid colliding with another car.

It doesn't really sound like there is much wrong with the car to me from the description we've had.
 
[TW]Fox;27529807 said:
Why not?

ABS doesn't stop you quicker, it allows you to retain control over the car in circumstances where the wheels would lock. Therefore if he came around a corner too quickly and/or hit a patch of low adhesion and slammed his brakes on he'd find himself unable to stop where he wanted to but able to steer out of the way into the hedge.

So it sounds like the ABS did exactly what it is supposed to do and allowed him sufficient control to avoid colliding with another car.

It doesn't really sound like there is much wrong with the car to me from the description we've had.
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I was saying that my point about the car not being able to steer only applies to a car without ABS. But this car has it.
 
Inappropriate/high speed wasn't a factor, trust me. I was in 2nd or 3rd gear at most, knew the car in front was there as had been following for about a mile, and was just approaching the junction as normal (foot on brake pedal, engine slowing car a little, ready to brake to complete stop and change down to 1st).

Speed at the time was low, I would estimate about 15 mph. It was no faster than you'd go round a supermarket car-park. If I'd been going too fast I'd have let this thread die and put it down to my own stupid fault.

Everything was normal until I braked to come to a complete stop, and there was no low resistance in the pedal. No braking, no sliding feeling, this is why I panicked because it just didn't make any sense for it to be happening. I remember one thing I did do was put the car into neutral. So I know my right foot wasn't on the clutch as my left foot was.

I don't think I took my foot off the brake; I could/should have pumped it once in the time I had. I kick myself for not using the handbrake, but there really wasn't any thinking time. My overriding concern was not hitting the car in front who had slowed to a stop, so I turned into the hedge.
 
FoxEye said:
Inappropriate/high speed wasn't a factor, trust me. I was in 2nd or 3rd gear at most, knew the car in front was there as had been following for about a mile, and was just approaching the junction as normal (foot on brake pedal, engine slowing car a little, ready to brake to complete stop and change down to 1st).

Speed at the time was low, I would estimate about 15 mph. It was no faster than you'd go round a supermarket car-park. If I'd been going too fast I'd have let this thread die and put it down to my own stupid fault.

Everything was normal until I braked to come to a complete stop, and there was no low resistance in the pedal. No braking, no sliding feeling, this is why I panicked because it just didn't make any sense for it to be happening. I remember one thing I did do was put the car into neutral. So I know my right foot wasn't on the clutch as my left foot was.

I don't think I took my foot off the brake; I could/should have pumped it once in the time I had. I kick myself for not using the handbrake, but there really wasn't any thinking time. My overriding concern was not hitting the car in front who had slowed to a stop, so I turned into the hedge.
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What you have described there is exactly what happens when ABS takes over.

You don't slide as the wheels aren't locked.
The ABS system is effectively applying the maximum braking force allowed before the wheels lock.

And at a slower speed on a less than ideal road surface its easier to reach that maximum force than at a faster speed.

Try getting the abs to kick in at 100mph. Then see how easy it is at 30mph.


ABS should have been called ACB "Automatic cadence braking"


You've also extended the braking distance by slipping it out of gear which will result in no engine breaking, And increased the likely hood of the wheels "locking" as there was less resistance
 
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There really can't be much engine braking on a slight decline doing 15mph in second or third though.

But I'm damn sure it was the ABS system doing what it is designed to do. Not so sure why you've gone back to the trader and said the brakes failed. They didn't.
 
bJN said:
There really can't be much engine braking on a slight decline doing 15mph in second or third though.

But I'm damn sure it was the ABS system doing what it is designed to do. Not so sure why you've gone back to the trader and said the brakes failed. They didn't.
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I said why. He told me there was a more recent service than the last one stamped in the book, and I want to know if that's true or not. Because the last one stamped in the book is from 2009.

The V5C was dated 2009 also. Which makes me wonder if the vehicle was even transferred to the dealer before I bought it. He'd had it two weeks, he said, before selling it to me. That would be enough time for a new V5C to come through? Or doesn't it work like that with dealerships?
 
bJN said:
There really can't be much engine braking on a slight decline doing 15mph in second or third though.

.
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Try it. Go and do 15mph in 2nd gear and lift of the gas see how far the car travels.

Then repeat but this time knock it into neutral and cooooooooooooooooast
 
FoxEye said:
I said why. He told me there was a more recent service than the last one stamped in the book, and I want to know if that's true or not. Because the last one stamped in the book is from 2009.

The V5C was dated 2009 also. Which makes me wonder if the vehicle was even transferred to the dealer before I bought it. He'd had it two weeks, he said, before selling it to me. That would be enough time for a new V5C to come through? Or doesn't it work like that with dealerships?
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I doubt they would register it with themselves otherwise most cars would have twice as many RK's
 
mattyg said:
Try it. Go and do 15mph in 2nd gear and lift of the gas see how far the car travels.

Then repeat but this time knock it into neutral and cooooooooooooooooast
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Oh don't get me wrong, I know there is some engine braking, but compared to say engine braking in third from 40mph down, to 15mph down, you may as well not be. All I'm trying to say is that with the angle of decline on that road, the majority of the engine braking would be compensated for by the momentum gained due to mavity :p
 
bJN said:
Oh don't get me wrong, I know there is some engine braking, but compared to say engine braking in third from 40mph down, to 15mph down, you may as well not be. All I'm trying to say is that with the angle of decline on that road, the majority of the engine braking would be compensated for by the momentum gained due to mavity :p
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But in the words of Tesco "Every little helps":D

I wrote off a MK1 Honda prelude when all I needed was an extra foot.:p
 
Well done on making the right decision on what to hit. Inanimate object and maybe a bird vs someone else. Harper Lee said hit the hedges all day but its a crime to hit another car.
 
FoxEye said:
I said why. He told me there was a more recent service than the last one stamped in the book, and I want to know if that's true or not. Because the last one stamped in the book is from 2009.

The V5C was dated 2009 also. Which makes me wonder if the vehicle was even transferred to the dealer before I bought it. He'd had it two weeks, he said, before selling it to me. That would be enough time for a new V5C to come through? Or doesn't it work like that with dealerships?
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A genuine trader does not count as an owner and does not have a V5C issued to them.
 
I think the most incredible part of this whole thread is that you haven't taken it to a garage to have the brakes inspected.

Sounds a lot like there is nothing wrong with the car to be honest. That's the first thing the dealer is going to ask you to do, take it to him to check it or get it checked locally.

I can guarantee there's a 1000% chance he's not going to give you anything, either way.

"Brake failure"

Did the brakes work before your accident? "yes"
Did the brakes work after your accident? "yes" - but I did just drive through a ford.
It's all your fault mr dealer, the brakes failed.

"lol" good luck

Edit : - I suggest taking it on the chin and moving on with your life.
 
Kaeo said:
Edit : - I suggest taking it on the chin and moving on with your life.
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Where did I say I expected anything from the dealer other than confirmation of when the last service was done? I think you've read more into that you should have.

As for not taking it to a garage, the accident happened at about 14:00 on Friday, and as you know, most garages are closed on Saturday. Meaning I have to take time off work next week to get it looked at.

Is that "incredible"? :p
 
Not sure. There's just a bunch of stamps in the book with dates on them, iirc. Don't have receipts or anything.
 
Your description sounds the same as when my brakes failed a few years back, basically the brake discs came out (kind of destroyed themselves) (not the calipers) so there was nothing against the disc and the grinding noise was the left over brake bits grinding on the disc/caliper
 
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