Disabling ABS

Erehwon · 2010-03-01T12:19:07+00:00

Is there any way to temporarily disable the ABS on a 2009 Accord similar to the way the VSA can be shut off? Cars I've rented in the past (although perhaps older) have had a switch to shut off the ABS but I can't find anything similar on the Honda. Perhaps I'm kidding myself, but the Accord seems to take an unusually long time to stop on snow and ice. I'd like to see the change without ABS. --- news:// - complaints: ---

Mar 01, 2010 25 Replies

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JRStern 16 years ago

Huh.

I did not know this.

Even on my own street, coming around a wet corner and braking moderately, I've had the ABS surprise me by coming on just for a couple of ticks and I wondered if it was helping or hurting my stopping distance, but I had faith (cue the angel music) that it was helping.

Boogers.

I mean, seriously, boogers.

If it doesn't help reduce distance in all situations, then ... well, um, I dunno ... s*it, I guess. There goes my faith in technology. Can I get a land anchor for real emergency situations?

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Howard Lester 16 years ago

"Joe" wrote

Thanks, both of you, for your encouragement. I did see a video of a car being tested on ice with and without "winter" tires. The winter tires definitely appeared to help the car as it went around a curve. I know ice is not the same as snow! I understand better now why ABS comes on much quicker on ice and snow, but as mentioned, the car goes wherever it wants regardless. It was while going around curves that my car was sliding, and the only way I could control that was to drive especially slow around curves. I was even more afraid of not making it up hills, but I did.

If I decide to keep the car for another 3 or 4 years or so, I'll see about getting a set of 4 on their own steel wheels. I know tirerack has good deals on mounted tires, though I forget whether or not the shipping charges are outrageous or reasonable.

Anyway, I apologize for helping hijack the original thread.

Howard

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Dddudley 16 years ago

Nothing is perfect but I maintain that you DO have more control (though not absolute, obviously) with ABS on snow, ice, etc.

It was while going around curves that my car was sliding, and

That's where the brain - the one in your head - comes to the fore. It works. Yeah, getting up hills can be a problem. FWD much better than RWD and AWD is best. That said, you can still find yourself up the creek under the right/wrong conditions with any of them. Nothing is perfect.

Bought a set of all season tires from them about 13 months ago. Shipping charges were reasonable in my estimation, price was excellent, and delivery was very fast and I chose standard delivery.

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Joe 16 years ago

Also look at discounttiredirect.com. In my experience, they are a little cheaper than tirerack.com for the same products, and they have free shipping. I have bought from both, and the only real advantage to tirerack is their website (being able to see new rims on your car).

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Dillon Pyron 16 years ago

Thus spake jim beam :

I was once told that pulling the hand brake up one notch ("and one ping only") would disengage it. This when I ax'ed my 96 Civic and we would occasionally trade cars.

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