Trouble In The Snow! - BMW Forum

Cruzin 323is · 03-08-2005, 06:16 PM

so anyways, i was comming home from school today... and everytime i taped the breaks it would lock up.. and the abs would kick in, this isn't the first time it happened in the snow

none of my other cars have ever done this, is that bad...

do i have a problem with my breaks.. or is it just bmws!

catalyst. · 03-08-2005, 06:27 PM

Umm, are you saying it would lock up for a second then later the abs would kick in?

I dont see how you can be locking up if abs is kicking in.

I never noticed anything odd about my brakes in the snow, if your slamming the brakes youll probably engage the abs, but occasionally i think mine would lock up if i SLAMMED on the brakes while going fast, i cant really remember, im trying to keep her off the road until all the salts gone :P

You gotta understand that when your in the snow sometimes if you slam down hard, the abs system will think that youve stopped when you really havent and you will just skid because it thinks youve already come to a stop.. you have to threshhold brake inorder to not lock up, this happens in my moms volvo too, but not our honda. Probably because its newer and has a more advanced abs system.

Cruzin 323is · 03-08-2005, 06:54 PM

thats not what i mean, i mean, i tap the breaks.. and the abs kicks in!!

but i mean, i barely touch the brakes.. and abs takes control!

i think the abs is going on too much.. or somthing is causing it to go on... but no! i don't mash the brakes when i drive in the snow!

Ice90 · 03-08-2005, 07:00 PM

Living in Canada snow evrywhere. in your bmw you will feel it more so in your pedal,, in other cars you may feel it less in the pedal but the abs is still on

dun worry about it its completly normal as soon as a tiny bit of slip is detcetd abs kicks in.. as long as it ain't doing it when there is 100% trac tion on the road and u touch the brakes your fine..

Cruzin 323is · 03-08-2005, 08:05 PM

so this is normal?

Ice90 · 03-08-2005, 08:57 PM

Yep...

bitcore · 03-08-2005, 09:10 PM

yes, normal over here too. Our ABS is really sensitive, and having a wider tire than hondas and every other economy car makes it harder to cut through the snow into the pavement.

Cruzin 323is · 03-08-2005, 09:13 PM

allright, thanks guys!! i thought i was the only 1 with this prob!

NeverLeaned · 03-09-2005, 09:20 AM

My BMW is just plain horrible in the snow........ Hell my old Grand national & 442 is better then this car! :P

If your getting ABS lights on even the most lightest of braking pressue I would take a serious look at what is probably the only area you can improve on...... traction. Check those tires, I have Falkens on my stock 16 snow tires and they are horrible. You will be seeing a set a mint 16's with almost new Falkens for sale as soon as the spring hits and i get my 18"s back on.

Cruzin 323is · 03-09-2005, 10:06 AM

nah, the abd light doesn't come on, u could just feel the abs kick in, after every little tap on the brake!

bitcore · 03-09-2005, 12:20 PM

Get a set of cheep, light rims and mount some snow tires on them.
There ya go.

kyle_baker · 03-09-2005, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bitcore@Mar 9 2005, 12:20 PM
Get a set of cheep, light rims and mount some snow tires on them.
There ya go.

[snapback]307250[/snapback]

I think your brakes may be alittle sensative because the abs isn't supposed to kick in until they are slammed down, anyways, abs and snow don't mix well. If you read the manual it explains this better but basically, if you don't have abs brakes then the snow will buildup infront of the tires and act as a wall to slow down and stop the car but with abs the snow builds up and gets run over then buildsup and gets run over, never really acting as a wall. Still tho, even with this they should be locking up into abs mode unless you hammerdown on it real good, atleast that is always what i thought. You might have a mechanic just take a look at them to see if anything obvious is causing this. I too live in a location with lots of snow and have tried out my abs brakes in the snow, but to my knowledge they have never lockedup unless i, like i said earlier, hammerdown on them. Hope this helps some on understanding why they might be acting this way.

EDIT: Snow tires are a good idea too

Cruzin 323is · 03-09-2005, 03:23 PM

well, too late for this year... we got 3 more weeks of this bullshit, then spring is here... THANK GOD...

i'll just tough it out for a few more weeks!

NeverLeaned · 03-09-2005, 03:34 PM

His ABS is kicking in because the tires are slipping.... I've never heard of this snow wall thing before.

Ya I learned my lesson this year, I thought the 16's w/ Falkens would be fine, next year I will either not be driving at all, or slapping on a set a snows.

kyle_baker · 03-10-2005, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NeverLeaned@Mar 9 2005, 03:34 PM
His ABS is kicking in because the tires are slipping.... I've never heard of this snow wall thing before...

i know his tires are slipping, but i thought the abs only kicks in when you fully depress the brake pedal.

anyways, about the snow wall build up, it's in the manual, just flip through it, cannot remember what part, but that is where i learned about it. It actually makes perfect sense. Beleive me if you want, either way, it is in there.

i didn't get snow tires, but i like to break free in the snow so its all good. but like the rest of you i cannot wait for warm weather to return.