2001 Saab 9-3 Owner's Manual - Page 171
2001 Saab 9-3 Manual
Page 171 highlights
Starting and driving ABS brakes WARNING • The additional safety afforded by the ABS system is not designed to allow drivers to drive faster but to make normal driving safer. • To stop as quickly as possible, without loss of directional stability, whether the road surface is dry, wet or slippery, press the brake pedal down hard without letting up (do not pump the pedal), declutching simultaneously, and steer the car to safety. ABS (Antilock Braking System) modulates the brake pressure to the respective wheels. Wheel sensors detect if a wheel is about to lock, and the control module reduces the pressure to that wheel and then increases it once more until the tendency is detected again. The brake system is equipped with an Electronic Brake-force Distribution device (EBD), which distributes the brake pressure between the front and rear wheels in such a way as to achieve optimum braking performance regardless of the car's speed and load. The ABS system has a built-in diagnostic function which will switch on the ABS warning light if a fault is detected in the system (see page 62). 171 IB877 ABS braking - confirmation that the system is operating The ABS system will not reduce the braking distance on loose gravel or on snow or ice but, because the wheels cannot lock up, some steering control is retained. When the ABS system is working, i.e. modulation of the brake pressure is in progress, the brake pedal will pulsate and a ticking noise will be heard. All this is perfectly normal. Press the pedal down hard (you cannot press too hard) and steer the car to safety. Braking with ABS - evasive steering Do not release the brake pedal before the car has come to a halt or the danger is past! This is critical. If the road is slippery, the ABS system will operate even when only light pressure is applied to the pedal. This means that you can brake gently to test the condition of the road and adapt your driving accordingly. It is well worth practising the use of ABS brakes on a skid pad or other suitable facility. IB878