96 S10 Antilock Brakes
Question:
I have asked too many questions since i bought this truck. Today, it was raining pretty good. I had the truck out for the first time in a good rain. Brakes seemed to be ok before today. I was on a curve between expressways. I think i was braking and a felt a cluck like and i thought the rear end was breaking loose. I let off the brake and went on my way. It kind of scared me though. Further down the road, i braked and felt the same clunk like sensation when braking, and then what seemed to be normal braking. Now, the box has no topper on it and it had no load in the back. So, is this how the antilock brakes feel when they are working properly? The antilock light is normal and there is no codes set for the brakes. The master cylinder was replaced just before i got the truck, and i replaced the power booster recently. It seems to have a very large ABS controller in this truck. New S10’s i have looked at have a much smaller ABS controller on the fender well. This is my first vehicle was antilock, so this is all new to me. BOB
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I have asked too many questions since i bought this truck. > Today, it was raining pretty good. I had the truck out for the > first > time in a good rain. Brakes seemed to be ok before today. > I was on a curve between expressways. I think i was braking and > a felt a cluck like and i thought the rear end was breaking loose. > I let off the brake and went on my way. It kind of scared me > though. > Further down the road, i braked and felt the same clunk like > sensation > when braking, and then what seemed to be normal braking. > Now, the box has no topper on it and it had no load in the back. > So, is this how the antilock brakes feel when they are working > properly? > The antilock light is normal and there is no codes set for the > brakes. > The master cylinder was replaced just before i got the truck, and > i > replaced the power booster recently. It seems to have a very large > ABS controller in this truck. New S10’s i have looked at have > a much smaller ABS controller on the fender well. This is my first > vehicle was antilock, so this is all new to me. > BOB
I’ve tried the ABS on several vehicles and the pumps have all been rather loud, there is a buzzing pulsing sound, some brake vibration, the pedal pushes back somewhat, and at night the lights go dim (the pumps take a lot of power mostly at engine idle). You will know it when the ABS kicks in.
Response:
Sounds normal to me. Particularly with a truck that doesn’t have a load in it, in a low-traction situation, the rear brakes will have some tendency to lock up, which is one of the main reasons they have the ABS on there (even before they had 4-wheel ABS, trucks frequently had rear-only ABS for this reason). If the rear brakes locked up, the truck could have a tendency to spin. — Robert Hancock Saskatoon, SK, Canada Home Page: http://www.roberthancock.com/
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have asked too many questions since i bought this truck. > Today, it was raining pretty good. I had the truck out for the > first > time in a good rain. Brakes seemed to be ok before today. > I was on a curve between expressways. I think i was braking and > a felt a cluck like and i thought the rear end was breaking loose. > I let off the brake and went on my way. It kind of scared me > though. > Further down the road, i braked and felt the same clunk like > sensation > when braking, and then what seemed to be normal braking. > Now, the box has no topper on it and it had no load in the back. > So, is this how the antilock brakes feel when they are working > properly? > The antilock light is normal and there is no codes set for the > brakes. > The master cylinder was replaced just before i got the truck, and > i > replaced the power booster recently. It seems to have a very large > ABS controller in this truck. New S10’s i have looked at have > a much smaller ABS controller on the fender well. This is my first > vehicle was antilock, so this is all new to me. > BOB
Response:
There is a recall on this model pertaining to impaired braking power. Check with your dealer.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I have asked too many questions since i bought this truck. > Today, it was raining pretty good. I had the truck out for the > first > time in a good rain. Brakes seemed to be ok before today. > I was on a curve between expressways. I think i was braking and > a felt a cluck like and i thought the rear end was breaking loose. > I let off the brake and went on my way. It kind of scared me > though. > Further down the road, i braked and felt the same clunk like > sensation > when braking, and then what seemed to be normal braking. > Now, the box has no topper on it and it had no load in the back. > So, is this how the antilock brakes feel when they are working > properly? > The antilock light is normal and there is no codes set for the > brakes. > The master cylinder was replaced just before i got the truck, and > i > replaced the power booster recently. It seems to have a very large > ABS controller in this truck. New S10’s i have looked at have > a much smaller ABS controller on the fender well. This is my first > vehicle was antilock, so this is all new to me. > BOB
Response:
Do you have a service bulletin / recall number? BOB – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > There is a recall on this model pertaining to impaired braking power. Check > with your dealer. > I have asked too many questions since i bought this truck. > Today, it was raining pretty good. I had the truck out for the > first > time in a good rain. Brakes seemed to be ok before today. > I was on a curve between expressways. I think i was braking and > a felt a cluck like and i thought the rear end was breaking loose. > I let off the brake and went on my way. It kind of scared me > though. > Further down the road, i braked and felt the same clunk like > sensation > when braking, and then what seemed to be normal braking. > Now, the box has no topper on it and it had no load in the back. > So, is this how the antilock brakes feel when they are working > properly? > The antilock light is normal and there is no codes set for the > brakes. > The master cylinder was replaced just before i got the truck, and > i > replaced the power booster recently. It seems to have a very large > ABS controller in this truck. New S10’s i have looked at have > a much smaller ABS controller on the fender well. This is my first > vehicle was antilock, so this is all new to me. > BOB
Response:
Here is some of the text from Special Policy 99046(B) – High/Low/High ABS Brake Anomaly. The fix for this seems to be to either reprogram the ABS control module, or to replace it if the module does not have reprogramming capability. The federal government’s highway safety agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified, and General Motors Corporation has confirmed, the existence of a condition in the antilock braking system of some 1993-1996 Chevrolet and GMC S/T utilities, 1994-1996 Chevrolet and GMC S/T pickups equipped with a V6 engine, and 1993-1996 Chevrolet and GMC G vans, all equipped with the Lucas Varity three-sensor ABS system. On rare occasions, this condition can result in longer stopping distances during certain antilock brake applications, as explained below. If the customer is driving on a road surface that supports good traction and they begin to stop by applying the brake pedal firmly, and both front wheels of their vehicle then pass onto a slippery surface (such as an ice-covered or wet patched asphalt part of the road), the antilock brake system will adjust the brakes at each of the wheels to take advantage of the available traction. This will allow the customer to steer and maintain stability, which is normal ABS operation, as their owner’s manual explains in more detail. However, if the customer is still braking while the vehicle leaves the slippery surface and both front wheels get back on a higher-traction surface, the ABS may perform as if the vehicle were still on the slippery surface and the vehicle may not stop as quickly. However, this will not happen every time these conditions are encountered. It depends on several additional factors, such as vehicle speed and the length of the slippery surface. The ABS system was designed with increased sensitivity to wheel slip in order to improve vehicle steerability while braking on very slippery surfaces. This improvement for steerability, however, made it possible for reduced front braking effectiveness to occur as described above. This special policy adjustment covers the condition described above until December 1, 2002, regardless of vehicle mileage or ownership. The repairs will be made at no charge to the customer (see the service procedure for the appropriate repair). Other conditions that may cause similar or different brake complaints that are not a result of the condition listed above are not covered by this special policy. The customer should be informed that any further service that is not covered by this special policy would be their responsibility, if they elect to have the service performed. — Robert Hancock Saskatoon, SK, Canada Home Page: http://www.roberthancock.com/
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Do you have a service bulletin / recall number? > BOB > There is a recall on this model pertaining to impaired braking power. Check > with your dealer. > > I have asked too many questions since i bought this truck. > > Today, it was raining pretty good. I had the truck out for the > > first > > time in a good rain. Brakes seemed to be ok before today. > > I was on a curve between expressways. I think i was braking and > > a felt a cluck like and i thought the rear end was breaking loose. > > I let off the brake and went on my way. It kind of scared me > > though. > > Further down the road, i braked and felt the same clunk like > > sensation > > when braking, and then what seemed to be normal braking. > > Now, the box has no topper on it and it had no load in the back. > > So, is this how the antilock brakes feel when they are working > > properly? > > The antilock light is normal and there is no codes set for the > > brakes. > > The master cylinder was replaced just before i got the truck, and > > i > > replaced the power booster recently. It seems to have a very large > > ABS controller in this truck. New S10’s i have looked at have > > a much smaller ABS controller on the fender well. This is my first > > vehicle was antilock, so this is all new to me. > > BOB
