Today while driving, I noticed that my brakes disengage for a brief moment after going over a pothole or speed bump. Then ABS kicks in. This scared me because it felt like the car took a second too long to stop. Has anyone else experienced this? Is it supposed to work like this? I almost crashed because of it.
This sounds like part of the traction control system. It can ease off braking on individual wheels to maintain stability.
Nedyra said:
This sounds like part of the traction control system. It can ease off braking on individual wheels to maintain stability.
But could ABS delay braking for about half a second before fully engaging? Imagine driving at 60 km/h and hitting the brake, only for it to take that long to respond. That delay could mean traveling an extra 8-10 meters, which is dangerous!
@Toyoyo
What you’re describing happens when the system detects wheel slip. When you hit a pothole or bump, the tires lose grip momentarily. If braking pressure slows a wheel more than expected for your speed, the ABS thinks the wheels are locking up and reduces pressure. I try not to brake over bumps or slippery surfaces for this reason. Think of tire traction as limited—you use it up when accelerating, braking, or turning. A sudden change like a pothole reduces how much traction you have.
Yeah, I’ve worked on lots of 3rd gens, and their traction control can be pretty sensitive. Once you get used to it, though, you can push the car harder before the system steps in. I even race mine and have found ways to push it into corners without setting it off.
@Flint
I once had stability control kick in when I was taking a cloverleaf ramp way too fast. It felt like the car decided, ‘Alright, let’s help this guy defy physics for a second.’
Milan said:
@Flint
I once had stability control kick in when I was taking a cloverleaf ramp way too fast. It felt like the car decided, ‘Alright, let’s help this guy defy physics for a second.’
Same here. I’ve pushed mine around the autocross track, and it handles great.
@Flint
I can see that. With good weight distribution and independent suspension, they’re solid. Add that low-end torque, and they’re quick through turns.
Milan said:
@Flint
I can see that. With good weight distribution and independent suspension, they’re solid. Add that low-end torque, and they’re quick through turns.
I need to get the TRD rear sway bar. The car has too much body roll as it is.
@Flint
I didn’t know TRD made one. I’m planning to lift mine and try rallycross.
How many miles are on your car? Could it be the master cylinder?
Dax said:
How many miles are on your car? Could it be the master cylinder?
It’s got 62k miles. I’m asking because I know there was a similar issue in the first-gen Prius. They had a defect that caused a delay switching from regenerative braking to friction braking, but I thought Toyota fixed that problem.
@Toyoyo
I have a 2002 Prius, and I haven’t noticed this issue. If I’m braking gently and then stomp the pedal, it responds immediately. That said, I’ve noticed some lag when I accelerate hard right after aggressive regenerative braking. It’s like the drivetrain takes a second to catch up.
I’ve had a 2015 Prius since new, and it’s always behaved like this. The traction control system can be overly sensitive, but I don’t think anything is broken. It’s just annoying sometimes.
This is normal—it’s just traction control doing its job.
I’ve experienced the same thing. I think it’s the ABS system, but it does seem more noticeable compared to other cars.