Technical Emergency stop, no hazard flashers

[FireballXL5man]

Hi everyone,
I had a nasty experience on the motorway today. Heavy traffic, outside lane 50mph. Car in front of me braked, came off the brakes for about a second and then applied full braking, emergency stop. I braked very hard, had that horrible moment when you wonder if you will stop in time, but thankfully came to rest about 1 1/2 car lengths behind the car in front. The 500 1.2 lounge pulled up perfectly, in a straight line (dry road, thankfully) and there was no shuddering at all. The car behind me swerved into the middle lane an missed me by a few feet.

The reason for this drama, a three car smash in my lane three cars ahead of me.

I would have thought that the ABS must have kicked in and brought the car to rest without drama, but I thought that the hazard flashers would have come on automatically in this situation. They didn't, have I got them them switched off via the menu and can they be switched on?

I'm glad to say that the 500 lounge with the standard tyres pulled up brilliantly in this situation.

 

[306maxi]

Maybe you. Weren't braking quite hard enough to get them to come on? Did the ABS kick in?

 

[KaZetec]

I find them hazards generally quite sensitive really. Maybe there is a problem.

If I go over those funny bumpy yellow lines in the road when entering a new speed limit if I brake over them sometimes the hazards flicker!

 

[Andy Monty]

I thought it was de-acceleration rate dependent rather than when the ABS comes on... iirc its something like > 7 M/S/S

 

[306maxi]

I thought it was de-acceleration rate dependent rather than when the ABS comes on... iirc its something like > 7 M/S/S

Well I've had it when I go over the rumble strips as kazetec mentioned, I think it's there to let people behind know that they need to brake hard to stop without hitting you as it's obviously slippery.

I wonder if it's a combination of the ABS feeling that it's slippery and a certain deceleration rate.

 

[Andy Monty]

Well I've had it when I go over the rumble strips as kazetec mentioned, I think it's there to let people behind know that they need to brake hard to stop without hitting you as it's obviously slippery.

I wonder if it's a combination of the ABS feeling that it's slippery and a certain deceleration rate.

Could well be, but i have also had mine on the EVO come on whilst hitting standing water at speed (Pre winter tyres you will be happy to know ) and i was not on the brakes at the time and the car doesn't have ESP...

Too clever these modern cars i'll tell ya

 

[FireballXL5man]

Maybe you. Weren't braking quite hard enough to get them to come on? Did the ABS kick in?

Hi maxi,
I was braking very hard, but the car didn't shudder and I had no sensation of ABS kicking in. I would have expected the wheels to lock up if I didn't have ABS on the car. From around 40mph-stopping I was really pushing the brake pedal hard. I've driven quite a few cars, some with ABS, but I don't think I've ever stopped as quickly as I did today in the 500.

Quite reassuring really.

There is a remote possibilty that, as you suggest, that I was braking at the point of lock-up (and ABS kicking in) but not quite reaching it. I'm sure that if the road was wet, there is no way I could have pulled up in such a short distance.

 

[bgunn]

If the ABS didn't cut in, then the emergency braking assist didn't, so the hazards won't have come on. You reacted early enough probably, and had a safe stopping distance. Good on you!

 

[FireballXL5man]

If the ABS didn't cut in, then the emergency braking assist didn't, so the hazards won't have come on. You reacted early enough probably, and had a safe stopping distance. Good on you!

Cheers! I feel that I was actually closer to the vehicle in front than I should have been. I pulled up just in time, but if the guy behind couldn't swerve into the middle lane he would have really walloped in to the rear of my car.

I've been driving for 33 years now and believe that you have to constantly analyse your driving and learn from the errors that we all make. Many times I've had to pull up quickly on the motorway without drama, but this was a close call. I'll aim to keep a slightly bigger gap in future.

I've often thought that it would be a good thing if brake lights glowed brighter than normal under very heavy braking. With only one intensity you have no indication just how hard the car in front is braking.

I'm still mighty impressed with how quickly the little car stopped.

 

[jnoiles]

If anything mine are oversensitive and flash all the time, somewhat annoyingly. If you do figure out how yours turned off let us know, I want to disable mine on track days.

 

[rkt2003]

I'll aim to keep a slightly bigger gap in future

I always do ,remember the advert "only a fool breaks the two second rule"

At least you and car are both ok

 

[306maxi]

I always do ,remember the advert "only a fool breaks the two second rule"

At least you and car are both ok

Tbh I think 2 seconds is not enough. I always aim to leave about double that or even more That way if you have to stop you can manage the gap to the tard behind who only leaves a second's gap.

 

[bgunn]

If anything mine are oversensitive and flash all the time, somewhat annoyingly. If you do figure out how yours turned off let us know, I want to disable mine on track days.

Pull the fuse on the ABS, but you'll lose the EBD then.

 

[rkt2003]

Tbh I think 2 seconds is not enough. I always aim to leave about double that or even more That way if you have to stop you can manage the gap to the tard behind who only leaves a second's gap.

It was an example my rule is 2 secs in town if you can, 4-5 secs on a motorway

 

[306maxi]

It was an example my rule is 2 secs in town if you can, 4-5 secs on a motorway

I know, I was just pointing it out because lot of people will think that because it's a "rule" that it's safe in all conditions

 

[D4nny8oy]

I would have thought that the ABS must have kicked in and brought the car to rest without drama, but I thought that the hazard flashers would have come on automatically in this situation. They didn't, have I got them them switched off via the menu and can they be switched on?

How old is the car? Not all 500's had the hazard warning on heavy braking as it's a feature of a particular version of Bosch ABS. I know it only became common on the Grande Punto at the time the Series 2 and Evo were released.

 

[FireballXL5man]

How old is the car? Not all 500's had the hazard warning on heavy braking as it's a feature of a particular version of Bosch ABS. I know it only became common on the Grande Punto at the time the Series 2 and Evo were released.

The car is a 59 plate 1.2 lounge bought in new in November 2009. I get the impression from the various stickers on under bonnet componenets etc that it was built in summer 2009.

The amount of force that I applied to the brake pedal was such that I would have expected ABS to be activated, but the braking was completetly smooth without any shuddering. I am not sure whether the ABS kicked in or not, either way I was very impressed with how quickly the car stopped and in a perfectly straight line.

 

[306maxi]

The car is a 59 plate 1.2 lounge bought in new in November 2009. I get the impression from the various stickers on under bonnet componenets etc that it was built in summer 2009.

The amount of force that I applied to the brake pedal was such that I would have expected ABS to be activated, but the braking was completetly smooth without any shuddering. I am not sure whether the ABS kicked in or not, either way I was very impressed with how quickly the car stopped and in a perfectly straight line.

From the sounds of it the ABS didn't activate. If it did you'd know.

 

[FireballXL5man]

From the sounds of it the ABS didn't activate. If it did you'd know.

Yes, I tend to agree. As I said earlier, I think I was braking very close to the point where the wheels would loose grip and the ABS would kick in. My son thinks that is the point at which the car would pull up in the shortest distance, I think he could be correct.

 

[grimwau]

My son thinks that is the point at which the car would pull up in the shortest distance, I think he could be correct.

For sure! Maximum braking is achieved a fraction before the wheels would normally lock. You would have felt the brake pedal kicking back under your foot if the ABS had activated. It seems as though you correctly gauged the right amount of braking required to stop the car in the minimum distance using your natural instincts and driving experience.

Nice one.