Posted on 12/19/2025
You slam the brake pedal in a panic stop, feel a rapid pulsing under your foot, and hear a faint buzzing sound. For a second, it may feel strange, but that pulse is your brake system working hard to keep the wheels from locking and to help you stay in control. That is the anti-lock braking system doing exactly what it was designed to do. What ABS Actually Does When You Hit the Brakes ABS is there to prevent your wheels from locking up during hard braking. When a wheel locks, it skids across the road surface instead of rolling, which kills most of your steering control and often increases stopping distance on many surfaces. With ABS, the system senses when a wheel is about to lock and quickly reduces and reapplies brake pressure several times a second. From the driver’s seat, that feels like a fast vibration or pulsing in the pedal during a hard stop. You may also hear a humming or buzzing sound as the hydraulic unit works. The idea is simple: keep the tires ri ... read more