[Gary]

While braking I heard and felt a clicking in the brake pedal. The brake was mushy and the car was not stopping nor would it steer correctly. I actually slid up onto an island in the road way. It felt like I was on ice with little control. This happened twice. I took it to the dearler and of course its not happening anymore. Does anyone have any information on this kind of thing?

 

[Tim Maddux]

The anti-lock brake system makes a clicking noise... perhaps it malfunctioned?

 

[Guillermo]

Was it wet and your tires were at 50psi?
Yes the sound you heard was the ABS but when the tires are that hard and it's cold and/or wet there is little grip to work with.

 

[flunkysama]

I would check (or have your mechanic check) the wheel speed sensors. They are exposed and something could have gotten bent.
When you apply the brakes with a bad wheel speed sensor, the ABS computer may incorrect think a wheel has locked up. ABS will turn on and braking force will be decreased to the "bad" wheel cause the steering to pull to one side.

 

[gomarlins3]

Sounds like what happened to me when I was trying a panic stop, just to see how the car would react. The peddle pulsed badly and the car jerked as it stopped. Having owned 5 Hondas and trying this with each of them, the Insight has the worst anti-lock braking system of any Honda I have owned. I pray there never comes a day when I need it, because I fear it won't stop me in time.

 

[Gary]

It turns out there was a long funnel jammed in the wheel well which was left over from a major service many months ago. I think this caused part of the problem. The dealer doesn't think its connected but they were the ones that forgot to take it out in the first place. I think it interferred and added to my problem. Thanks everyone for responding with your ideas.

 

[Thorian]

ABS is only good in preventing a skid if you are not turning then ABS is not supposed to do squat

 

[Thorian]

ABS is only good in preventing a skid if you are not turning then ABS is not supposed to do squat in preventing a collision if it is wet or icy drive slower. Just like 4wd dosent mean 4 wheel stop.

 

[Sparky5501]

In our Alfa track education ground school we like to use the ABS Acronym to mean "Ablilty to Brake and Steer"

In an emergency braking situation the ABS system allows the wheels to contine to rotate, which provides for continued steering response and accident avoidance.

Gary, i'm glad you figured out the cause of your problem.

 

[Guillermo]

Depends on the quality of the ABS system, how many sensors and channels it has. Many GM and domestic vehicles still have a very cheap ABS system that does not work well when you are trying to brake and steer at the same time.
I'm an in-car instructor at Ian Law racing's Car Control School.
I feel and see that difference all the time...

Most of the braking/ABS problems Insight owners feel are simply because the narrow low rolling resistence tires provide much less grip then most other tires. And the very high tire pressure we use with Insights makes matters worse.
If you are willing to pay a few extra dollars a month in fuel you will feel a huge improvement in braking performance if you use wider tires.