GoodYearRick
01-30-2013, 10:25 PM
Hopefully, you know your ABC's. But as a driver, how familiar are you with the automobile safety feature alphabet? You know, features with acronyms such as ABS, ESC, RSC, TC and TPMS?
With winter on the way, perhaps now is a good time to review some of these features and how they might help in inclement conditions.
Richard Neumann, technical support manager for Ford of Canada, took the time to talk about the safety feature alphabet.
"Other manufacturers may call it something different or use a bit different terminology," Neumann said of the acronyms during a telephone interview from Ford's Oakville, Ont., headquarters. That said, take the time to acquaint yourself with the features your vehicle is equipped with, starting with the owner's manual.
Neumann began his list with ABS--for anti-lock brakes.
"ABS has been around the longest, and it's pretty much standard across the industry," he said. "ABS, when winter driving, allows you to keep control of a vehicle in a panic situation when you stomp on the brake pedal.
"ABS doesn't stop you faster, but it allows you to keep steering control. Avoiding the accident is the best thing a driver can do."
Neumann said, "Apply firm, continuous pressure on the brake pedal and ABS may activate to help you maintain control of the vehicle."
When ABS is used, the driver will feel feedback at the pedal, a vibration. And after an ABS event, the brake might feel as though it has "dropped" a bit.
"That's normal," Neumann said. "That's just (brake) fluid displacement, and as soon as the pedal is released it will come back to its proper position."
Neumann next talked about TC, or traction control. "Traction control will stop the wheels from spinning using the brakes and it will also retard the engine power until the driver releases the gas pedal."
TC is most effective when there are different traction conditions under each wheel--it attempts to make the most use of whatever non-slippery surface there is.
"In the majority of winter driving conditions, it is best to keep the traction control feature on," Neumann said. "However, in extreme conditions--for instance, deep snow or sheer ice--it may be better to turn off your traction control to get moving. If you're trying to move away (in deep snow or on sheer ice) the TC will retard the power until you're not moving at all--the computer system won't recognize that you're sitting in eight inches of snow."
That brought us to ESC, otherwise known as electronic stability control. "ESC is similar to traction control in that it uses the vehicle's brakes and de-powers the engine, but ESC attempts to prevent a lateral movement skid or slide," Neumann said. "It uses the brakes at different corners to keep the vehicle on its intended path--and it also uses steering wheel sensors."
Roll stability control, or RSC, uses the same techniques employed with the ESC system to keep a vehicle upright if it senses a rollover situation.
Neumann also mentioned TPMS --tire pressure-monitoring systems. Sensors in the wheels measure the tire air pressure, and if it's not in the correct range a light will come on in the dash. When it's cold outside, tire air pressure will drop significantly, and Neumann said the TPMS system should note the change. "The TPMS helps you, but it's not a replacement for good tire maintenance. Someone who is relying on the TPMS light isn't diligently following their tire maintenance," Neumann said.
While some of these systems are quite sophisticated, Neumann said they are extremely effective, and: "It's really incredible what they can do for maintaining control of a vehicle in winter driving conditions."
Don't forget, though, to ensure your vehicle is in peak operating condition and has been maintained to survive in our extreme winter weather.
Read more: http://www.driving.ca/What+does+TPMS+mean/2286210/story.html#ixzz2JVKGI8Jh
With winter on the way, perhaps now is a good time to review some of these features and how they might help in inclement conditions.
Richard Neumann, technical support manager for Ford of Canada, took the time to talk about the safety feature alphabet.
"Other manufacturers may call it something different or use a bit different terminology," Neumann said of the acronyms during a telephone interview from Ford's Oakville, Ont., headquarters. That said, take the time to acquaint yourself with the features your vehicle is equipped with, starting with the owner's manual.
Neumann began his list with ABS--for anti-lock brakes.
"ABS has been around the longest, and it's pretty much standard across the industry," he said. "ABS, when winter driving, allows you to keep control of a vehicle in a panic situation when you stomp on the brake pedal.
"ABS doesn't stop you faster, but it allows you to keep steering control. Avoiding the accident is the best thing a driver can do."
Neumann said, "Apply firm, continuous pressure on the brake pedal and ABS may activate to help you maintain control of the vehicle."
When ABS is used, the driver will feel feedback at the pedal, a vibration. And after an ABS event, the brake might feel as though it has "dropped" a bit.
"That's normal," Neumann said. "That's just (brake) fluid displacement, and as soon as the pedal is released it will come back to its proper position."
Neumann next talked about TC, or traction control. "Traction control will stop the wheels from spinning using the brakes and it will also retard the engine power until the driver releases the gas pedal."
TC is most effective when there are different traction conditions under each wheel--it attempts to make the most use of whatever non-slippery surface there is.
"In the majority of winter driving conditions, it is best to keep the traction control feature on," Neumann said. "However, in extreme conditions--for instance, deep snow or sheer ice--it may be better to turn off your traction control to get moving. If you're trying to move away (in deep snow or on sheer ice) the TC will retard the power until you're not moving at all--the computer system won't recognize that you're sitting in eight inches of snow."
That brought us to ESC, otherwise known as electronic stability control. "ESC is similar to traction control in that it uses the vehicle's brakes and de-powers the engine, but ESC attempts to prevent a lateral movement skid or slide," Neumann said. "It uses the brakes at different corners to keep the vehicle on its intended path--and it also uses steering wheel sensors."
Roll stability control, or RSC, uses the same techniques employed with the ESC system to keep a vehicle upright if it senses a rollover situation.
Neumann also mentioned TPMS --tire pressure-monitoring systems. Sensors in the wheels measure the tire air pressure, and if it's not in the correct range a light will come on in the dash. When it's cold outside, tire air pressure will drop significantly, and Neumann said the TPMS system should note the change. "The TPMS helps you, but it's not a replacement for good tire maintenance. Someone who is relying on the TPMS light isn't diligently following their tire maintenance," Neumann said.
While some of these systems are quite sophisticated, Neumann said they are extremely effective, and: "It's really incredible what they can do for maintaining control of a vehicle in winter driving conditions."
Don't forget, though, to ensure your vehicle is in peak operating condition and has been maintained to survive in our extreme winter weather.
Read more: http://www.driving.ca/What+does+TPMS+mean/2286210/story.html#ixzz2JVKGI8Jh