Does Honda Civic Have Abs? (Explained)
Abs stands for antilock brakes. Antilock brakes are important in cars as they help the driver have complete steering control while decelerating hard.
Many vehicles use the antilock brake system rather than the conventional brake. So, I know you’re wondering, does my Honda Civic have abs brakes?
A detailed answer is outlined in this article; plus, I’ll also tell you some pros and cons of this feature, so read on!
Honda Civic has antilock brakes. The antilock brake system is standard in the 2005 Honda Civic EX, Si, and Hybrid. However, it is optional in the Honda Civic GX.
Does the 2020 Honda Civic Have Anti-lock Brakes?
The 2020 Honda Civic has an antilock brake system. This system ensures controlled braking in the vehicle. With this system, you can maintain control of the steering even when decelerating hard.
Maintaining control of the steering while braking is crucial. It prevents the wheels from locking and causing the car to flip over.
ABS brakes in a 2020 Honda Civic automatically sense when a tire has stopped oscillating due to extreme decelerating.
It will then modulate the brake pressure, thus allowing the tires to rotate. With that, the vehicle’s ability to turn while decelerating hard increases.
Besides the four-wheel-drive antilock brake system for the 2020 Honda Civic, it also has an Electronic Brake-Force Distribution.
It helps to optimize braking power depending on the distribution of weight within the vehicle. These two systems enable the driver to have the best brake stop without any risk.
As soon as a panic stop is detected, the brake assist improves decelerating performance by applying brake pressure.
Antilock brakes are safety features in cars like the 2020 Honda Civic. They prevent undesirable accidents from occurring. In the 2020 Honda Civic, an antilock brake system is the default brake system.
You may want to know if some Honda civic has Anti Theft Device in it as well.
How Can I Tell if I Have Abs Brakes?
A vehicle with abs brakes has sensors on each wheel. These sensors measure the rotation speed of the wheels (this includes their acceleration and deceleration).
The wheel speed sensor helps in traction control and stability control.
There are many ways to tell if your car has an abs brake. One way to know if your vehicle might have abs brakes is by stamping on your brake pedal.
The abs wheel speed sensor will detect the hard brake.
Immediately it is detected, every wheel speed sensor sends a signal to the abs control module.
The control module then opposes the locking wheels by quickly increasing and reducing the pressure (turning the brakes on and off). This action reoccurs quickly within seconds.
You can literally feel a pulsing sensation through the brake pedal as this happens.
Another way to find out if your car has an antilock brake system is by turning on the ignition key to your vehicle while in position.
You can choose to start up the car or just turn it in with two clicks to engage all the equipment in the car, including alert lights. The alert light is what I would advise you to pay keen attention to.
If your vehicle has antilock brakes, then your alert light will come up every time you turn your key to the power or on position.
Usually, the Honda Civic abs light is yellow, and the words “antilock” or “abs” displays on the alert light.
If something eventually goes wrong with your ABS, the alert light will turn on and stay on. Thus alerting you that you have a problem in the ABS that you need to check out.
That’s how you know your car has abs with alert lights.
The easiest way to know if your vehicle has abs is by reading the vehicle’s owner’s manual. The manual will show a section telling you if the car has front abs (antilock brakes only in the front braking system).
If you check, the manual might state your vehicle to have rear-wheel abs (antilock brakes only in the rear system).
Or, your car might have four-wheel abs (antilock brakes in front and rear wheels).
These are a few efficient ways to know if your vehicle has Abs.
What Does Faulty Abs Feel Like?
Sometimes, due to specific reasons, your antilock brake system might fail. When it goes bad, there are some easy ways to notice this. Here are some ways to know you have a faulty antilock brake.
#1. Alert Lights
A Honda Civic abs light only stays on for some seconds before going off. If your abs light stays on longer than usual or won’t turn off at all, there is an issue with your antilock brakes.
In such a situation, you should try and turn the ignition key on and off and on and off again. This action should reset the system.
If restarting the car doesn’t make the abs light go off, there is a severe problem, and you should call a professional.
Just be aware that the dashboard abs Light is supposed to come on for some seconds when you start a vehicle, so don’t panic. Why Does Honda Civics Get Stolen? (Explained)
#2. Locked Brakes
Another way to know if your antilock brake is bad is if the module acts erratically. In detail, your brakes lock up even when using standard slow down.
You will notice this unusual phenomenon quickly by the clicking sounds it makes.
If you notice these occurrences in your car, know that your abs module is bad. However, if just one tire always gets locked, it may not be the abs. It could be a hooked caliper.
#3. High Brake Pedal Effort
If you have a properly functioning brake system, you only need a little effort on the brake pedal to bring the vehicle to a halt.
Whether you are using an ABS or a regular brake system, you are not supposed to apply so much pressure to the brake pedal to slow the vehicle down.
If you notice that you are using a lot of force on the pedals just to break, the antilock brakes have a problem.
Most likely, the problem is from the control module of the antilock brake system. Does Honda Civic Come With Jumper Cables?
Pros and Cons of Abs
Getting abs is very good for your vehicle. It gives you the smoothest stop on slippery surfaces like ice and mud. Also, abs have generally low insurance costs.
Insurance companies usually provide a discount for cars with an antilock brake system when insuring vehicles.
Despite all the advantages of having abs, there are still some downsides. Maintaining an antilock brake system is very expensive. Sometimes, you may need to remove the system.
Also, many drivers have complained of inconsistent stops caused by their antilock brakes.
Since manufacturers made the system to provide smoother stops, sometimes, the car might go beyond the designated stop. Therefore, increasing the desired distance. Does Honda Civic DX Have VTEC? (Explained)
Conclusion
Antilock brakes are vital in cars. They ensure the safety of the driver and passengers. A Honda Civic operates with an antilock brake.
However, even though the antilock brake is the default in some Honda Civic cars, it is optional in others like the Honda Civic GX.
I will advise you to go for a car with an antilock brake system.
