ok so i got my Maxima from the impound and they dropped it off in the street...i need it in the driveway for its not registered. so i go to start it, and the thing is dead and i found the key was on the ON position. They had my car 3 weeks, so the key has been on that long.

I go to jump it with my truck, and i get the cables hooked up to my truck, and all of the suddn there was a spark, and white smoke filled the engine bay. I shut her right down, and i couldnt even see in the engine cuz there was all white smoke.

Once the smoke cleared i saw the wires that were fried. it was the ones going to the master cylinder. And to no surprise my ABS light it on now.

I found my jumper cables have chaffed and the negative was touching positive.

Fixing its not a problem. it will be an easy fix. my question is, since the ABS light is on, and tomorrow we have a bad ice storm comming through. is it safe to drive it with the ABS not working on ice?

Everything still works in the truck, and ive driven it 60 miles since this happened, and nothing is out of the ordinary except the ABS light. my braking is fine. But on ice with no ABS, the brakes are just gunna lock up...so is this safe? i cant get it fixed until the storms over and i need to drive it.

 

Just like any old car that didnt have ABS you will have to pump the brakes to keep from sliding. thats all ABS does but very rapid.

 

i knew what the ABS did, but good to know im gunna have to pump. i havent had a vehicle without ABS before, and this is my 7th winter driving.

thx for the info

 

No problem. I didnt mean it that way that you didnt know what or how ABS works. Sorry if i was misleading.

 

dont take it as me being harsh or anything lol its all good

 

my ram doesnt have abs and as moparama can atest to we have plenty of snow round these parts... Its over rated in my opinion anyway....I got it in my van and it is scary when it goes off and I think my stopping power is deceased on solid pavement when it does....

 

You have ABS in your Ram. We all have Rear Wheel ABS. Even some have 4-wheel ABS.

 

no I dont....there is no relay in my panel nor metal spade connectors in the slots for it ...nor have I ever seen an abs light...If I had it ,it would have failed by now everything else has...... I believe the early years it was optional like many early /mid 90"s vehicles....

EDITXX just read it was standard equipment on the rear after 89.....going out to check it out again.....Wow learn something new every day....

OK here's the deal all my abs labeled relay spots are empty as well as missing wiring (abs yellow light relay and another that says abs pump....
however I have a fuse in the cab for "ABS rwal" which I'm assuming is the rear axle.... weird it actually works....ervery other vehicle I've owned has had issues with the ABS failing all the time.... I even had issues with it on one of my vans so I hope it holds up on this thing...(funny its never gone off either)

 

when i got my truck, first thing i did was take out the ABS relay. i grew up knowing how to control my vehicle with me doing the controlling, not something else doing it for me. try pumping the brakes with ABS enabled and see how that works out for ya haha. probably not too well.

 

Another tidbit of info on the ABS brakes,...all of our brakes, 4-wheel ABS, or our rear wheel ABS, all basically work in the same manner. 1) Wheels don't lock up with ABS on them...true. 2) Brakes won't "pump" like the ABS system is made to function unless used properly,...if you just lightly push on your brakes to stop...they all work like normal brakes,...just as if you didn't have ABS,.. **to get the ABS "function" to operate,..you have to apply the brakes fairly hard and consistently...for the ABS pumping action to work like they're supposed to. [if you pump the brake pedal on ABS equiped vehicles,...the ABS feature won't work]...serious...check this info out.