Can I Disable ABS Brakes?

[Posker]

Does anyone know if I can disable the ABS brakes on my 2008 Yaris? I've been told you can do this by removing a fuse. If so, are there any side effects. i.e. will this effect anything else and is it legal in Ontario?

[1.5]

why would you want to remove it?

Yes it will have side effects like lock up under hard breaking.

[CTScott]

You could pull the ABS1 (30A) and ABS2 (50A) fuses in the under hood fuse panel, but the ABS ECU will still be alive, but will not be happy.

The other thing that you can try is to open the wire that goes between connector 4B pin 21 and the ABS ECU. This is the feed from the brake switch, that tells the ABS ECU that you are pressing the brake pedal. In theory, disconnecting it will keep the ABS ECU from activating the ABS since it won't know that you are pressing the pedal. If that works, then you could insert a switch and be able to enable/disable ABS on demand.

[CrankyOldMan]

Maybe the OP is interested in drifting/power slides? I'm having a hard time thinking of a good rationalization for it. As far as legality, I can only find documentation that requires commercial vehicles (semi trucks, buses, etc) to both have ABS and have them inspected regularly.

[cali yaris]

why would you want to remove it?

Because it's for lazy and/or low-awareness drivers.

If you know how to drive, especially if you've had some training with brake modulation (ahem = racing experience) -- non ABS is way better.

EVERY DRIVER should have to do this to get their license, IMO:
http://www.raceschool.com/about-fast...iew=categories

In general, race cars don't use ABS. More control without it.

[Yaristeve]

Originally Posted by cali yaris

In general, race cars don't use ABS. More control without it.

The next round of responses will be:

Race cars don't have it because the rules prohibit it. If the rules allowed it all race cars would have ABS.

To which I would say:

If production ABS systems' sensitivity were infinitely user-adjustable like a race car's would most likely be, I would welcome it too. As it is, production ABS systems are too sensitive (especially Toyota's) and kick in way too soon. Threshold braking requires some slipping of the tires to be at max braking but the Yaris' ABS interprets this as lock up and releases the brake pressure prematurely.

Frankly, I think nanny-technology has created worse drivers. Thinking that ABS, traction control, airbags, seatbelts, etc., will save their asses, most people (as evidenced by how many people yak on their cell phones and/or text and drive) just don't care how poorly they drive.

[cali yaris]

Actually, many race classes do allow it. Mostly I think it's because they are stock or near-stock classes. Just my opinion on that one, though.

But you are wrong about seatbelts.

[Bluevitz-rs]

Originally Posted by cali yaris

Because it's for lazy and/or low-awareness drivers.

If you know how to drive, especially if you've had some training with brake modulation (ahem = racing experience) -- non ABS is way better.

EVERY DRIVER should have to do this to get their license, IMO:
http://www.raceschool.com/about-fast...iew=categories

In general, race cars don't use ABS. More control without it.

Sorry man, but take a trip up to the great white north and try driving in a snow storm where you don't know weather you're driving on slush, snow, ice, or wet asphalt and have someone slide out in front of you and tell me you don't need ABS for every day emergency situations. When you have less than 1 second to react by braking and steering to avoid getting hit head on, you don't want to have to worry about preventing your wheels from locking because you can't turn with your wheels locked. [end rant]

[cali yaris]

^ Yep, ok I will agree that in extreme weather ABS might be useful to you.

But then I had to look up what the word "snow storm" meant...

[Bluevitz-rs]

hahaha

I totally agree with on track in certain cases because I've been in that situation where the ABS almost put me off track. But that aren't all created equally. My friends went from an old 90 CRX to a new 08 civic (both fully prepped race cars) and said how much deeper they could go with the heavier ABS equipped civic into the corners. But honda's system isn't nearly as intrusive as toyota's.

[why?]

Originally Posted by Bluevitz-rs

Sorry man, but take a trip up to the great white north and try driving in a snow storm where you don't know weather you're driving on slush, snow, ice, or wet asphalt and have someone slide out in front of you and tell me you don't need ABS for every day emergency situations. When you have less than 1 second to react by braking and steering to avoid getting hit head on, you don't want to have to worry about preventing your wheels from locking because you can't turn with your wheels locked. [end rant]

even there it depends, if the abs/nanny system completely segregates you're steering wheel from the road and you have no idea what you are driving on that is terrible. In that situation I want as much road feel as I can possibly have so I know if I am on ice or snow or slush or w/e.

Not to mention in most emergency situations the last thing you want to do is slam on the brakes, even with ABS it gives you less control over the vehicle. Slamming on the brakes should always be a "last ditch I have nowhere to go and if I don't stop right now I will die" choice. Not a "it is snowing hard and I can't feel what the car is doing and some jerk just cut me off and even though there are 3 empty lanes all around me I am still going to slam on the brakes for the hell of it choice."

The safest way is to not have to use your brakes and to never be put into a situation where it is stop or die. That means assume everyone around you wants you dead and keep the heck away from them.

[10 Francis]

^ Lol. Around here, that's the only way to drive regardless of weather conditions. on the rare occasion that we get snow/ice, you might as well stay home if you don't have 4WD/AWD; the roads won't get cleared until the sun does it, and most people who do get out either think they're invincible because they do have 4WD, or want to go 10 MPH because they don't.

[thebarber]

i don't have abs on my yaris and when its super snowy, i drive carefully knowing i don't have abs to help me if i lose control

the aveo doesnt have abs either

you know what? because i don't have abs, i drive safer in shitty conditions...

[cali yaris]

assume everyone around you wants you dead and keep the heck away from them.

LOL. My new sig quote.

[Viperoni]

I'm all for ABS. Especially on the street, where both you and your environment aren't prepped like at a track day.

[mr_miles]

...I had no idea we had ABS. i assumed we didn't, so I never thought to check. Disablin'

[MUSKOKA800]

Originally Posted by why?

That means assume everyone around you wants you dead and keep the heck away from them.

Good luck with that in southern Ontario. Gridlock rules supreme here. Frustration levels are at there max.
I get a kick when shows talk about all the cars on the roads in Cali and they show a busy highway. At least they're moving. Unlike around Toronto.

[malibuguy]

I disable my abs/tcs for the winter...in the summer it doesnt kick in much with the tires inflated so high...go figure