First off, I own an '03 WRX. When I brake semi-hard, on a bumpy road my brakes give out for a split second or two. It scared the **** out of me several times.....like my brakes stop working and then re-engage again. Can anyone explain this? Could this be ABS, poor traction on bumby road, bad brakes, rims too heavy, etc........ Its especially scary when you turn hard like turning at say 20 mph......
It's the ABS going into "Ice Mode" The computer senses your braking, and the ABS reports something other than perfect road conditions it goes into ice mode, where it lightens brake force enough so that the wheels would keep turning on the slickest of ice. it really sucks, and it's only a problem on WRXs. The STIs had a diffrent ABS ECU that has a much sportier engagement.
ok this is what I found out, exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks all for your help, I will need to go in and get this taken care of........ A response to concerns about ABS performance on 2002-03 WRX 5spd of a feeling of a delayed response when ABS is activated during initial braking over bumps, potholes or other low friction road surfaces. With assistance from Subaru, NHTSA conducted over 11,500 tests to investigate this report and while NHTSA and Subaru did not identify a problem that would require a recall, they did identify a certain ABS performance characteristic that might cause some driver's to identify a delayed response feel during the first second of braking. Following this analysis, Subaru developed an alternative method of calibrating the ABS to address this performance characteristic. No perceptible improvement in overall stopping difference will result. If the driver of an affected vehicle encounters this set of conditions and is uncomfortable, a complimentary ABS with different calibration is available. This is not mandatory, rather this service is being offered to enhance customer satisfation. Only some owners will experience this ABS characteristic and SoA will contact owners of eligible vehicles by mail through October 2005.
