Can anyone tell me why, above 60 mph when i brake it feels like the abs system is kicking in and making the car get all squirrly oops, '97 legecy outback, 2.5 a/t

Edited May 4, 20169 yr by djmark7

When you say squirrly, do you mean the steering wheel shakes? Or is the car hard to control? 

 

If you're traveling 60+ and hit the brakes the steering wheel shaking would indicate warped rotors.

 

Other then that, a little better of a description of what the car is doing when you hit the brakes would allow everyone to help you better. 

nope not bent rotors feels like youre on ice you can hear the abs motor and feel it kick in not wobbly

possibly worn inner tie rods, uneven pad deposits on rotors, maybe some other brake issue (sticking caliper or ????)

 

are you running good tires?

good tires as i said it feels like the abs system is kicking in like youre braking on slippery roads

so it sounds like you mean "the ABS may *actually* be activating and it's not just a description or illustration?"

 

somewhere around that vintage there were ABS relay issues on the pump. the typical symptom was the ABS freaking out when the car was turned off - but maybe other symptoms are possible?

Does the ABS light come on when you turn the key to "on" and does it ever come on/stay on while driving?

any recent work done - trans, engine, brakes, etc?

 

i'd wonder if a sensor is flakey. but they usually give an ABS code and the light comes on - which also disables the ABS.

 

you can disable ABS, just pull the fuse or disconnect it and just have regular brakes if it's unsafe.

 

what's the history - did you drive the car 20 years since brand new and it just started doing this one day?

or you dont' know anything about the car and it's done this since you bought it off craislist in a back alley of Tiajuana last week?

Edited May 5, 20169 yr by grossgary

does that car have a separate little tone ring? maybe it's loose or ....?

 

is one tire a slightly smaller size?

Edited May 5, 20169 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

does that car have a separate little tone ring? maybe it's loose or ....?

 

is one tire a slightly smaller size?

yes, tone rings are on the hubs at each knuckle, if that's what you mean?

 

tires, and more is kind of what i was leading towards with the history questions - has he ever known this car to not have these issues?  or any recent work?

gary - he needs to pull the ABS fuse and test as you mentioned. just to confirm if he's really feeling ABS.

Edited May 5, 20169 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

gary - he needs to pull the ABS fuse and test as you mentioned. just to confirm if he's really feeling ABS.

 

EXCELLENT - yes, do that.  pull the fuse and see if symptoms go away.