If the ABS wheel speed sensor is broken, it will have many impacts on the driving safety and performance of the vehicle, as follows:
ABS system failure: The ABS system relies on the wheel speed sensor to monitor the wheel speed in real time to prevent the wheel from locking during emergency braking. If the sensor is damaged, the ABS system will not be able to obtain accurate wheel speed information, resulting in ABS function failure. During emergency braking, the wheels are prone to lock, which greatly reduces the vehicle's handling and safety, increasing the risk of accidents.
ABS fault light is on: After the sensor is damaged, the ABS fault light on the vehicle's dashboard will light up, prompting the driver that there is a problem with the ABS system. This is the most intuitive warning signal, indicating that it needs to be repaired as soon as possible.
Degraded braking performance: Since the ABS system cannot work properly, the wheels may lock during braking, resulting in increased braking distance and poor braking effect. In addition, the vehicle may experience unstable conditions such as deviation and tail swinging during braking, affecting driving safety.
Brake pads cannot be reset: Sensor failure may cause the brake pads to fail to reset normally, aggravating the wear of the braking system and increasing the frequency and cost of replacing brake pads.
Braking pulse or jitter: The sensor sends an erroneous signal to the braking system, which may cause the vehicle to jitter or have abnormal braking pulses when the brake pedal is pressed, affecting the driving experience.
Abnormal noise: Sensor failure may cause abnormal noise when the vehicle is driving, such as creaking friction or screaming when the tire drifts.
Impact on other safety systems: Many vehicles' advanced driving assistance systems (such as ESP electronic stability program, automatic parking, hill-start assist, etc.) rely on data provided by ABS sensors. If the sensor is damaged, these systems may not work properly, further reducing the safety and handling of the vehicle.
Abnormal engine operation: Although relatively rare, ABS sensor failure may cause the engine control unit to receive erroneous signals, affecting the working state of the engine, resulting in unstable idling, difficulty starting, poor acceleration, and other problems.