ABS causing problems!

[stingwi]

Hi all! I have a problem with my Octy 1.8T 20v 150hp. Whenever i press the brakes on a slippery road, brakepedal blocks and i can't press it anymore while the car is shaking and right wheel blocks! Last winter, abs light has turned on while this happened, but after minutes of driving it turned off by itself. Did anyone had similar problem? Sorry for my bad english!

[KenONeill]

This is meant to happen? ABS is an abbreviation of the German "Anti Blocker System" (sorry no accents), which translates into English as "anti-lock braking system". The Octavia doesn't do it hard compared with older cars, but all ABS cars (well that I've driven anyway) kick the pedal back a bit when you try and brake too hard for the surface conditions. It's an effect of the ABS valves opening and closing to release excess brake fluid pressure from the wheel cylinders.

That said, if there's been an issue with one of the sensors, and there could have been if the ABS warning light was on, there will be a fault code recorded that someone with a reader, or a VAG dealership, could read, and would help with a diagnosis.