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Common sensor
For the last three years or so I have been running a Peugeot 407 and have been very pleased with it. It recently developed a fault with a dash display warning that ABS and ESP were disabled. As it was due an MOT and service I asked the dealer to investigate and rectify the fault. A diagnostic check revealed that the rear ABS sensors were faulty. Unfortunately no spares were available so they could not carry out the MOT. The MOT has since expired so I have been unable to drive it for the last five weeks with still no time scale for obtaining replacement sensors from the factory. The brakes were working perfectly well and it seems as if there is a penalty for having these extra ‘safety’ features on the car. There must be a considerable proportion of the vehicles on British roads that are not fitted with ABS but are able to pass the MoT so why is a car with disabled ABS any less safe? Your view would be most welcome.
Asked on 9 January 2010 by R.M., Worthing
Answered by
Honest John
I agree. In the days when it was possible to buy cars without ABS, that is what I did. I feel exactly the same about ESP. But the EC lawmakers don't because they have been heavily lobbied by the manufactures of these components that stand to make billions. ESP is as much of a burden as a benefit anyway. Especially on ice, because it combats the drives efforts to control a skid. The irony is, with the widespread failure of Teves Mk 60 ABS/ESP units on thousands of Golfs, Tourans, Leons, Alteas, Toledos, Octavias, BMW 1 Series, BWM 3 Series, Volvo S40/V50 and Mazda 3s, owners are being told not to worry because the fault does not endanger them.
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