ABS / Airbag light ???

Hi All,

 

I noticed last night that my dash doesn't display a light for either an airbag or ABS when the ignition is on but no engine running ???

 

I have a sneaky feeling that the J spec SZ doesn't have an airbag, but surely it should have ABS ??

 

Anybody get a pic of their dash on a J-SZ so I can compare pls ??

 

Ta

 

John

Look under the bonnet, if there is a metal box with lots of brake pipes going in the top, on the right hand side up by the window, behind the RH strut tower, then you've got ABS.

 

If you've got an airbag, it should say airbag on the steering wheel.

 

You've more than likely got neither, so best be careful then.

Cheers Rob.

 

I guessed it had no airbag beacause of the lack of markings on the wheel, or a light, but ABS I can hardly beleive what I'm seeing

 

Looked under the bonnet & the brake pipes go directly from the master cylinder to the front calipers, no abs lump there (pic below --- I just know I'm right but somebody please tell me i'm wrong).

 

I am absolutely gutted now, this car was to keep for 3 or 4 years & although I appreciate that ABS "only" stops the wheels locking, to send my wife out in a comparitively high powered car with no abs is just not on !

 

Even more annoying is that I didn't look for it myself because 1) The dealers advert states "anti lock brakes" and 2) I assumed it would have it (my sons 93 mazda 323F has ABS !!).

 

Not sure what to do now, let's just say I am extremely concerned that we have a lovely car that I don't consider safe enough to let my wife drive (she's a good driver, but old age responsibility tells me I should not buy a 7 grand car with £500 car safety features).

 

Rant over .......... well, maybe !

 

 

 

http://www.signworkshops.co.uk/supeabs.jpg

no comments ????

 

Surely somebody here has an opinion ?

Go out in the rain, stamp on the brakes and see if it kicks in.

 

Try it in a car park if you don't want to try it on the road

 

James.

The jap brakes aren't man enough to make the ABS kick in anyway, so unless you want to do a £1500 upgrade to UK's, I wouldn't worry about it

The jap brakes aren't man enough to make the ABS kick in anyway

 

Not sure about that one Gordon Even the crappiest of brakes will lock the wheels on any car in the wet & even worse lock ONE or TWO wheels !

 

I am in no doubt now, it hasn't got ABS & was sold to us with ABS.

 

I love the car, so I have 2 options. ....

 

1. Accept it as it is & not worry about it

 

2. Start what will no doubt turn into an argument with the dealer.

 

I don't really want to do either, hence asking if anybody had opinions.

Personally I would go back to the dealer, this isnt on, and its another case of dealers not knowing what their selling. I was visiting a garrage the other day and was talking to the sales guy, they had 2 SZ's in, and I asked him about TT's, to which his reply was "we dont sell those as their harder to insure than the NA's", at which I point I said thats not true, as their both deemed as Imports so are grouped the same, he still argued with me until I told him that I have a TT and a NA.......

 

But in my eyes, thats a bad sale, and I would have it out with him........

Hi Ashley

 

Many thanks for that m8, just the sort of reply I was looking for.

 

I'm not usually a pain in the arse to anybody & try to get along, but I know that in our business if we sold a sign as aluminium & supplied plastic, the customer would not pay (quite rightly).

 

As you say, it's probably an oversight / mistake by him & although he's a decent bloke, I'm compromising our safety for his benefit (in my humble opinion).

 

Just didn't want to ring & hassle him if some of you thought I would be wrong in doing so.

 

To be updated (other opinions still welcome )

Take it back

It was mis-sold to you and you are always going to have reservations about the safety of the car. There is no shortage of cars which will fit your bill perfectly

Legally, it's not up to you to check that the seller's description is accurate and if you can prove that the car is not 'as advertised' you have a very good case against him.

Personally, I'd take it back. The dealer can hardly refuse to refund as he has certainly mis-described the vehicle. Trading Standards would be on him like a ton of bricks if they were informed.

 

Also, for £7k you could get a TT nowadays.

 

 

Originally posted by Gordon F

The jap brakes aren't man enough to make the ABS kick in anyway

That's so not true Gordon. Properly equipped JSpec brakes are very powerful.

Originally posted by Jake

That's so not true Gordon. Properly equipped JSpec brakes are very powerful.

Well the ones I had certainly weren't I never had the ABS cut in in the two years I had the car with the jap brakes on. I checked them over when I took them off and they were working perfectly, no siezed pistons, sliders etc.

Fitted the UK's, and the ABS cut in at the bottom of my road, the first time I used them

I was quite disappointed when I fitted my UK brakes. I was expecting a big difference after reading folks tales of stopping too early at junctions after fitting UKs etc.

I had good fluid and pads in my JSpec brakes and they were great, easily capable of makng the ABS kick in, not that I ever have to use the ABS in normal use. OK they used to fade if pushed really hard but that's nothing to do with this ABS debate.

Many thanks to all of you that have offered advice / opinions.

 

Most of what has been said I agree with & probably what I wanted to do anyway, but of course the reason for asking was because sometimes in the heat of the moment we can get a bit blinkered & go off the deep end without considering all the facts.

 

The general idea seems to be that I should ring the man & see what he suggests & if you guys think this, it's good enough for me (at least it's not me being a prat that expects too much from the dealer).

 

Will post the results from my chat when I have spoken to him. Doubtless he will try to convince me that I have no reason to complain, or that it's not his fault, or whatever

Originally posted by Toytown

I am absolutely gutted now, this car was to keep for 3 or 4 years & although I appreciate that ABS "only" stops the wheels locking, to send my wife out in a comparitively high powered car with no abs is just not on !

 

Not sure what to do now, let's just say I am extremely concerned that we have a lovely car that I don't consider safe enough to let my wife drive (she's a good driver, but old age responsibility tells me I should not buy a 7 grand car with £500 car safety features).

 

You worry about ABS, but what about her driving in the rain and getting the back end out?

QUOTE]You worry about ABS, but what about her driving in the rain and getting the back end out?

 

she only ever did that once or twice with the Mk3T, so probably not too likely & that is more controllable !

 

My concern is that a muppet on a tractor does something stupid in front of her in the wet !!