Today I was in my 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid, I was going 45 MPH and someone pull's right out in front of me, I hit the brakes all the way, I did hear my tires screeching but I couldnt tell if they locked up or no. I don't want to test it. I didn't feel the pedal pulsing either. The tires sounded like they were locking up and releasing very very fast. SO it may be working, but I just got it repaired after a rear end crash so I wan't to be ceartain. No messages on the screen thoguh.

 

All my vehicles have some form of ABS and as near as I remember they all have an indication on the dash when they activate and they all pulse or grind the brake pedal. The tires do cherp just as you describe. On a non-ABS car hitting the brakes all the way should result in a solid hard skid with no chirping. The Highlander might be "brake by wire" like the gas is on my Vette. In such case you are not actually mechanically moving anything by stomping on a pedal, instead you are asking a computer's permisson for gas or brake. If your THH is "buy wire" you would not feel pulsing in the pedal.

Perhaps only your indicator is not working or perhaps your THH lacks an ABS indicator?

 

While driving my HiHy in the snow and pressing on the brake pedal, I notice the traction control light (the yellow light that shows a car swerving) will come on when the ABS is working and pulsing the brake pedal. However the light might not come on if the ABS only needs to work for a brief period.

If you had an ABS problem, I would expect the brake warning light to come on. I suggest you test the ABS function by finding a road with no traffic, accelerating up to 50 mph or so, then do a panic stop and see how your HiHy behaves. You should learn how it will respond before you get into another potential accident situation - then you won't be surprised.

Patrick Wong

 

The slip indicator light which is in the left instrument pod illuminates when the ABS system is actively controlling a skid. During significant skidding events the VSC warning buzzer will also sound intermittently.

The Highlander Hybrid uses an electronic brake-by-wire system so normally there is no hydraulic connection between the brake pedal and the brake cylinders on the wheels. Therefor you will not feel a pedal pulsation when the ABS is working in this vehicle.

From your description, your ABS braking experience sounds normal with rapid cyclical brake application. Failure in the ABS system will turn on an ABS warning light in the right hand instrument pod and may also turn on the brake system warning light, and the VSC warning buzzer

 

Keep in mind that you can come to a hard stop without ever engaging the ABS. My S2000 and my Mini S both can stop in shorter distances than any other car I've owned or driven without the aid of ABS. Under the right condition (dry and excellent traction) this can be the case. In your description it sounds like the abs engaged because you heard the chirp noise. Most likely it was your rears locking and unlocking.

 

my understanding is the ABS light on the dash is only if there is something broken, not if you're using it.

Now if there was a 'traction' light or something else, that's different. But i've not noticed one on the '07 we just got. usually those flash to let you know it's doin something.

 

Trekkie is correct,

On cars with ABS only, the ABS light in general only comes on to indicate a problem. In cars equiped with stability control (dsc dynamic stability control BMW), the light flashes when DSC engages.