Should I always keep my ABS button (anti-lock brakes) on? Is there a benifit to having it off in some cases?

Some people have ABS on automatically and can't even turn it off. I was wondering if there was a reason why there would be an actual button as I have in my Honda Odyssey.Should I always keep my ABS button (anti-lock brakes) on? Is there a benifit to having it off in some cases?
Actually, Randy is wrong. ABS is beneficial in almost all situations, unless you are a race car driver on a track with experience in threshold braking. Even in those situations, the newest ABS systems are still a benefit to even the very best drivers.





ABS allows you to maintain control while braking. It does this by keeping the wheels turning when you brake hard. This sounds counterintuitive but it works through the principle of static vs sliding friction. In short, when something starts sliding, it produces less friction then when it is gripping. A sliding wheel can't steer your car. So ABS has two benefits, 1) maximize the friction with the road and thus minimize braking distance and 2) allow you to steer.





IN dry conditions this is just as valuable in wet, because you can STILL LOCK your wheels. The only time that ABS does not perform as well as regular brakes is in deep snow, but Randy is wrong when he says this will damage the system. It won't. And the difference is pretty small, so I would just ignore the button.





It is important to know proper ABS technique. Basically, don't pump the brakes. YOu don't have to. Just push them down as hard as you can if you need to stop in an emergency.Should I always keep my ABS button (anti-lock brakes) on? Is there a benifit to having it off in some cases?
You are making it way too complicated. Just leave ABS on all the time and don't even think about it.

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they have the button because some people plow snow, this will ruin your abs. And it's a honda, they like to add un-needed crap. Turn it on in snow and rain, but you dont really need it when its dry out there.
You should always leave it on, unless the system is malfunctioning.
Antilock Braking Systems eliminate the need to ';pump the brakes'; when you have to stop quickly, preventing you from locking the wheels and skidding. I think Honda may have put in a button to turn it off because people who have only driven non ABS cars still pump the brakes, which reduces the effectiveness of ABS. It's a personal preference I suppose...but ABS equipped cars are indeed safer, when the braking system is used properly.