ABS System Parts for Toyota Camry
Toyota uses an anti-lock braking system (ABS) in the Camry. The system keeps the tires from locking when braking on wet and slippery roads, so you don’t go into an uncontrolled spin or slide when trying to stop the Camry. If you plan on working on your Toyota’s braking system, having knowledge of the different parts will help you understand what needs to be done to repair or replace the system.
What type of ABS does a Toyota Camry use?The Toyota Camry uses a four-channel four-sensor braking system. This means there is a speed sensing unit placed by each tire on the vehicle. The four speed-sensing units feed speed and tire road adhesion information to a controller. The controller adjusts the speed and braking power of each tire to help you maintain control of your vehicle.
What parts are necessary for the braking system to work?The system relies on Camry ABS sensors, fluid regulating units or valves, a pump, and a controller to operate properly. The separate parts work together to stop your Toyota auto safely.
- Sensors: ABS sensing units are used to determine how fast the tires are going and how much traction the tires have on the road. The wheels can lock when you try to stop the car while the tires are not adhering properly to the road. This condition can cause you to lose control of your car. These sensor parts will detect the loss of traction and activate the fluid regulating units so you can maintain control of the car.
- Fluid regulating units: There is a fluid regulating unit near each tire to control the amount of fluid getting to the calipers. The regulating units can be set to one of three positions by the computer: open, block, and release. Open is the normal driving position and allows brake fluid to freely flow from the master brake cylinder to the caliper by each tire. The second position blocks the fluid in the line from reaching the brakes so the car wont stop too fast when pressing down hard on the brake pedal. The third position releases pressures from the line so the tires will spin a little to regain adhesion to the road.
- Controller: The controller is a computer module that serves as the intermediary between the sensors and the fluid regulating units. The controller detects the information coming from the sensing units and determines what position to place the regulating units based on that information. The controller ensures the tires stop at the same speed as the Toyota vehicle.
- Pump: A pump is needed to build the pressure in the line after a regulating unit on a tire has been placed into the position to release pressure. This will restore the lost pressure in the ABS that is necessary to stop your Toyota model.