My spouse recently made a semi-panic stop and complained that the front tires locked up and skidded on her 2001 Jeep Cherokee four-wheel drive automatic. After I renewed and adjusted the rear brakes (not related to her recent complaint) I noticed the front brakes were locking up on me also while testing on a concrete driveway (both in forward and reverse braking). I looked up in the owner's manual that to the right of the "red
parking brake/mater cylinder warning light is an "ABS" light. That light does not on when I turn the key to "on" or after the engines starts. We purchased the vehicle about ten years ago and I can't remember if the light came on before or not. For that matter, I don't know if ABS was standard equipment or not on the 2001 XJ model line?

I am a DIY when it comes to tune-ups, rebuilds, and brakes on our three classic cars, but this problem is out of my scope of knowledge and experience. What do my Jeep brothers (sisters?) think is going on here? Referral to another specific ABS thread would be a starting point, I guess. Thank you.

P.S. I forgot to mention that recently my spouse paid someone else to replace the front disc brake pads.

 

Sounds to me like your rear brakes are not working, or your front tires have very bad grip, i.e. worn out and/or aged tires. Proportioning valve failure? ABS failure? Master cylinder rear circuit failure? Or the front abs did not function when it needed to function, if so equiped.

I assume the abs dashboard lamp should illuminate when ignition switch is turned on with engine not running, as a bulb test feature. (your glove box owners manual should tell you about the lamp operation) So Id look into why that abs lamp is not on upon start up., Do the other warning lamps illuminate during ignition on prior to start? Dead bulb, blown fuse, broke wires, etc...?

How is the Brake Warning Lamp, does it illuminate ever? If it turns on when you step on brakes with engine on, that is a problem.

Generally the brake lamp is triggered when the front and rear circuits have a large pressure difference between them when you step on brake pedal. a low pressure on one side, indicating a leak, is sensed as a free moving two ended piston with one end connected to front circuit, other end to rear circuit. if pressures are equal, the piston stays centered in its bore, but if one circuit has low pressure, the piston will move to the low pressure end of the bore, and trigger a switch that turns on the lamp. Anyway that is how it works on some cars, dont know about your late model jeep, but it is worth a look.

How is the fluid level? do an inspection of the wheels and brake lines for leaks if level is abnormally low.
Swollen hoses can cause the abs to not work. hose swollen internally often look fine externally, when pressure is applied from the master, the restrictive swollen hose expands to let the high pressure fluid pass to the wheel cylinders, but when you let off the brakes, or the abs senses skidding, it lets off the brake for you, but that internally swollen hose wont let the trapped pressure out very well, so the fluid stays under presssure at your wheel cylinders until the fluid cant make it past the restriction in the hose, so the brakes dont release when they should. that will screw up any abs system me thinks Usually you can spot an internally swollen hose when pumping your brakes to flush the fluid out. With a removed bleeder valve, if you are still getting lots of pedal resistance, that says there is a restriction some place, and often it is a swollen hose.

Also, you mention someone redid the front brakes Suggest yoi get under there and look to see if that person left any abs stuff disconnected. there should be a sensor, wires, and a pulse ring on the rotor/hub, that is if you have front abs. If any of that was not put back right, well that will cause the abs to not work right.

good luck, keep a jeepin.

 

According to some further research, the vehicle apparently has a Chrysler 8 1/4 differential which was not available with the ABS system in 2001. If that is the case, it's just a matter of what can happen during a panic stop.

 

Take it back to whoever did the brakes and have them check it out, maybe they screwed it up...if not have them check the pad guides on the knuckle...over time the retaining tabs on the pads wear a groove into the slides on the knuckle, causing the pads to stick. Add heat and panic braking, and they can easily lock up.

There's 2 ways to fix this, if it's even your issue, one is replacing the knuckle, but that's a lot of work and expensive. The other is to fill that groove with weld, then grind and smooth out. Way easier and cheaper.

You could also jack it up, remove the wheels and inspect yourself, but if you paid someone recently, there's a good chance they fudged it. Keep us posted.

 

No ABS isn't a problem, mine doesn't have it and I have never wanted it.

 

99% of the time, the back brakes aren't adjusted properly. Unfortunately, I haven't found any aftermarket parts worth a hoot. What that means is that the star adjusters never engage, and as the shoes wear it won't contact the drums any more. You can adjust them by popping out the oval rubber plug from the backing plate and click the star wheel with a flat head screwdriver.

The best solution I've honestly found is a disc brake swap. I've tried to make the drums work. I'm even ASE certified (still) in brakes. These just don't auto adjust. Maybe with genuine Mopar parts, but for under $100 I did a KJ disc swap. I have not had brake issues since.

But, for now, adjust the shoes. Watch a youtube video, it'll make more sense.

 

I dont think i have ever skidded my jeeps on a dry road...even when i wanted to...lol