When ABS is active, the regenerative braking is disabled and the system reverts back to a standard 4-wheel disc brake system. You should then feel the pulses from the foundation/friction braking system.

Since regenerative braking is also disabled while the drive selector is in Neutral, you should be able to test the ABS pulse feedback by hard braking on a surface with less than ideal traction conditions (ice, gravel, wet pavement).

 

The front brakes (wheel cylinders, rotors, and pads) are not part of the regenerative system either. That occurs entirely inside the eCVT (and HVBattery). When the ABS is pulsing the hydraulics it is likely pulsing the entire system - front and rear.

 

So, you are saying that even when using regenerative braking, the front brakes (wheel cylinders, rotors, and pads) are still fully engaged?

 

The front brakes are "fully engaged" in the sense that the pressurized hydraulic system is available to use them whenever the PCM/BSCM feels it needs the stopping power. So there could be a condition were both the generator motor and the front brake pads are working to stop the vehicle at the same time. [I haven't seen any diagrams (anyone?) that show the foundation (hydraulic) brake system is split between front and rear and is selectively used during stopping.] The regenerative braking in the eCVT just happens to work to stop the vehicle through the same drive shaft(s) and wheels.....as the front brakes.

I have assumed that once hydraulic brake pressure is applied to stop the vehicle, it engages the brake pads at all four wheels - like on a non-hybrid. Hence, when ABS is active it pulses the hydraulic pressure at all four wheels simultaneously.

What does this have to do with "Mazda Tribute?"

 

Yeah...sure... I was on WET ICE!

I live, work, drive in the upper Mid-West.
I have ice more often than not from Oct to April.
I have utilized ABS several (dozen) times over the years.

You can hear and feel the whole car "pulse". It is very obvious, and every passenger can "count the pulses". It has nothing to do with brake pedal feedback. ( I can't recall if there is or isn't, since the whole car moves fairly violently... it strikes me as a very crude system... like ABS version 1.0 is used in this car! ) Advanced? NOT!

It is always the same rate. Slightly more than once per second. And by that I mean 1 Hz. Brakes on for 0.4 sec, brake off for 0.4 seconds. Repeats with complete regularity until either A) I release the brake B) I hit dry pavement, or C) the car comes to a complete stop.

 

This has been my experience as well. I have purposely hit the brakes "too" hard in a safe but slippery situation to observe the ABS in action. It does seem slow.

 

I'm a current owner of a Mazda Tribute Hybrid, any chance expanding the forum to include the vehicle ??