Bosch 5.3 ABS and ESC

This comes from our February 2001 issue and is the best article on Bosch ABS systems.


ABS Series: Bosch 5.3, Beyond ABS, Larry Carley


As anti-lock brake technology continues to evolve, ABS systems are becoming more sophisticated, complicated and compact. Many systems today are capable of providing stability control, as well as traction control, and some have also taken over the job of handling front-to-rear brake proportioning. The Bosch 5.3 ABS system fits this description.

The 5.3 system is manufactured by the Robert Bosch Corporation and is the successor to the earlier Bosch 5 ABS system. Functionally, the two systems are nearly the same, but the 5.3 system is smaller, lighter (by nearly 3 lbs.), less expensive to manufacture and can, if the vehicle manufacturer chooses to do so, provide stability control and/or brake proportioning.

The first Bosch 5.3 system was introduced in 1997 on the Subaru Legacy and Toyota Camry. In 1998, it appeared on a number of General Motors’ models including the Cadillac Catera, Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro, Pontiac Firebird and Grand Prix, and Oldsmobile Intrigue. In 1999, Ford added it on the Contour, Mustang, Mercury Cougar, Mystique and Villager. Mazda also added it on the 626 and MPV minivan, and Nissan adopted it for its Altima, Frontier, Quest and Sentra models. Porsche also switched to the 5.3 system in 1999 on the 911. In 2000, the 5.3 system became standard on the Cadillac DeVille and Pontiac...

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