ABS not up to par

I have reason to believe that my ABS isn't working propertly. When driving on loose dirt, snow or ice, I've tested my ABS by quickly hitting the brakes and holding them down on slippery patches and although I feel them vibrating and doing something, the truck slides the entire way to a stop as if the wheels are locking. I've asked the dealership about this but they claim that unless the ABS service light comes on, it isn't faulty. One thought was my tires suck, but I've still got good grip on my all terrain tires that are only about a year old.

I find it hard to believe this is how they are suppose to perform since braking is worse using the ABS than if I gradually apply the brakes.

Anyone else experience this same thing?

If you are keeping your foot firmly mashed on the brake pedal, you can feel the ABS pump vibrations/noise through the brake pedal and the "ABS" light doesn't stay on, the system activated as designed. Each vehicle has a different feel to their ABS system. You can still 'slide' with an ABS equipped vehicle. ABS is there to make it more difficult for the vehicle to slip/slide.

Joel

If the tires have lost grip you will slide no matter what the abs does.