ABS quirk or normal?

[ktom3001]

Whenever I've had to hit the brakes hard and engage the ABS it does exactly what it's supposed to, however if I don't come to a complete stop and let the peddle come up about an inch or so and then go back down, there's practically no modulation and the car brakes very hard again.
This is annoying when you do the panic stop on the freeway because of traffic but don't come to a complete stop and need to continue to slow down. Once the peddle comes all the way back up it seems to reset the system.
Is this normal? If so, it doesn't seem like a very good ABS system compared to other cars I've driven.

 

[Atlanta_man]

I believe that's more properly called the panic-stop feature, not really ABS.
When I brake hard (but not intending it to be really really hard) the system goes for broke with excessive brake'ing. I no longer put stuff on the passenger seat that will be ruined if it hits the floor.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Its a safety thing Toyota and some other guys use in their vehicles; its an exteremly useful feature when you really need it, the 5000lbs SUV STOPS when you need it in an emergency. But the other 99% it can become disorienting and surprising, there's a learning curve to learning how to brake in these vehicles (a couple threads in teh 4th and 5th gens sections have talked about this feature) much like driving an older car with no ABS after you're been driving an ABS equipped vehicle and vice versa.

 

[ktom3001]

Now that you mention it I do believe it has nothing to do with the ABS. The scenario you mention matches exactly.
I get the learning curve part and I can adjust, I seriously doubt my wife would be able to handle it though. It essentially makes you over brake again when all you're doing is trying to control the final slow down, after the initial "Oh $hit".
I just went over and read the 5th gen thread, interesting and exactly what I experienced.
I get it, it stopped super fast, but it's way too sensitive initially. Furthermore, the fact that it's too sensitive at first causes the driver to lift slightly to avoid a complete stop, then when you try to reapply or modulate, it gets all crazy sensitive again and tries to stop you completely.
Sounds like a good idea, but in it's current form I'm not a huge fan.