GC- I don't know if your ABS/tracs works or not, but here is a brief description of how my system worked b/4. I would start car & idle for a few mins. ABS/Tracs light would be on(unit not working). This happened daily. Now sometimes after driving off, say 5-10, the lights would go out(unit working). Driving along, the unit would activate itself(for no apparent reason- no bumps dips nothing), like it was testing! this happened 2-3 times mins. apart.(lights still out). Now as I come to a stop light or sign, and I apply the brakes(my foot on pedal) I would feel the pedal go a little further down; as this happens the ABS/Tracs lights would come on. If the lights had come back on b/4 stopping(as it did sometines)it would just act normal. So my conclusion was, when I apply the brake and the unit malfunction at the same time, my peddle travels a little further. This has happened X amount of times cause I had that broken ABS ECU for over 2 yrs.
Now, since the replacement I apply brake and its firm all the way(no extra travel-like it iwas b/4 the ABS lights would come on).If I recall right, most auto press indicates shorter stopping distance with ABS compared to no ABS. So, I believe in addtion to ABS doing the obvious, I think it also builds up some kind of pressure or something to help one stop sooner.(anyone care to expand on this??)
Now Tracs, is a totally diff. story. On my car it's not too useful cause it only works upto 20mph I believe. lemme know if this makes sense!!!!