Method for providing enhanced stability of a vehicle with a deflated tire

1. A method for stabilizing a motor vehicle that includes hydraulically actuated wheel brakes and pneumatic tires supporting the vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining whether any tire on the vehicle is deflated;

(b) determining the location on the vehicle of the wheel at which a deflated tire is located;

(c) determining the presence of excessive slip of any deflated tire determined in step (a); and

(d) reducing the magnitude of brake pressure applied to the wheels at the axle where the deflated tire is located, if the current wheel slip at the deflated tire is greater than a target wheel slip.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) further includes:

determining a reference tire pressure;

monitoring the magnitude of pressure in the tires; and

comparing the reference tire pressure to the magnitude of pressure in the tire.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) further includes:

determining a target wheel slip;

monitoring the magnitude of slip at the wheels; and

comparing the current wheel slip at the location of the deflated tire and the target wheel slip.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) further includes:

determining a target wheel slip;

monitoring the magnitude of slip at the wheels;

determining the current vehicle speed;

using the vehicle speed to determine the current wheel slip at the at the location of the deflated tire; and

comparing the current wheel slip at the location of the deflated tire and the target wheel slip.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (d) further includes:

when the brakes are applied, determining a current magnitude of brake pressure applied to the wheel at the location of the deflated tire; and

reducing, to a pressure that is less than said current magnitude of brake pressure, the magnitude of brake pressure applied to the wheels at the front or rear axles where the deflated tire is located.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) further includes:

determining a reference tire pressure;

monitoring the magnitude of pressure in the tires; and

comparing the reference tire pressure to the magnitude of pressure in the tires; and

the method further comprises:

if the reference tire pressure is greater than the magnitude of pressure in the tires, maintaining unchanged the magnitudes of brake pressure applied to the wheels.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the current vehicle speed;

comparing the current vehicle speed to a reference vehicle speed; and

performing steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) if the current vehicle speed is greater than the reference vehicle speed.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) further comprises:

reducing, to a pressure that is less than said current magnitude of brake pressure, the magnitude of brake pressure applied to the wheels at the front or rear axles where the deflated tire is located.

9. A method for stabilizing motor vehicle that includes hydraulically actuated wheel brakes and pneumatic tires supporting the vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining whether any tire on the vehicle is deflated;

(b) determining the location on the vehicle of the wheel at which the deflated tire is located;

(c) determining whether the vehicle is cornering; and

(d) reducing the magnitude of brake pressure applied to the wheels at axle where the deflated tire is located, if the vehicle is cornering and a tire is deflated.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining the current vehicle speed;

comparing the current vehicle speed to a reference vehicle speed; and

performing steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) if the current vehicle speed is greater than the reference vehicle speed.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (a) further includes:

determining a reference tire pressure;

monitoring the magnitude of pressure in the tires; and

comparing the reference tire pressure to the magnitude of pressure in the tire.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (d) further includes:

when the brakes are applied, determining a current magnitude of brake pressure applied to the wheel at the location of the deflated tire; and

reducing, to a pressure that is less than said current magnitude of brake pressure, the magnitude of brake pressure applied to the wheels at the front or rear axles where the deflated tire is located.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (a) further includes:

determining a reference tire pressure;

monitoring the magnitude of pressure in the tires; and

comparing the reference tire pressure to the magnitude of pressure in the tires; and

the method further comprises:

if the reference tire pressure is greater than the magnitude of pressure in the tires, maintaining unchanged the magnitudes of brake pressure applied to the wheels.