ESP failure - Urgent advice required please

Scuzi · 3 Jun 2006 at 13:45

I started up the car this morning but the ESP light didn't go off after starting up. The manual says that it's a failure in the ESP system but it doesn't say anything else. Now, the dilema is that I am leaving at 17:30 to drive to Dublin to catch a boat to Holyhead and then drive to Windsor.
Am I OK to drive the car for ~400 miles with the light on? The last thing I want is for something else to fail on the way down and end up stuck at the roadside.

Thanks

Clarkey · 3 Jun 2006 at 13:48

dont see why not. Its probably down to a bad ABS sensor or something.

Scuzi · 3 Jun 2006 at 13:52

Clarkey said:
dont see why not. Its probably down to a bad ABS sensor or something.

Nothing serious then?

I called a local SEAT dealer but their service department was closed. The salesman I spoke to said "I don't know much about it but to be honest if it was me, I wouldn't drive the car with a warning light on". That wasn't a lot of help

Guv · 3 Jun 2006 at 13:54

I guess the ESP just won't work.

If it was me I wouldn't be bothered about driving the car with an ABS or ESP light on, just be aware they may not work.

atpbx · 3 Jun 2006 at 13:55

Scuzi said:
Nothing serious then?

I called a local SEAT dealer but their service department was closed. The salesman I spoke to said "I don't know much about it but to be honest if it was me, I wouldn't drive the car with a warning light on". That wasn't a lot of help

I wouldnt to be honest, as if you have an accident and its serious and someone is killed it could end in all kinds of bother.

Id rather rent a car than risk it to be honest.

NickXX · 3 Jun 2006 at 13:56

Yeah, I imagine it's a problem with a Sensor, have a poke around the wheels to see if there's a sensor hanging loose or something.

Can't see it being an issue to drive with the warning light on - just means that ESP isn't fully functioning.

Scuzi · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:06

I've spoken to a few mechanics I know and they're all reluctant to give advice without looking at the car although the general consensus is that the car SHOULD be okay to drive, but it may be something more serious involving the brakes and so on. The ABS light hasn't come on (touch wood) so I'm assuming that means that the ABS is working fine?

I've had a look under the car and around the wheels and everything seems to be in place.

Clarkey · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:07

atpbx said:
I wouldnt to be honest, as if you have an accident and its serious and someone is killed it could end in all kinds of bother.

ermm, how??

masterk · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:08

Just ask yourself if its worth an accident...or worse.

NickXX · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:11

Had a quick flick through my Golf manual and couldn't find anything relating to ESP failure.

I would imagine though that it has just disabled the ESP system so that you're now driving around in a 'normal' car. Have you fitted new tyres/wheels recently?

Are you sure you've not just pressed the ESP button and disabled it?!

Clarkey · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:14

masterk said:
Just ask yourself if its worth an accident...or worse.

talk about complete drama queen. OMG no ESP = 100% going to lose control and crash'n'burn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111

Scuzi · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:16

masterk said:
Just ask yourself if its worth an accident...or worse.

Well ESP saved my ass twice on the journey to Ireland although that was in torrential rain. The weather is very nice at the minute so I'm thinking I could do without ESP for the trip back (again, touch wood).

NickXX said:
Had a quick flick through my Golf manual and couldn't find anything relating to ESP failure.

I would imagine though that it has just disabled the ESP system so that you're now driving around in a 'normal' car. Have you fitted new tyres/wheels recently?

Are you sure you've not just pressed the ESP button and disabled it?!

I had new tyres put on a couple of months ago but that's about it. I thought I had pressed the button by mistake so I tried about 5 times to enable it again but I had no joy.

moss · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:21

masterk said:
Just ask yourself if its worth an accident...or worse.

lol, most cars dont come with ESP, im sure he'll be alright for one trip

I wouldnt worry too much, your ESP simply wont work till its sorted.

Dangerous · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:26

You going A55 -->> M56 -->> M6 etc tonight?

masterk · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:32

moss said:
lol, most cars dont come with ESP, im sure he'll be alright for one trip
I wouldnt worry too much, your ESP simply wont work till its sorted.

Fair enough, but where did everyone come to the conclusion that an ESP warning light just means ESP is unavailable?

Couldnt it mean that ESP has detected a problem with the wheels/brakes/steering?

Scuzi · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:32

Dangerous said:
You going A55 -->> M56 -->> M6 etc tonight?

Yeah, if I go that is.

FFS I started up the car and the 'DIAGNOSIS / POLLUTION' light has come on now. WTF is that? Is it the engine management light? I may not be going if this continues.

Dangerous · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:36

Take battery out let ECU reset maybe? Make sure you get the code for your radio though as I've done that before

Dogbreath · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:56

masterk said:
Fair enough, but where did everyone come to the conclusion that an ESP warning light just means ESP is unavailable?

Because that's what the ESP warning light means, just the same as an ABS light means that ABS is not available.

Couldnt it mean that ESP has detected a problem with the wheels/brakes/steering?

How much inteligence do you think these systems have? They know about wheel speed, steering wheel angle and they also have a yaw sensor to detect the cars angular acceleration. It cannot tell if you have a problem with your wheels, brakes or steering unless it's a catastrophic failure. It only takes a minor problem with one of the sensors to stop the system working, which is a fail safe situation, i.e. you can still drive, steer and stop the car perfectly ok.

The car will be perfectly safe to drive, no-one should ever rely on driver aids. The fact that the OP says it saved him twice on a journey simply means he was driving beyond either his own or the cars abilities.

You won't get any sensible dealer/mechanic to guarantee the car is safe simpyl because of the issue of liability in the unlikely event of something going wrong. Much easier and safer for them to say "don't drive it" as it's not inconveniencing them in anyway, but I guarantee they wouldn't think twice about driving it themselves in the same situation.

CypherPunk · 3 Jun 2006 at 14:59

Scuzi said:
Yeah, if I go that is.

FFS I started up the car and the 'DIAGNOSIS / POLLUTION' light has come on now. WTF is that? Is it the engine management light? I may not be going if this continues.

It's possible you might simply have a short somewhere in your car's electrical system, Have you noticed any other electrical gremlims recently?

As for driving I'd be reluctant personally because it's such a long trip, non-one wants to be stranded upto 200 miles from anywhere.

Dogbreath · 3 Jun 2006 at 15:01

Scuzi said:
Yeah, if I go that is.

FFS I started up the car and the 'DIAGNOSIS / POLLUTION' light has come on now. WTF is that? Is it the engine management light? I may not be going if this continues.

It might be conincidence, but multiple failures like this are usualy down to wiring problems, i.e. loose/corroded connectors, poor ground or broken wire.

The pollution warning light usualy indicates that the car has one exhaust gas sensors before and one after the cat. This way it can tell how effectively the cat is working, and flag a warning light if cat is letting through too many nasties.