S4 Questions

[audi_biturbo]

Hi, I've a S4 from 1999 and have a couple of issues and questions:
- When driving the car in mountain road without the ESP, sometimes I've got the brake not working? Looks like the ABS is getting confused. Anyone already experience this?

- Is it possible to have the ESP ALWAYS off? Wondered if possible to decide when I want to have it on and not the opposite. Really I hate this system, even with the previous problem I've sometimes, no way to drive this car in the snow with ESP working..

Many thanks for your help! [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Bushy]

My understanding is the 1999 S4 did not have ESP like we have in the RS4 but had EDL (electronic diff lock) and just the torsen diff

I would imagine you have a problem there rather than it being a standard feature

Any other comments anyone

Cheers

[audi_biturbo]

Thanks for the answer, [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] and how can I know that it's ESP or EDL?

BTW this forum is really great!! [img]images/graemlins/roflmao.gif[/img]

[Joshie]

If its got ESP you'll have a switch to turn ESP on and off. A light will also illuminate in the dashboard display.

EDL is not switchable - kinda like a highly toned down version of ESP which doesn't cut the power to the wheels when they spin. In fact I'm not sure exactly what EDL does [img]images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img].

Can anyone enlighten me?

[Bushy]

EDL - IMHO locks the diff so that if you get excessive spin it will effectively let the other wheel have some power to it, as opposed to the rotating weheel taking all the power and the other wheel remaining stationary

So in snow if one wheel spins it locks the diff so some power goes to the other wheel

[audi_biturbo]

Cool I've got the ESP thank you, but is it possible to always have this ESP turned off? Am I the only person in this forum who hate this system? [img]images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Bushy]

no

i also turn it off when driving hard in the dry

for every day drivning i leave it on, you never know it may just help you out one day

There was a post somewhere on another board suggesting if you hold the button in for 10 seconds as you start the car up it would disable it

This doesnt work!!

Also if you remove the fuse it brings an error up for the audi engineers to pick up on, i believe it also effects some other circuits

You can of course clear the fault codes with a VAG COM tool if you have one

I guess it is just a routine thing, opne door, start car, press ESP button, select gear, disengage handbrake - drive off [img]images/graemlins/icon_lol.gif[/img]

Hope this helps

Bushy [img]images/graemlins/bigwave.gif[/img]

[audi_biturbo]

Thank you Bushy, yes it's now 1 year that everytime I start the engine, need to switch off this $@$#@(* ESP..

OK I'll try to check with a VAG garage over here is Switzerland and see what they are saying. Will keep you posted.

BTW Bushy when driving hard without ESP, you never get brake problem? For example when driving fast in a mountain road after a few big stops, the car is not braking normally.. It looks like there is a confusion with ESP off/ABS or?

Thanks anyway for your help, Ciao! [img]images/graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

[Bushy]

No no probs

Let me know how you get on

[audi_biturbo]

ok finally got some news, not really good..

So only way they know to disable is remove the fuse, and sure you will get the error. This system is a piece of s**t..

And they really don't understand why I have breaking problem after a few hard stops. Since it's an heavy car with stock brake it's normal.. Change fluid brake may help?

Interesting: they told me that ESP was working with ABS, and since you disable ESP, ABS system starts to be confused..

[Nordschleife]

ok finally got some news, not really good..

So only way they know to disable is remove the fuse, and sure you will get the error. This system is a piece of s**t..

And they really don't understand why I have breaking problem after a few hard stops. Since it's an heavy car with stock brake it's normal.. Change fluid brake may help?

Interesting: they told me that ESP was working with ABS, and since you disable ESP, ABS system starts to be confused..

Hi
To clear up a few issues.
It is a fundemental of good engineering and safety practice that a system defaults to "Safe" mode. Therefore, by default, ESP should be on. Turning it off should be a conscious decision, each time. If this is too much trouble, then you need to re-evaluate your priorities!
Standard S4 brakes fade, go any buy new brakes from Mov'it, not cheap but the alternatives are not good. Mov'it brakes pass the Swiss TUEF.
If you set the car up properly for a corner, with a view to minimising the driving inputs, the ESP hardly intervenes. If you use lots of brake, lots of steering and chuck the car around, then the ESP will stop you. If you try and drive as smoothly as possible, and keep in as high a gear as possible, then you can be faster with ESP on than the hero with it off. With practice, you can decide whether the car is going to oversteer or understeer in a corner, when you can do this, then there is much less intervention from the ESP, and less tyre and brake wear, your passengers are more comfortable and you don't attract so much attention from the police and other road users.
I recently drove around the Nordschleife with Walter Roehrl and he hardly moved his hands, a quarter turn here, a quarter turn there, never locking the brakes, relaxed the whole time and chatting about other cars, it was very smooth and very fast.
I spent a couple of days recently on a circuit driving with ESP on to learn more about the system, I learnt that when I was doing it perfectly, I didn't care about whether the ESP was on or off, a very interesting learning experience.
R+C

[Andiroo]

Have to disagree Robin [img]images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

ESP off, S4 or RS4, greatly improves traction out of slow corners not matter what circuit you are on. Otherwise you get bogged down quite considerably [img]images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Maybe its because I'm running 19's, but it definitely gives me an extra 1.5 to 2 secs per lap (on a 1min 55sec lap) with it off [img]images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Anybody else experienced this bogging down out of slow corners?

Andiroo

[Bushy]

I agree

ESP off does make a difference

However on long sweeping driving if you brake correctly and drive the corner under power, light or heavy the ESP will not intervene

[wazza]

Progressive throttle anyone?
If ESP comes on then the car is not stable, therefore maximum traction cannot be gained.
Easing on the gas will help stabilise the car and therefore you will get to full power (and max traction) quicker.

[audi_biturbo]

Anybody try to drive with ESP ON in the snow? I'm sorry but the S4 is not turning at all, impossible to drive it correctly.. And I want to have some control on this car, don't want this ESP makes my job..

And if this car (S4&RS4) should be driven always with ESP ON, so sure I'll really go for a 3200GT..