ESP

[paime]

I've been trying to work out the traction control system for a couple of months now. When i press and hold the ESP button for about 5 seconds, the ESP light stays on constantly on the dash telling me it's turned off so i can do spectacular power slides on roundabouts and out of junctions. However, when i press the ESP once briefly, the light flashes regularly but i can still do my wonderful power slides. My question is, what do each of these two stages of ESP actually mean and how does it control the capabilities of the car?

[adsgreen]

As I understand it -

flashing / part off - traction control relaxed but still on. Stability control off
Solid / full off - traction control virtually off, stability control off.

Stability control really kills slides (which if you think about it is no different from a spin that happens to be balanced) - it uses car yaw/rotation sensors, abs sensors and steering wheel sensor to work out if the car is doing what it thinks the driver is requesting. In a slide the steering wheel is obviously pointing into the slide / direction of travel but the car's nose isn't - stability control would brake the wheels and cut power in order to bring the car back into line.

Also I think even when fully off abs is still engaged and traction and stability control would be zctive if you stamp on the brakes - need to confirm that last bit though.