Esp Off?

[simps100]

Hi all,

Quick question, started my car this morning and on the main centre screen i got a message simply saying "ESP Off" no idea why or what i could of done to do this, anyone seen this before?

Thanks

Marc

[Lenny]

Hi all,

Quick question, started my car this morning and on the main centre screen i got a message simply saying "ESP Off" no idea why or what i could of done to do this, anyone seen this before?

Thanks

Marc

Hi Marc,

ESP is electronic stability Programme used to be known as traction Control itsgreat to have switched on in the wet but its best to have it switched off inthe snow or the ice because the ESP stops any wheel spin by cutting power tothe wheel that spins faster than the rest, in the wet that’s great but in thesnow or ice it can cause you so skid,

if you go through the menu on the car while the handbrake is on, you should beable to switch it back on, or if you have a button on your dash for this feature,

perhaps your car has newer software and automatically switches off the ESPprogramme when the temperature outside drops to a certain level?

[simps100]

Ah cool thanks for that, that explains it well!

Its a 10 plate, had it since april last year and never saw that message last year, i did have a software update in the summer it could be that i guess, ill take a look and will leave it off in the ice.

Thanks!

Marc

[Lenny]

Ah cool thanks for that, that explains it well!

Its a 10 plate, had it since april last year and never saw that message last year, i did have a software update in the summer it could be that i guess, ill take a look and will leave it off in the ice.

Thanks!

Marc

no problem mate,

it would make sence for it to auto switch off because i didnt know how to switch it off manualy last year,

i then got stuck in the snow and couldnt spin out of it lol

[Sara Fiesta]

Hi guys,

My ESP came in to action yesterday morning on an icy patch at the end of my road as I pulled away the light on the dash flickered and there was a strange noise coming from the engine is this correct is there any noise associated with the activation of this system?

Merry Christmas.

[Lenny]

Hi guys,

My ESP came in to action yesterday morning on an icy patch at the end of my road as I pulled away the light on the dash flickered and there was a strange noise coming from the engine is this correct is there any noise associated with the activation of this system?

Merry Christmas.

Hi,

yes you will hear sounds of cogs moving like pins and servos twitching in the gearbox,

this is normal and is the ESP stopping the power to the wheels

Merry Chritmas to you too. :)

[rojariggs]

Hi,

yes you will hear sounds of cogs moving like pins and servos twitching in the gearbox,

this is normal and is the ESP stopping the power to the wheels

Merry Chritmas to you too. :)

Depending on the type of action the ESP is called into it can also bring the ABS into play as well which causes even more knocks and bangs!

Cheers

Rog

[simps100]

Just had a look and cant see anywhere in the menu to turn off / on ESP with the handbrake up, ive not seen the message since either, all abit strange.. is it anything to worry about or should it all be ok?

[adamc260]

I always thought ESP was always on in the fiesta and cannot be switched off.

[iNath]

I always thought ESP was always on in the fiesta and cannot be switched off.

Correct - apart from the Zetec-S model which comes with a switch to turn it off. You can buy the switch for around £35 from Ford.

[Sara Fiesta]

Thanks Lenny and Rojariggs for the information and sorry guys I just realised I posted on the Fiesta forum.

Merry Christmas everyone.

[adamc260]

Correct - apart from the Zetec-S model which comes with a switch to turn it off. You can buy the switch for around £35 from Ford.

Are dealerships normally happy to fit the switch as I'm a bit worried if we get heavy snow the car will be stuck

[iNath]

Are dealerships normally happy to fit the switch as I'm a bit worried if we get heavy snow the car will be stuck

You can fit it yourself in 5mins. Just have to pop off the plastic heater control surround (silver bit) push out the coin holder and replace it with the switch.

[adamc260]

You can fit it yourself in 5mins. Just have to pop off the plastic heater control surround (silver bit) push out the coin holder and replace it with the switch.

You obviously don't know what I'm like with anything car related lol .. Read stuff on line about it not being that simple and people saying wiring looms etc need to be changed and the entire lower dash part having to be removed to get access =/!? Can't find the switch on eBay or anything either.

[Lenny]

You obviously don't know what I'm like with anything car related lol .. Read stuff on line about it not being that simple and people saying wiring looms etc need to be changed and the entire lower dash part having to be removed to get access =/!? Can't find the switch on ebay or anything either.

From what i have gatherd on here over the years is the little square dash section on the fiesta pops out and in behind it is a factory plug think its green and retangular,

plugs in to the new ESP Switch and if it works their after lucky you, some do and its that simple but others dont and some have difficulty getting ford to activate them for the owner

due to new laws with modifying safety equipment on cars.

[adamc260]

I may enquire with my local dealership, I just don't want to get stuck in the snow due to a handy electronic gizmo that shouldnt always be switched on.

[Lenny]

I may enquire with my local dealership, I just don't want to get stuck in the snow due to a handy electronic gizmo that shouldnt always be switched on.

I have a focus and between the rev gauge and speedo is a menu i can toggle through, shows MPG etc, and in the settings i can toggle ESP on and off

Focus ST has the esp switch on the dash but we are under the same rules as you guys when it comes to fitting the switch will it work and will the activate it.

i assumed the fiesta had a similar type menu between the gauges.but ive never drove a fiesta to know fully,

the manual may say somthing about the ES{ though

[adamc260]

I have a focus and between the rev gauge and speedo is a menu i can toggle through, shows MPG etc, and in the settings i can toggle ESP on and off

Focus ST has the esp switch on the dash but we are under the same rules as you guys when it comes to fitting the switch will it work and will the activate it.

i assumed the fiesta had a similar type menu between the gauges.but ive never drove a fiesta to know fully,

the manual may say somthing about the ES{ though

The one between the rev gauge/speedo shows Overall Mileage, Trip, Average MPG, Instant MPG, Distance to Empty and Average speed but nothing about ESP. Checked in the main centre consoles screen settings and nothing about ESP either. Would be awesome if they just had a tick box on that to switch on/off would save fitting buttons!

[Lenny]

The one between the rev gauge/speedo shows Overall Mileage, Trip, Average MPG, Instant MPG, Distance to Empty and Average speed but nothing about ESP. Checked in the main centre consoles screen settings and nothing about ESP either. Would be awesome if they just had a tick box on that to switch on/off would save fitting buttons!

I agree mate,

were the drivers of the cars we should have 100% control, i dont see why the buttons are not fitted as standard i mean our insurance isint any cheaper if we cant control the ESP??

[adamc260]

99.99% of the time i'd leave ESP on but it's on that one occasion where you need the wheels to spin (ie: snow/ice) and the car will just go 'Nope! Not letting it happen!' which in normal circumstances is good.. just not in those circumstances!

[iNath]

You obviously don't know what I'm like with anything car related lol .. Read stuff on line about it not being that simple and people saying wiring looms etc need to be changed and the entire lower dash part having to be removed to get access =/!? Can't find the switch on ebay or anything either.

Click here for a guide and read the rest of that thread for the part number.

[Nay ZS]

Hi all,

Quick question, started my car this morning and on the main centre screen i got a message simply saying "ESP Off" no idea why or what i could of done to do this, anyone seen this before?

Thanks

Marc

Just to clarify the ESP off message you had upon start up is not normal and shouldn't happen. On start up the ESP amongst other systems do a self test and is always on after that. As others have said it isn't off unless physically switched off by the driver and is re enabled until the next start up. Nothing to worry about as it sounds as if it had a little paddy and didn't enable properly. A simple switch off and restart would most likely have solved it for you I'm guessing.

Another thing to note is the traction control part of ESP system is actually two stage on the Fiesta.

ESP on = Stability control active and both elements of the traction control active which is the cutting back of engine revs and/or use of the brakes to control wheelspin.

When ESP is off there is NO stability control and no limiting of engine revs in slippery conditions. The electronic brake lock differential remains active however and does a pretty good job of stopping the power spinning up just one wheel. This is why you will still here the ABS grinding away when driving on very slippery snowy roads.

[Dougal]

Hi all,

Quick question, started my car this morning and on the main centre screen i got a message simply saying "ESP Off" no idea why or what i could of done to do this, anyone seen this before?

Thanks

Marc

Simps100

When the ESP is deactivated, the orange skid symbol will be lit in your speedometer section of the dash. If it's not lit, then it is activated.

[TDCiST]

On the focus even when its switched off, its not actually fully off!

For Rolling Road dasy, you need to turn it off, but you also need to pull the fuse as it still kicks in!

[Nay ZS]

On the focus even when its switched off, its not actually fully off!

For Rolling Road dasy, you need to turn it off, but you also need to pull the fuse as it still kicks in!

Same on the Golf and a lot of other cars. On the Fiesta Zetec S when the stability control is off, it is fully off which is quite a rare thing. Tried it on a large empty snow covered car park a while back. With it on I had lots of oversteer doing a quick lock to lock but it wouldn't spin around. Turn it off and a very easily did a 360 + spin.