Esp

[PHILIP1193]

Annoyingly you can't search for esp topics as its too short a word so sorry for asking a stupid question.

Anyway I've never had a car with esp so the noises it makes are new as is the way esp works.

Tonight I booted accidentally it (still getting used to the high clutch posistion) off the line in the wet and two things happened. It sped upto about 15-20mph and it all but killed the power for all of about 3 seconds, like the car had no power, now firstly it's dangerous for it to do that but secondly is that normal?

My second question is when it happens it makes a hissing and howling sound is this right?

Thanks Phil

[Dee_82]

you got up to 20mph spinning up the wheels?

ESP brakes the wheels, depending on the rotational difference between the front and rear, might even be side to side as well.

It isn't dangerous by its self but id say continuing acceleration in the wet is, lift off, you'll find you go forward quicker when you get some traction back.

it does make some odd noises though but you'll soon get used to it

[simcor]

Esp is a bit more advanced than Traction control on older cars. If the car detects wheelspin then it will cut power to stop the wheels spinning so you can hopefully gain traction. I hate stupid computers that stop me driving a vehicle unless they work properly. Had a sprinter with traction control and that was useless in the snow you could not move anywhere in more than a inch of snow as the wheels would just spin, the traction control would just cut all power. So you were basically at square one all the time either wheels spinning or not going anywhere.