I think my haldex ECU may be malfunctioning but as it always seems to have acted like this I have no base to compare to.

The problem I'm having is sometimes when accelerating hard from standstill or low speed it's as if sometimes the haldex doesn't engage and the front wheels spin (also when this happens the ESP rarely activates). Is this normal on remapped 4x4's and due to the standard Haldex settings not expecting the power our cars make or is mine just broke? However there seem to be just as many occasions where it behaves perfectly when I put my foot down.

Checking with vagcom there are no errors on the ESP and one ambiguous error on the haldex. The error on the haldex is something along the lines of 'internal memory error or no error'.

I'm considering trying a different Haldex ECU such as one from an R32 or the aftermarket one manufactured by haldex used by EIP tuning that is setup to activate earlier.

Any advice from other 4x4 owners would be a big help.

You need to talk to Fabreza...he had a few issues with the Haldex on his 4x4 and did quite a bit of testing.

Checking with vagcom there are no errors on the ESP and one ambiguous error on the haldex. The error on the haldex is something along the lines of 'internal memory error or no error'.

That's the error which VAG-COM and a 1552 reported on mine. A check with the dealer's 5051 came up with more detailed information on the fault and the Haldex ECU is being replaced under warranty this morning.

DGW - Did you notice any performance problems? Was the haldex checked for errors because you suspected a problem or was it found when doing a routine scan?

DGW - Did you notice any performance problems? Was the haldex checked for errors because you suspected a problem or was it found when doing a routine scan?

No problems apparent when driving - but I don't drive the car hard. I found the error when I was trying out my new VAG-COM lead.

No problems apparent when driving - but I don't drive the car hard. I found the error when I was trying out my new VAG-COM lead.

Thanks, hopefully I'll get a few more replies as I don't want to pay out for a Haldex ECU if it isn't going to help the problem.

Eddy

You have a problem, mines perfect & it does get abused, I only lose traction when the esp is off, at all other times it will kick in before the wheels slip, even with it off I dont loose traction that often & I am not sure which wheels break away. Thats with 250 little horsies

Eddy

You have a problem' date=' mines perfect & it does get abused, I only lose traction when the esp is off, at all other times it will kick in before the wheels slip, even with it off I dont loose traction that often & I am not sure which wheels break away. Thats with 250 little horsies[/quote']

Sorry chaps...a quick OT.

Stu,

you PM mailbox is full...please clear. Ta.

Back OT now....thanks.

Eddy,

try a search for Fabreza posts....Rob had some strange things happening and posted his testing and findings. Don't think Rob's on here that much now....changed his 4x4 for something else.

Eddy

You have a problem' date=' mines perfect & it does get abused, I only lose traction when the esp is off, at all other times it will kick in before the wheels slip, even with it off I dont loose traction that often & I am not sure which wheels break away. Thats with 250 little horsies[/quote']

Sounds like this is gonna cost me!

So my next question, is the standard operation good enough or should I get the uprated unit which rather than wait for slip anticipates it by monitoring throttle action.

the new uprated ecu is around

Still got to add VAT and import duty to that though.

EIP have offered me 10% discount but shipping is $90 and then there's VAT and duty to add.

Awesome are doing them for

Sorry chaps...a quick OT.

Stu' date='

you PM mailbox is full...please clear. Ta.

Back OT now....thanks.

Eddy,

try a search for Fabreza posts....Rob had some strange things happening and posted his testing and findings. Don't think Rob's on here that much now....changed his 4x4 for something else.[/quote']

Found some posts that suggest he had the same issues as me but can't find anything that says if he found a solution.

didn't realise about the tax, awesome sounds a good idea

Found some posts that suggest he had the same issues as me but can't find anything that says if he found a solution.

I don't think that he did before he sold the car...

You might want to wait until Denis's replacement Haldex is put to the test and see what difference it makes to him.

As for your tyre-slipping experiences, I go along with Stuart's assessment that something is wrong. I don't have any of it, and the car is driven quite hard too at times, if only at 210 hp.

I don't think that he did before he sold the car...

You might want to wait until Denis's replacement Haldex is put to the test and see what difference it makes to him.

As for your tyre-slipping experiences' date=' I go along with Stuart's assessment that something is wrong. I don't have any of it, and the car is driven quite hard too at times, if only at 210 hp.[/quote']

Just what I was thinking.

Denis, once you've had the ECU changed would you be kind enough to check if the error code has gone and let us know if the car drives any different.

I'm looking into options on sourcing the haldex unit that EIP sell.

There will be a delay until next Friday (1st) until I can report back. The Haldex ECU change involves dropping the rear subframe (3 1/2hrs labour) followed by a 4 wheel alignment check when all put back together. I do recall that the replacement ECU will be a later part number than the one it is replacing so maybe there was a problem with the earlier one? The new one has a nice sticker on it in Swedish and is bigger than I anticipated.

The instructions for the 'aggressive' haldex ECU which is manufactured by Haldex themselves shows the job as taking approx. 30mins. Consists of unplugging the old unit, undoing 2 bolts, manouvering it out, renew the gasket, put the new unit in place, replace the 2 bolts and finally plug the new unit in.

Interesting that the P/N has changed, unfortunately I'm out of warranty so would have no chance getting the dealer to replace it.

Looking forward to your results although I'm hoping to put the wheels in motion to getting mine sorted asap.

I'm looking into options on sourcing the haldex unit that EIP sell.

If you have plans to fit the HPP unit anyway, then why wait?

If you have plans to fit the HPP unit anyway, then why wait?

I'm only doing it because I think my standard unit is broken.

The instructions for the 'aggressive' haldex ECU which is manufactured by Haldex themselves shows the job as taking approx. 30mins. Consists of unplugging the old unit, undoing 2 bolts, manouvering it out, renew the gasket, put the new unit in place, replace the 2 bolts and finally plug the new unit in.

But on which car, Eddy?

But on which car, Eddy?

A Mk4 platform haldex equipped car. Guess I'll find out for myself soon enough anyway. Doesn't really matter as you're not paying for it and getting a free 4 wheel alignment too!

HELLO !

The two dealers I took the 4x4 to could not find anything wrong - presumably because there were no fault codes registered. The best hint I had was not long after I got the car when Mike at Jabba felt that the car had a "lazy haldex".

It was very difficult to replicate all the time (hence the dealer no-shows) but it seemed to be less of a problem with ESP off if I wanted to gun it. For me the best example was the nightmare I had in the snow on the motorway, which clarified in my mind that the ESP <> Haldex communication was faulty. The second dealer couldn't find a problem though.

I then spoke again with Jabba (not Mike) as they were (are still?) running a similar car, and they said that ESP definitely was an issue on their car. Not because it was faulty necessarily, but because it seemed to be cutting the power before giving the haldex the chance to move the existing torque around the four wheels.

I pretty much got used to driving around it from that point on, but if I'd kept the car over last winter, I would have asked a better dealer to involve Skoda / VAG's Technical department.

Perhaps the ESP spoke Czech and the Haldex controller spoke Swedish ?

Rob

Thanks for the info Rob.

My problem seems a little a different then.

The ESP very rarely kicks in, the main problem I have is when I want to get the power down quickly the front wheels just spin as if it's a FWD car. This doesn't happen every time though, sometimes the haldex works. When driving the car a little 'softer' the haldex seems to behave as it should. The problem seems to have got worse since getting the exhaust and upping the SPS3 settings.

In the snow I didn't have a problem as I wasn't pushing the car.

Thanks for the info Rob.

1) ... the main problem I have is when I want to get the power down quickly the front wheels just spin as if it's a FWD car. This doesn't happen every time though' date=' sometimes the haldex works. When driving the car a little 'softer' the haldex seems to behave as it should.

2) In the snow I didn't have a problem as I wasn't pushing the car.[/quote']

1) Exactly like my car was though - that's how I drove around it

2) Total and absolute sideways nightmare at 35-40mph on a rutted snow covered (3 inches) M1. With the ESP off (as per handbook) it settled down, but with ESP on, it was basically steering the car on the throttle and failing miserably !!

my esp kicks in really quick, if i want a quick getaway and try and floor it as i release the clutch the esp goes mad at me and slwos me back down. thought that was normal