I've had no need to post since we got our Roomster nearly two years ago but after watching a program on TV over the weekend where the benefit of having ESP was demonstrated I was wondering if it can be retrofitted by a Skoda dealer?

Or is the price prohibitive?

Cheers.

Denis

I won't say it can't be done, but a Skoda dealer wouldn't as its way too big a job. If you could find someone to do it you'd probably be better trading in for a newer model as the cost and time would be enormous. New ABS unit, new steering column module (the one with the stalks), add a yaw rate sensor, new engine management computer, ESP on/off switch. That's the bare minimum, plus all the wiring wouldn't be present and would entail stripping out most of the interior!

Oh, and I agree about the benefits. Had it properly demonstrated on a driving course once!

Edited 5 November, 201213 yr by lowedb

Our Roomster SE 1.6 TDI CR 105bhp bought new nearly 2 years ago will not be replaced anytime soon, we're very pleased with it.

I was thinking that the only thing that would have to be replaced would be something in the electronics which controlled the ESP. After all the ABS is the same, it just needs to be told when to brake individual wheels. Obviously I don't know, but I would have thought that the wiring loom would be the same.

I know it would need an on/off switch but why would the steering column module need to be replaced?

Denis

It might be possible if you could find a scrapped car with ESP fitted, then you can get all the bits you need. Ideally it would be the same year as yours, as some parts may have been revised and so older or newer parts may not fit yours.

Don't count on ABS being the same on non ESP cars. Often parts will be different where different options are fitted.

As I thought.

I've had a quick look on the parts catalogue.

For the 2010 Roomster - 3 different ABS modules are listed.

6R0614517C - ESP

6R0614417A - ABS & TCS

6R0614117G - ABS only

That would just be the start.

I've only had one car with esp, and even then I wanted it disabled, I want the control. Abs is all I want

I've listed the parts you would need. Someone has confirmed the ABS modulator part numbers are different to prove that, and please take it you do need those other parts in spite of you hoping otherwise.

The steering column electronics (not the actual column) need to be replaced because for an ESP car there's a steering angle sensor in there to tell the system what you are doing with the steering wheel. That is how far you've turned it, and how fast you are turning it. The ESP system (brains of which is in the ABS modulator) compare what you have asked the car to do, with what it's actually doing. It measures what it's doing using a yaw rate sensor built somewhere in the car (it varies but often under a rear seat). If the car isn't doing what you ask, the ESP can apply the brakes to help stabilise the car, but also talks to the engine and asks it to reduce the power temporarily, if that is going to help, which is why the engine ECU would need at the very least a new software.

Our high speed driving instructors asked us to drive a car on a slippery surface with the system switched on and off. 50 MPH one side on wet basalt, the other on shellgrip. Once we'd seen that the ESP system could save a situation that no driver even with ABS could, they said we should switch it back on, and leave the switch alone! I agree with them!

Thank you all for your replies, most enlightening!

I can now see that it's not worth pursuing; I'll make do with what I've got. Something to consider next time pehaps.

Cheers.

Denis