Has anyone had trouble with ESP being triggered when it shouldn't?

I bought a brand new 4x4 in October 2002, only 4 months later the ESP system started going off randomly.

It would trigger continuously while I would be crawling round a car park looking for a space, and also while on the motorway at 80mph.

(I'd be driving in a straight line, dry road, doing nothing at all but sitting there!)

However, the system wouldn

Welcome on board.

(another northerner, and another 4x4 owner)

It does sound like yours is having problems, mine is only fooled by severe downhill moments, as it has no concept of up \ down.

When the ESP "goes off" what is it actually doing? killing power? braking a wheel?

Steering vibration sounds like a bearing going or wheel out of balance - swap the wheels front to back and see if it changes anything.

It is a fairly common problem on A3 & TT vehicles fitted with ESP & 4x4 -- one area that causes problems is the actual control unit for the HALDEX not the ESP -- the haldex unit is actually on the rear diff itself - but is fairly straight forward to replace.

The other and probably most likely to cause your problem is the longitude sensor - Audi's have 2 and I'm sure the Octavia will be the same,they very rarely report a fault -- but we have had about 5 in the last six month's that have gone through the same process as your's -- the fault coming back,only when we change this sensor - the fault goes,the only problem is as I say there are 2 - both the same part so it is a bit trial and error or replace 2!

Just looking on ETKA - it shows that the Octavia uses a combined Accleration & Yaw sensor.

Part Number:1J2907637E listed as combi-sensor for acceleration & Yaw for vehicles with E.S.P

chassis range :F1U-3-666 023>> RHD PR-1X0

chassis ranhe :F1U-38665 265>> RHD PR-1X0

with various other numbers listed dependent on chassis number & PR number combi.

Hope this Helps

Oh Forgot.....Welcome to Briskoda.

And I concur with Ian re the vibration

Ian, Dave, thanks very much for your response.

When the ESP goes off it is always on a level surface.

When ambling around a car park it is as if someone is yanking the handbrake on.

When it goes off on the motorway it feels like a sharp deceleration, enough to cause the front of the car to dive. It seems to last for ages while making loud mechanical rumblings.

Then it gives up, leaving the ESP light permanently on, until my next trip.

Well this was in January, and has only risen its head again at slow speeds.

I forgot to mention, they replaced a sensor on the steering on the first attempt at a fix, though it soon came back, culminating in the ESP control module being replaced.

Dave, is this combined sensor you refer to?

I am taking it to the dealer on Saturday so I

Originally posted by Podwin in this post

......how do you find the brakes on the 4x4? I must admit I am not impressed.

No problems with the brakes on my 4X4 Estate, but there again I don't drive it to the limit - unlike some members who seem to have a death wish.

Martin

The ESP control unit is different to the Combi Acc & Yaw sensor.There is also another sensor called a thrust sensor.When it makes the loud mechanical rumblings - can you feel these through the brake pedal ?? there are also switches on the brake pedal(2) 1 does the lights,the other is linked to engine management for use by ABS/ESP etc.

If when you restart the car after the light has been on,and the light is no longer on - that points to electrical rather than physical fault -- if there was a physical failure - the system would not reset.

Just another thought - has the light coming back on co-incided with this vibration you mentioned ? -- if so it could be a bearing at fault -- this would effect the airgap for the ABS speed sensor - which would bring on a warning light -- but I would expect this to being on the ABS & ESP lights together.

How come I know so much ? -- 16 years spent in the motortrade from yts-apprentice-technician-service advisor-workshop controller -- all with VW / Audi - all with the same company at 3 different locations.

Hope the above helps.

Denis -- nice new signature -- shouldn't that be a capital T on Turbo -- or are you leaving that untill after the Jabba treatment ?

No - the small t is correct. I have the badge on the desk in front of me right now. We will torque later about Jabba.

Originally posted by DGW in this post

No - the small t is correct. I have the badge on the desk in front of me right now. We will torque later about Jabba.

Look forward to that.....soes this mean you are going ahead then ??

Dave, I refer you back to a previous statement of mine relating to this matter....

Originally posted by DGW in this post

Dave, I refer you back to a previous statement of mine relating to this matter....

:rofl:

Martin - the standard brake setup is easily pushed beyonds it's limits, even when I had 150bhp I used to fade it quite easily.

I swapped to Ferodo DSC2500 pads up front and super dot 4 castrol fluid - a much better setup - although I fear a combination of what they can stand and ESP means you kill rear (standard) pads very quickly, so suggest you upgrade rear also.

The 2500's are not cheap however, I may try Pagid next, not decided yet.

How much are Ferodos, Ian? Front and back.

DS2500 fronts are

Originally posted by DGW in this post

No problems with the brakes on my 4X4 Estate, but there again I don't drive it to the limit - unlike some members who seem to have a death wish.

who are you talking about? i like to meet people with common interests

Originally posted by Tavia4x4 in this post

Originally posted by ffelan in this post

who are you talking about? i like to meet people with common interests

You and your alter ego, Paul!

That's why the Group N brake kit from Impreziv is a bargan...IMHO.

i have to agree the kit from Disco is pretty cheap in comparison to just buying the pads..

Maybe if enough were interested Disco might be able to arrange a group discount for Briskoda ??

just a thought -- I know there are a few tempted(myself included)

Dave and Paul, this is a 4X4 thread. Go discuss brake pads elsewhere!!

Cluck, cluck.

Originally posted by delcac in this post

Cluck, cluck.

Still learning chicken talk, Des? Not found the rubber thing yet? Eh?