Is it possible to retro fit an esp button instead of having to go through menu. Also is it still true that turning off ESP in snow helps or is that old advice.

Turning ESP off in snow will do nothing to help with any sort of traction improvement between tyre and road in snow. If you are sliding, no ESP is worse than with it engaged unless you grew up racing with Ari Vatanen/Colin McRae/Sebastien Loeb/Sebastien Ogier. At least if you are sliding, ESP may help recover the situation a little, otherwise you are on your own.

 

Winter tyres or snow socks will help with traction way better than a button and are cheaper than crash damage.

I think there is some confusion here between ESP (Electronic Stability Program.)  & TC (Traction Control)

 

ESP became a EU Legal requirement as standard finally about 2014.  You can disable it by various means.

 

Is it just a quick to use button for the Traction Control you want to switch it off, a 'simply clever' thing to do in some situations, snow chains on, or just sometimes getting the vehicle moving in snow / ice without the front brake getting nipped as you spin the wheels?

Edited 28 February, 20188 yr by AwaoffSki

Yeah think I’m confusing ESP and traction control. Page 201 in my manual mentions.

 

The TCS should normally always be enabled. The system should be deactivated only in the following situations, for example.
▶ When driving with snow chains.
▶ When driving in deep snow or on a very loose surface.
▶ When it is necessary to “rock” a car free when it has become stuck.

 

Yes a quick use button for Traction Control is what I’m looking for.

For what it's worth, I found this morning in very snowy Lancashire that turning off the traction control on my Yeti (2wd with winter tyres) improved grip when setting off.  Wish I'd thought to try this in Austria in January when I had to take to reversing up the drive to our apartment! 

 

John

On ‎28‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 18:23, match14 said:

Yeah think I’m confusing ESP and traction control. Page 201 in my manual mentions.

 

The TCS should normally always be enabled. The system should be deactivated only in the following situations, for example.
▶ When driving with snow chains.
▶ When driving in deep snow or on a very loose surface.
▶ When it is necessary to “rock” a car free when it has become stuck.

 

Yes a quick use button for Traction Control is what I’m looking for.

 

ASR....in old talk...best to get wiring diagram for your car from ERWIN.de or skoda version...

 

& see if you have the wiring from the ABS unit to the interior at the T17d connector passenger (UK) footwell side panel between door & under glovebox...& floor....

 

you will also have to buy the correct module /strip of buttons for the dash.....£80 or more...

 

I did a how to for the MK7 Golf,  & being MQB the electrics are the same...

 

http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7908

 

 

I'm sure I'm right in thinking that ESP can never be fully turned off in any car? As mentioned above its an EU law that all cars must have it?

I know on my 245 when its in sport mode or you hold the TCS button for a few seconds,  certain elements of it are reduce to account for the fact you may be using it on a track but it is never fully turned off.

 

if you can turn the traction control off and it will show the car & skid marks symbol on the dash to tell you its off, this as above is what the recommend when driving in deep snow as if you get a wheel spinning it will not cut power to that wheel so you can still try & get some traction.

13 minutes ago, OliR said:

I'm sure I'm right in thinking that ESP can never be fully turned off in any car? As mentioned above its an EU law that all cars must have it?

It's an EU requirement that all cars have ESP fitted but it's not an EU requirement that it cannot be disabled - with appropriate warnings.