ESP/Traction control question

[hoontown]

hi all

iv searched all over for the answer, but cant seem to find anything on it?

Is it possible to have the traction control auto turn on when the engine/ignition is turned on?

I have to switch mine on manually everytime i start the car, its annoying especially in this weather.

many thanks

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

By default it should be on when the car is switched on.

So when you start the car, is the ESP light on the dash lit?

 

[hoontown]

Hi

no its not on when i start the car. just wondered if it was one of those things that can be disabled or enabled.? like the locking and lights....

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

The locking and lights are changed by holding the button down iirc, maybe ESP is done the same way. Not sure though.

 

[hoontown]

ah yeah I know about those ones. ill give it a try. Thanks for your help

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

So, how do you turn the TC on ? When you've turned it on, is the dash light on or off ?

Also just out of interest, why do you want it ?! There's zero need for either in a <200hp FWD car.

 

[hoontown]

i turn it on when the engine is running. when i turn it on the dash light comes on. If i turn it on without the engine running and ignition on the light comes on and when I start the engine, it goes off again and i have to turn it on.

I want it for when im pulling off either when its icy or snowing, car tends to wheel spin more with it off. just safer, especially with a child in the car.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Get some winter tyres.

Also, RTFM.

Light on = TC OFF !

Why would Renault make a 'safety system' that you have to switch on if you want it...?!

:S

 

[MRBILLYUK]

When you start your car the TC / ESP is automatically on by default , the light on the dash is off . You want to turn the TC off before you set off ? Or am i reading this wrong ? If so , just turn it off before you actually drive away , the light on the dash will come on . Bobs your Uncle .

 

[hoontown]

im gonna slap the idiot that told me it was on if the light was on....

thanks for the help

 

[MartinR]

As above you are turning it off when the light is illuminated,

 

[hoontown]

thanks too to MRBILLYUK! cheers

 

[MRBILLYUK]

im gonna slap the idiot that told me it was on if the light was on....

thanks for the help

Haha , oooops lol

 

[Adam G]

Put simply, the light is on to warn you ESP is off.

 

[hoontown]

Get some winter tyres.

Also, RTFM.

Light on = TC OFF !

Why would Renault make a 'safety system' that you have to switch on if you want it...?!

:S

This made me laugh... get some winter tyres... Because everyone can afford a set of new tyres every season cant they..?

knob!

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

err....if you got some winter tyres, reuse them next winter? It's not like you'll use an entire set in one Winter.

 

[hoontown]

Why bother going through the agro...? pointless...

 

[bright]

This made me laugh... get some winter tyres... Because everyone can afford a set of new tyres every season cant they..?

knob!

nice insult. you do realise that winter tyres could be used for several years on spare wheels or swapping your summer tyres to winter tyres over? Not like you have to get a new set each season!

 

[hoontown]

I wouldnt bother. I dont know anybody that does this either...

 

[Lal B3N]

Well this is going to end well lol.

If you haven't tried winter tyres during winter, then don't bother saying they are pointless. You can't comment.

 

[Lal B3N]

It's not like you'll use an entire set in one Winter.

I think I will ha, but for what they cost in 15inch im not fussed.

 

[markkram]

knob!

1. Can't pull away in a 150bhp front wheel drive car without wheelspin.
2. Can't be bothered to read the manual/work out how the TC button works.
3. Ask for help. Get help. Abuse people.

Who's the knob?

 

[Maccy]

How to tell if ESP is on -

1 - Get in car
2 - Turn engine on
3 - Look at dash
4 - If no orange triangle light is on, ESP is on
5 - Proceed to floor it
6 - If orange triangle light flickers to get traction, ESP is on
7 - Laugh at yourself for being a numpty

 

[Hixle]

I always found that the car was far easier to drive with TC off in snowy/icey conditions.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Now now , play nicely children :approve:

 

[Tony Hunter]

Enough is enough.

But it can be confusing to some who don't know.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Personally after owning a 172 without TC and a 182 with , i think they're both crap cars in the snow , especially once it's compacted and frozen . I've driven in deep and compacted snow in Poland with Winter tyres a few times and they were amazing , it was as if i was driving on normal roads . You just don't hear people over there panicking about the adverse weather conditions . If we could gurantee that every year we'd have weeks of heavy snow i'd have a set of Winter tyres , but sometimes it only lasts a few days , so i don't bother . If it's that bad i'd walk or get a taxi and let someone else risk their car

 

[Tony Hunter]

When I lived in Germany, studded winter tyres, job done.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

It's the law to have winter tyres fitted in Germany iirc.

 

[Tony Hunter]

It used to, yes. Hungary is the same.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

This made me laugh... get some winter tyres... Because everyone can afford a set of new tyres every season cant they..?

knob!

LMFAO !

Brilliant.

I actually just throw my winter tyres away when they get dirty and buy some new ones. Luckily for me I'm loaded.

1. Can't pull away in a 150bhp front wheel drive car without wheelspin.
2. Can't be bothered to read the manual/work out how the TC button works.
3. Ask for help. Get help. Abuse people.

Who's the knob?

Me, apparently.

:approve:

 

[Lal B3N]

It's the law to have winter tyres fitted in Germany iirc.

Its law in a lot of countries now, I would be happy for it to be law over here too.

 

[pbufton]

I always found that the car was far easier to drive with TC off in snowy/icey conditions.

This.

Also as someone else has described in another thread, my ABS/TC seems to 'lose its head' after a few miles in the white stuff. i find slowing up on a bank a hell of a lot easier with the abs not working

 

[sbridgey]

This.

Also as someone else has described in another thread, my ABS/TC seems to 'lose its head' after a few miles in the white stuff. i find slowing up on a bank a hell of a lot easier with the abs not working

I think mine is better with esp on, going up a snowy/icy hill floor it, esp modulates the throttle and i get up the hill no bother.

 

[pastieman]

TC off at all times and good tyres thats all you need !!!

I have never bought winter tyres ever !!!

My Clio is fine in the snow and so have been all my other cars even my Old M3.. Just don't drive like a t**t and power everywhere

 

[Adam G]

Spent three hours in snow today up and down hills etc. Never cut in once.

 

[sbridgey]

I have decent but worn out tyres, i was going to get some winter tyres but with December being so mild I couldn't see the point.

 

[MartinR]

Esp has been great today for me i got home quicker than i do when there is no snow. Front splitter looks like its been sandblasted due to me being a snow plough lol

 

[pbufton]

I live in the back of beyond, up and down some pretty nasty banks too, I suppose some of it is personal preference, up the hills though i found the traction control to try and fetch me to a standstill all the time, when i want to keep clawing on.

Switched my tyres round too, got nearly new on the front and 25% tread on the backs...the clio will now drag itself anywhere, but its pretty tailhappy!

 

[Detail Chris]

Don't normally get drawn in to CS nonsense but yes it's true, normally traction control will always hinder progress on snow and ice. Look at all the divs in there rwd cars with there T/C on not getting anywhere. Rwd will be prodominantly poor on snow but you can get about!
However ESP can really help, but not always. It's a case if suck it and see!

on a side, on my way home I was provoking the ESP by sliding etc. it's a fairly basic setup, would cut in mid slide only when it picked up a steering correction, then drag it back safely. You'd be stupid to not want it on the road for 99% it could save your toosh!
Chris