ESP?

[LiamR172]

Hi there...

I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what exactly the ESP does and what it stands for?

From what I've gathered, it stops the car spinning so much?

Maybe a silly question but does it have any effects on the braking system at all?

Thanks.

 

[Will.]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_stability_control

 

[Maccy]

Traction control, to you and I

 

[LiamR172]

Ah thanks Will!!

 

[mr.pink87]

ESP is not traction control.

 

[JackJack]

^This Electronic Stability and TC are different.

 

[mr.pink87]

TC stops the driven wheels from spinning (traffic light GP etc.) and ESP stabilizes your car by reducing power and selective breaking (to quick in teh twisteez, y0). But only until the limitations of physics (kind of useless if you know how do drive properly).

 

[Maccy]

Ah I see

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

TC stops the driven wheels from spinning (traffic light GP etc.) and ESP stabilizes your car by reducing power and selective breaking (to quick in teh twisteez, y0). But only until the limitations of physics (kind of useless if you know how do drive properly).

Bingo.

If you need ESP or TC in a <200HP FWD road car, you got issues.

 

[Gman]

Bingo.

If you need ESP or TC in a <200HP FWD road car, you got issues.

I have to disagree here completely.

I can honestly say i think the esp in my old 182 saved me and the car from a very nasty accident a couple of years ago. I was following a vectra on my daily commute, the road was very quiet just me and the vectra, neither of us were driving too fast for the conditions, I lost sight of the vectra for a second as he disappeared around a corner, then all of a sudden i saw him hit a van head on, at this very second the back end of the clio broke away, I did correct it myself but i still say the esp had a big part to play in helping me make my way through the accident that had just happened. turns out there was something on the road which had caused him and me to lose grip.

In day to day driving esp is a wonderful feature.

 

[Dan1587]

I have to disagree here completely.

I can honestly say i think the esp in my old 182 saved me and the car from a very nasty accident a couple of years ago. I was following a vectra on my daily commute, the road was very quiet just me and the vectra, neither of us were driving too fast for the conditions, I lost sight of the vectra for a second as he disappeared around a corner, then all of a sudden i saw him hit a van head on, at this very second the back end of the clio broke away, I did correct it myself but i still say the esp had a big part to play in helping me make my way through the accident that had just happened. turns out there was something on the road which had caused him and me to lose grip.

In day to day driving esp is a wonderful feature.

Cant agree more.

 

[fletch8]

i cant think of one time ive been driving hard enough for my esp to kick in to be honest

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

I have to disagree here completely.

I can honestly say i think the esp in my old 182 saved me and the car from a very nasty accident a couple of years ago. I was following a vectra on my daily commute, the road was very quiet just me and the vectra, neither of us were driving too fast for the conditions, I lost sight of the vectra for a second as he disappeared around a corner, then all of a sudden i saw him hit a van head on, at this very second the back end of the clio broke away, I did correct it myself but i still say the esp had a big part to play in helping me make my way through the accident that had just happened. turns out there was something on the road which had caused him and me to lose grip.

In day to day driving esp is a wonderful feature.

Fair enough, that sounds like the sort of thing it's really designed for. However, you should never need it on a 'normal' journey, if you see what I mean.

I've driven a fair few cars, large and small with TC/ESP and it just gets on my nerves. Never owned one with it in 10 years of driving but haven't had an 'incident' like yours (he says grabbing plank of 2"x4" ).

 

[keirravn]

ESP = extra sensory perception

My old LCR had it, as above really it's a great tool and really helps out in emergencies, has to be switched off for real driving though (like TC and to a lesser extent ABS)

 

[mr.pink87]

I have to disagree here completely.

I can honestly say i think the esp in my old 182 saved me and the car from a very nasty accident a couple of years ago. I was following a vectra on my daily commute, the road was very quiet just me and the vectra, neither of us were driving too fast for the conditions, I lost sight of the vectra for a second as he disappeared around a corner, then all of a sudden i saw him hit a van head on, at this very second the back end of the clio broke away, I did correct it myself but i still say the esp had a big part to play in helping me make my way through the accident that had just happened. turns out there was something on the road which had caused him and me to lose grip.

In day to day driving esp is a wonderful feature.

The rare unicorn semen...

imo if ESP kicks in (y0) you were driving too fast.

 

[Ian_s]

I had it save my ass when someone pulled out infront of me on a roundabout, blocking my exit so I had to go round again when I had chosen a speed more suitable for exiting the roundabout...

 

[Gman]

The rare unicorn semen...

imo if ESP kicks in (y0) you were driving too fast.

Absolute tosh, I won't argue about my experience above as only I was there to know how fast i was actually driving. There are so many other situations you could find yourself forced into where ESP would help you out.

I was driving down a autobahn late july when i saw a flatbed lorry on the inside lane lose a length of scaffolding, fortunately i was over enough to have missing hitting it but, what if i had driven over it, or it had bounced up high and headed for my windscreen causing me to swerve at about 80mph causing me to break traction??

 

[mr.pink87]

ESP might be handy but i never needed it. Maybe i am driving like grandma!?

 

[aucky]

I had to turn ESP off in a BMW last year in the snow. The damn thing wouldn't move from standstill with it switched on.
It doesn't particularly bother me whether its on or off in normal conditions though, its pretty unintrusive.

 

[MicKPM]

Are you sure that wasn't ASR on a BMW? Thats what zee germans tend to deploy as "traction control" which cuts engine power/torque to stop you over powering and spinning up the wheels. ESP doesnt control traction, thats the ASR/TC's job... on *most* vehicles ESP is nothing but an electronic braking redistribution program that compliments the ABS allowing you to not only steer around an object in your path without locking up the wheels but also without the car sliding out by applying maximum braking to each wheel keeping it on its trajectory (within reason of course).

A good thing to have IMO as most "drivers" couldn't drive sheep

 

[aucky]

Could've been. It was a only a temmporary vehicle so I didn't get too acquainted with it