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Model specific boards => Golf mk5 => Topic started by: fletch..gti on 18 December 2009, 19:24

Title: ESP ?
Post by: fletch..gti on 18 December 2009, 19:24

Who drives with ESP off . They say you should not
turn it off on the road so why can you turn it on and
off , should it be on all the time from the factory
with no on off button ??  :shocked:

Title: Re: ESP ?
Post by: Hurdy on 18 December 2009, 23:43

The ESP is never fully off. Even when you press the button it just simply backs off, but will cut back in if it thinks you are being a looney and about to crash :grin:

I drive with the ESP off in snowy conditions and when the road is dry. In the wet I leave it on.

Title: Re: ESP ?
Post by: fletch..gti on 19 December 2009, 09:15

Thanks hurdy  :wink:

Title: Re: ESP ?
Post by: corgi on 19 December 2009, 09:26

It is worse than useless in the snow...

From experiment in the snow over the last couple of days if you turn it off it appears to ignore traction control type issues but still seems to give at least some correction if things become very squirrelly....

Having said all that, the car was pretty well behaved in tricky conditions - 0.5" - 1" of snow over sheet ice - in North Yorkshire on Thursday night and I managed to make it to the g/f's in the Yorkshire Dales when I was passing 4x4s abandoned at the side of the road...

Title: Re: ESP ?
Post by: AlanD on 19 December 2009, 12:10

Quote from: corgi on 19 December 2009, 09:26

I was passing 4x4s abandoned at the side of the road...

:shocked:

My GTI was awful in the snow last year. I was running GY Eagle F1 GSD3s which I think had something to do with it. They have a lot of flat surface area which is no good for ice / snow.

Title: Re: ESP ?
Post by: Gene Hunt. on 19 December 2009, 13:11

Mine has been fine in the snow the last couple of days.Having said that the gritters have made a good job of the A59.  :smiley:  :wink:

Title: Re: ESP ?
Post by: mr magoo on 21 December 2009, 21:52

Does the manual say anything about switching the esp off in snow?

I'm not going out to get it cos it's friggin cold out there!

Title: Re: ESP ?
Post by: BuckieGTI on 22 December 2009, 01:24

All depends on the conditions, Cars without it are far better in the snow along with smaller skinnier wheels. We never seem to have a problem up here in Scotland.

Title: Re: ESP ?
Post by: ub7rm on 22 December 2009, 07:22

Its better to have it off when starting off (in the snow) but once you get moving switch it back on.  Saved my bacon last year in the snow when the back end started going sideways. 

Title: Re: ESP ?
Post by: Micky 32 on 25 December 2009, 19:16

Why would anyone want to turn ESP off in the ice?? It's better on. Watch this video from 6 mins. They test a car with it on off and then on in sheet ice..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-hHWSQhKuc

Title: Re: ESP ?
Post by: as400 on 26 December 2009, 19:14

Quote from: Micky 32 on 25 December 2009, 19:16

Why would anyone want to turn ESP off in the ice?? It's better on. Watch this video from 6 mins. They test a car with it on off and then on in sheet ice..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-hHWSQhKuc

Some of the drivers on here are much more expert than Tiff is why.