ESP Warning Light

[whitegoosedown]

After having charged my battery (for mysterious power drain - perhaps a different issue) the ESP light came on but after a few metres it didn't go off. Didn't go off after turning ignition off an on again as suggested. ESP warning still on after 120 miles. I have tried pressing ESP button to no avail. Car drives perfectly normally although I haven't braked sharply enough to trigger ABS.

Any ideas? Seems to me to be linked to changing battery but could be broken I suppose. Any help greatly appreciated.

[mc11]

After having charged my battery (for mysterious power drain - perhaps a different issue) the ESP light came on but after a few metres it didn't go off. Didn't go off after turning ignition off an on again as suggested. ESP warning still on after 120 miles. I have tried pressing ESP button to no avail. Car drives perfectly normally although I haven't braked sharply enough to trigger ABS.

Any ideas? Seems to me to be linked to changing battery but could be broken I suppose. Any help greatly appreciated.

Try to see if there are any fault codes?

[peteo]

Sounds a bit like my problem on my MK5 Golf TDI (post on that thread). The difference being I haven't disconnected the battery at all. With mine, the ABS light is also on.

What's weird is they come on, as they should, when you turn on the ignition. Then the ESP light goes out followed by the ABS light. After about 200 yards they both come back on and, like your car, you can't turn the ESP thingy on again.

Getting mine looked at by main dealer this Thursday. Will advise what transpires. Seems getting the diagnostic check done is the only way to find out what's wrong.

[whitegoosedown]

I took it in and had a diagnostic check done. Apparently when the battery went flat the central computer lost the codes. They then had to be reprogrammed at a cost of £95 plus vat. Some things don't ring true.

Why did only those codes dissappear?
Why do they only disappear if the battery is flat for a long time?
Still don't know what caused the battery to go flat in the first place.

Any similar problems anyone (Audi A3 2.0 FSI Sport)

[Issac Hunt]

Its not uheard of. If you had searched out someone on here with VAG-COM they could have done it for you for free!

[whitegoosedown]

That would have been very useful. I'll definitely ask next time something goes wrong

[TomRobinson]

I had a similar problem.
Was driving back from holiday on the motorway, luckily in the left lane, ESP light comes on and traction control kicks in applying my brakes.
Had to pull over as it wouldn't turn off.
Got trailored to next services where it was looked at by the AA, they sorted it but i got it checked anyway afterwards, and no fault codes were found, which was a huge mystery, but been okay ever since.

Oh and it was the same model. 2.0FSI

[PMD]

My A4 is suffering with identical problem though I've not broken down yet. Traction control light comes on (30 seconds or so) followed by Emissions light which stays on for days.

Am searching the site for some ideas before it goes to garage on Monday. ANy idea what the AA did??

Thanks

[woodchopper87]

it is the steering angle sensor that loses the coding causing the esp light to come on. it will happen all the time when the battrery has been disconnected

[PMD]

Thanks, diagnostics was completed on Monday and points to the throttle valve? (£200 part). :aargh4:

The ESP light only comes on with the traction control light. Always 5 minutes into the journey. Traction contol light usually goes out after brake peddle is pressed or after 30 sec or so. You can feel the traction control taking over for a short period.

Could this be a steering sensor?

Occasionally I'm getting a brake warning light from the info. screen (red with exclaimation mark). This light comes on when car is started. I've read elsewhere about faulting wiring looms from abs sensors.

I'm wondering whether the throttle valve is receiving a faulty signal from one of the abs sensors or wiring looms, not sure how I check this though but will be a job for saturday.

Any other thoughts gratefully received.

Thanks

[woodchopper87]

fault sounds more serious than just a battery going flat. do you know the fault codes that had shown up the machine when testing ?

[BIGSSS]

I had a similar problem with my Audi, i removed the steering angle sensor and cleaned it with electrical cleaner. The ESP error was causing the car to cut out when driving and i'd also get an intermittant Parking brake malfunction. Not had any problems after cleaning the sensor although i need to reset the airbag light now as i had to remove the airbag to get to the sensor.

[PMD]

Thanks for the advise, I'II give it a go.

[PMD]

The fault code the garage gave me was FC 4C 68, they think it' s the throttle valve but are not 100% sure.

Traction control light will come on during the first mile or so usually when I hit a bump in the road. The brake warning light seems to come on 50% of the time on start up. I'm wondering if it could be a faulty sensor signal or lead going to the trottle valve as the traction control still works fine when required.

Wjen the traction control light is on I still have full control of the car, the only thing you notice is a slight resitance when the light first comes on when I come to a stop the engine pulls up harder than usual.

Would be grateful for any ideas you may have. I'm reluctant to get the thottle valve changed until I'm sure that's the problem.

[BIGSSS]

I'd still go with the steering angle sensor, my cars just started playing up again so i've just ordered another one as cleaning it only lasted a few weeks. The fact that after cleaning it sorted my problem would suggest i'm on the right track although it might just need calibrated but my cable hasn't arrived yet so i've just ordered a new sensor and will do both when they arrive, i'll let you know how i get on. (i'm also getting the brake error on start up and sometimes when driving the car will just cut out with an ESP error but this all stopped once i cleaned the steering angle sensor, pity it only lasted a few weeks lol)

[chuffingaudi]

FYI: Our A3 2.0tdi ESP light came on and refused to go out, just out of warranty. It turns out this can be caused by a myriad of reasons, but on ours its being caused by the ABS pump, apparently the onboard ecu is prone to failing allowing spurious readings to effect the cars over systems. Cost of repair £900 - £1500+. Follow this thread if you need further information. http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=83472

[quattrapig]

Battery drain .Check the boot light is not stuck on. Good luck

[BIGSSS]

I've changed the steering angle sensor and no errors now but the steering is now heavy and the when turning a corner the steering wheel won't return to centre on its own, i've got to feed it back round. Any ideas are welcome.

[BIGSSS]

Sorted now, the small locating dowel at the bottom of the return ring had broken off the old one and i never noticed that the new one wasn't fitted correctly.Doh! :banghead:

[PMD]

Good to hear you're all sorted.

I've decided to wait and see if the problem gets worse, the garage don't think it is anything too serious. All fault lights are currently off and the source of these annoying electrical problems are always difficult to find. Think I'II start with the sensors, maybe a Christmas job.

Cheers

[BIGSSS]

Just wanted to up date, the ESP & parking brake problem had come back but i've now narrowed it down to a flat battery. I couldn't clear the error yesterday so i tried the jump leads to my wifes car and the error cleared, removed the jump leads and the error returned (waited 15 minutes for battery to discharge the small charge from the jump) tried again with jump leads and all good. I checked the battery with a multi-meter and its sitting at 11.9Volts which i thought was not too bad but i guess the cold weather has a lot to do with it. I've got the battery charging before i go and buy a new one but i'm hoping it will take a charge as the car hasn't really been getting used properly as i only do a couple of miles a day.:D

[Formy]

I have the exact same problem. My car wouldn' t start this morning, causing me to jump start it off the wifes. When finally started, the power steering wouldn' t work and the ESP light was on. I am now obliged to go to Audi because I am based in France and don' t know anybody with VCDS :-(

[whitegoosedown]

If the battery runs completely flat the ESP system loses it's settings. These need to be reprogrammed for the ESP to work properly again. It's not a massive problem as the car will still drive fine without ESP. ESP only comes in when one of the four wheels loses traction. It's worth getting sorted though as a guide my local Audi independant charged me £90 to reprogramme.

[Formy]

I had the car diagnosed yesterday at a local garage. Apparently its the Steering Angle Sensor and Lateral Speed Sensors.

VCDS on order to enable me to reprogramme the stupid thing!

Hopefully this will rectify the problem

[gobx]

Had the same thing happen 2 me, had the car off the road for a few months and the battery went dead, put new battery in and Lo and Behold esp light and power steering lights on dash.
Brought it in 2 Audi who said I needed a new steering rack first and foremost 800 euro new. I got second hand one fitted 250 euro
Ran diagnostic for the esp light and was giving these fault codes:

0810 Brake Pressure Sensor
0778 Steering Angle Sensor
1423 Sensor for Laterall Acceleration G200

Audi main dealer told me I'd need a new ABS Pump and wanted 1500 euro
Thought Iwas goosed as I did'nt have that kind of money so I did a bit of research online and was told I might only need the sensors re-callibrated using vcds

Guess what it worked! Result!

Got me thinking though there are some clowns working in main dealer garages!

And did I need a new steering rack at all!

Moral of the story: always get a second opinion

[Waddellg]

Hi
I've a SEAT with similar problem main dealer can't shed any light but wants to replace my alternator and then the car computer if it doesn't work

Did anyone manage to resolve this?

[peteo]

I had the dreaded ESP light thing about 18 months ago. As others have said, it is not always the ABS pump although that does fail.

Credit to my main dealers, Smith Knight Fay in Hyde who immediately identified the problem as down to a duff sensor. A bearing had gone as well so a £250 (ish) bill rather than a grand plus for a new pump.

Worth noting that it is not always the ABS pump.

[A31.8towner]

audi a3 1.8t sport 2001. ESP plus brake failure problem. causing battery drain.

right, i might be wrong pal, but my a3 1.8t is the same. I'm getting brake system failure warning light as well. I'm not beaten easy so I start the elimination process.

first of all why is my battery draining ? and sluggish to start ? like you I was mystified. so I look around all the lights on the car. turns out the back break light is stuck on, on the nearside and I have a fog light out on the nearside also. fuse is fine. now I'm only sharing because it could be beneficial to others.
but basically I figure the brake light is causing the malfunction. this in turn is causing the battery to drain by drawing extra feed. taking vital volts away from the coil packs etc and setting off alarm bells in my ESP system. making it do the exact same as yours. breaks work fine as well.
but just to remind you and others the ESP will do this to notify you of a problem in your brake system as it is connected to the abs. no matter how small the fault ie like me a faulty break system. brake fluid low, master cylinder leaking, leaking bleed nipple, or even a faulty or worn front pad sensor.

so you need to find the cause of the problem look for leaks on your drive or space at work if u find some you may be closer to the problem if not it's hands on I'm afraid.

I'm about to go out an look at the brake light with new bulbs in hand and my fully charged battery and will keep you all informed.

[NHN]

Check to see if there's a brake light switch on the pedal, thats another to watch for on vag cars.