ESP light illuminating while driving

typezero · Mar 11, 2008

Hi people,
Wonder if any off you guys could help me with this problem that has just arised on my mk4 ibiza cupra pd160.Basically what happens after driving for 10 mins roughly ,I get the esp light come up on the dash,and the esp switch does not turn it off or on.When I stop and turn ignition off then on again the light goes out but will come up after 10 mins off driving.The only thing I have done was take the wheel sensors off and cleaned them. Any advice would be appreciated

cheshire cat · Mar 11, 2008

did you clean after the fault or before, I guess you ned to check the wiring to each and Vag-com would save some time and effort

typezero · Mar 11, 2008

Yes nick I cleaned after the fault but still no difference

cuprakel · Mar 11, 2008

where exactly are the wheel sensors located?

R23 · Mar 11, 2008

I had a similar problem on my mk4 golf recently - it was after I had had tracking done and the steering wheel was then not straight and it bought the light on thinking that there was a steering angle sensor fault. You may have damaged one of the sensors? Seems like they are all linked up to the esp light!

spyke85 · Mar 11, 2008

And what do the wheel sensors actually do?

Skisbp · Mar 12, 2008

R23 said:
I had a similar problem on my mk4 golf recently - it was after I had had tracking done and the steering wheel was then not straight and it bought the light on thinking that there was a steering angle sensor fault. You may have damaged one of the sensors? Seems like they are all linked up to the esp light!

Sounds like you need to get them to do their job properly! :doh:

m0rk · Mar 12, 2008

typezero said:
Yes nick I cleaned after the fault but still no difference

what was teh fault?

muddyboots · Mar 12, 2008

You have a broken wire, in the alternator loom connector where it passes in front of the gearbox.

Quite a common fault, giveaway symptom is the 10 minute delay after startup.

You'll have to get underneath to see it.

st10587 · Mar 12, 2008

spyke85 said:
And what do the wheel sensors actually do?

helps things like abs to work out which wheel is locking up and traction control to find out which wheel is spinning iirc

typezero · Mar 12, 2008

cheers muddyboots will have alook later and will let u know what i find thnx

muddyboots · Mar 12, 2008

typezero said:
cheers muddyboots will have alook later and will let u know what i find thnx

There's a connector block mounted on the front of the gearbox. The alternator wiring runs through this, and it's common for a wire to break off at the connector (happens on Ibiza and Fabia TDIs). The ESP module relies on a "load" signal from the alternator (not sure why) and the module will disable itself after 10 mins if it can't see the load signal.

You won't see if from above though, you'll have to get the undertray off and fiddle around from underneath.
I just soldered a link wire in to bypass the connector, problem solved. Can't see there will be any reason for the connector to ever be taken apart, suspect it's just there to aid assembly of the loom in the factory.

typezero · Mar 12, 2008

muddyboots you where spot on with the broken wire thnx a million to yourself and cheers again for everyones help what a great forum.

muddyboots · Mar 12, 2008

Guinness · Mar 12, 2008

think I have this fault too, going to have a look today, will try and get some pictures up. If its not too windy.

Slippery_Stu · Aug 24, 2008

Guinness said:
think I have this fault too, going to have a look today, will try and get some pictures up. If its not too windy.

Guinness,

Did you find that this fixed your symptoms? Also did you manage to take some pics?

I'm a bit of a novice on the mechanical side, I presume the undertray comes off fairly easily......then is the connector easily visible/accessible?

Having the same problem on my 54 plate FR TDi, light comes on dead on 10 minutes every time! Took it to SEAT before finding this post and they are telling me £840 to have a new ABS Control unit supplied and fitted!

Would much prefer it to be a dodge wire/cable!

Slippery_Stu · Sep 5, 2008

muddyboots you are a money saving genius........it was a broken wire for me too.

All tested and all sorted.....so much for the ABS Control Unit and £840 that the Stealers wanted!

Very easily identified once the undertray was off, 2 crimps and a short bit of wire was all that was needed, i'll get under there and solder it at some point.

It's amazing what a little bit of knowledge sharing and forum community can do, saved a lot of money in my case.

Credit to DIFT for pointing me in the right direction and muddyboots for posting the solution.

I can start enjoying the driving the car for longer than 10 minutes now, that little light was well annoying but it has finally gone

muddyboots · Sep 5, 2008

Glad to be of service [B)]

When I first had the problem, I'd already changed the voltage regulator on my alternator, and was about the change the alternator itself - until Techie on here (who was a Skoda master tech at the time) mentioned to me he'd seen a couple of Fabias with the same fault/symptoms. So he should take the credit really

aki508 · Feb 9, 2009

Tcs

Hi there!! just been reading hrough this thread to shed any light on my problem! My esp light comes on when i reach 60mph and i cant accelerate past that unless i turn the tcs off? Im really stumped as to what it could be? :doh:

Ive cleaned all the abs sensors and had a look at the reluctor rings and they are all good! Plus there are no faut codes? very strange!!!

RUM4MO · Feb 10, 2009

aki508 said:
Hi there!! just been reading hrough this thread to shed any light on my problem! My esp light comes on when i reach 60mph and i cant accelerate past that unless i turn the tcs off? Im really stumped as to what it could be?

Ive cleaned all the abs sensors and had a look at the reluctor rings and they are all good! Plus there are no faut codes? very strange!!!

Just one thing, are all your tyres the same size - ie roughly the same wear?

ESP light illuminating while driving

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