Power cut out on acceleration, ESP light came on

[Leon2012]

Hi,

I've had this a few times now, I'm accelerating hard in 3rd say, upto about 3500 revs, and suddenly the power cuts out, the car jerks and the ESP light starts flashing on the dashboard?! The car goes back to normal after, but I don't want this happening, and am wondering what's wrong, and what does ESP do anyway?!

Cheers

 

[jase750]

Electronic Stability Programme i.e. traction control.. you're getting wheel spin and it's trying to stop it happening !!!!

 

[Leon2012]

Hi & cheers Jase,

It's a 110 diesel by the way - can I turn the ESP off with VAGCOM maybe?

Cheers

 

[jase750]

should be a button down by your hand brake next to the fuel cap button

 

[andycupra]

given you seem unaware what the ESP and traction control do and that you were likely getting wheel spin, id not recomment turngin ESP off.
Traction control maybe, but even then im sure you will surprised how its been helping you.

 

[dazvessey]

 

[grahams81]

I thought the esp light could also indicate a problem with the MAF

 

[Leon2012]

Yes, I think it's a sign of a fault, as it's very rare this happens.

I get a COMPLETE loss of power for a second or two, the car jerks violently, then goes back to normal.

I've tried a few times this evening to force it to happen, but I can't - the ESP light comes on as normal under wheelspin conditions, and I don't think I want to turn it off really, but this total power loss is disconcerting to say the least!

I can get the ESP light to come on almost at will if I cane it hard, but this has only happened about 3 times, and I've driven it harder without it happening.

It's like the fuel pump cuts out for a second or two??

I don't know whether this would happen with a MAF problem, but I'm all ears!

 

[Leon2012]

should be a button down by your hand brake next to the fuel cap button

Cheers Jase, have you got a Leon? Your profile says Ibiza PD100, so what you doing in the Leon MK1 forum, lol

given you seem unaware what the ESP and traction control do and that you were likely getting wheel spin, id not recomment turngin ESP off.
Traction control maybe, but even then im sure you will surprised how its been helping you.

I make it wheelspin for a bit of fun sometimes, so I might be ignorant of what ESP does exactly, but I can control a car in a skid lol

 

[jase750]

Not updated for a while lol.

I'm on my 8th Seat and my second LCR

 

[traumapat]

I thought the esp light could also indicate a problem with the MAF

solid light = maf, flashing light = Esp working.

OP, check tyres are in good order and try being more progressive with the throttle.

 

[Cupra Grant]

Yes, I think it's a sign of a fault, as it's very rare this happens.

I get a COMPLETE loss of power for a second or two, the car jerks violently, then goes back to normal.
This happens with my LCR. It's normal it's the ESP system working. The system will realise that the wheels are spinning using the information gatherd from the wheel speed/abs sensors the ESP ecu will then Send a message to the engine Control ecu to to limit the power allowing you to controll the vehicle this is why you get the jerking forward.It also will be measuring the values from all the other sensors at the same time such as pitch and yaw current speed of the vehicle throttle position and all sorts of other things at the same time and act upon them by braking limmiting power and so on This Is how the ESP system has been explained to me at college. But it's very brief so correct me if I've missed anything or given the wrong idea

 

[Muttley]

Are you sure you have ESP and not TCS? But in any case, this sounds like the TCS function cutting in, thinking you have wheelspin and cutting power to restore traction.

Do you have a mixture of wheel sizes, tyres or the steel spare on? TCS will react badly to a mixture of wheel+tyre diameters. The manual advises you to shut TCS off in these cases.

 

[Leon2012]

Ok thanks for the info,

I don't like the way it cuts out! It's more dangerous than wheelspinning for a second in a straight line.

I thought it was "ESP", because I looked in the PDF manual Lee69 has in his signature and the light is listed as "ESP". It's the one with a triangle with a circle around it, and flashes yellow.

 

[Leon2012]

Do you have a mixture of wheel sizes, tyres or the steel spare on? TCS will react badly to a mixture of wheel+tyre diameters. The manual advises you to shut TCS off in these cases.

I have standard 15" alloys with 195/65/R15 tyres, 2 x Dunlop Wintersport 3D on the front with approx. 4.5mm tread and 2 x Avon Ice Touring on the back, again with about 4.5mm tread.

Car is 110 BHP remapped to approx. 140BHP

 

[PSX]

In my LCR I'll get the blinking TCS light with wheelspin on takeoff - the system limits this by braking the front wheels - but if I'm doing any sort of speed and persistently keep the right-foot down too far then it will give up with the brakes and cut power instead (dumps all boost). This is usually in a big jerky fashion and must look very foolish to bystanders

If it's happening without wheelspin.. it could be an ignition problem - though this would usually also bring on the engine management light with it and generate a fault code.

Alex

 

[Leon2012]

Ok thanks PSX, maybe it's a "normal" feature of the ESP/traction control.

I don't know if the engine light came on, because I've got the EGR deleted and this has put the engine light on permanently.

 

[Muttley]

The majority of posts I've read where the poster complains of the ESP/TCS cutting power harshly seem to involve remapped engines. I wonder if the ABS system (where TCS and ESP are implemented) is out of sync with the ECU after a remap?