ESP is supposed to handle directional correction too no? or is it just traction?
04-07-2006, 06:03 AM
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ESP is supposed to handle directional correction too no? or is it just traction?
excuse my ignorance, i havent had a car with ESP nor did I ever really like the idea of it...but my A6 has it so i decided to see exactly how invasive it was last night. I was on an off ramp off of I95 that loops around back underneath the highway in a full 270deg turn. So i brought the car to the tires limits of adhesion then cut the wheel some more and got the back to drift out smoothly. i got the back to hang out pretty far for a big car and not once did i see the ESP logo light up on the dash.
As much as i am happy about this, i thought i would have my fun cut back by the computer at least a little. Should it have come into play at all? or is it mostyly just traction related and doesnt do any directional control? i thought it was supposed to help limit understeer/oversteer.
As much as i am happy about this, i thought i would have my fun cut back by the computer at least a little. Should it have come into play at all? or is it mostyly just traction related and doesnt do any directional control? i thought it was supposed to help limit understeer/oversteer.
04-07-2006, 07:03 AM
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Surprising ESP didn't reel you him, you sure it wasn't shut off? For me it
cuts in just before I start to drift (understeer). It surprising you could even get your car into oversteer, are the tires worn? ESP will apply the brakes to straighten. I'm not sure if ESP cuts power or if just the brakes pulling the car down. ESP doesn't do anything for straight line traction, that's handled by the Torsen diff.
04-07-2006, 07:09 AM
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not shut off... ive been scared to hit the *fun button* cause i dont know all the limits of the car
im used to driving a car with no ESP, thats smaller, lighter, and lower. im very scared ill be in a wall if i try to drive this car like that. Im sure ill find the limits of the car in the next couple months of driving but an A/T bigboy like the A6 definately has less overall adhesion to the road than my A4 did. as is expected...i was just shocked i didnt see the ESP light flashing and my fun killed when the back end slid out...i gotta say it slid out very smoothly tho. much happier with the way this thing oversteers than the oversteer characteristics of say a CLK55...
the tires are a little worn but theyre summer tires and still have decent tread depth.
the tires are a little worn but theyre summer tires and still have decent tread depth.
04-07-2006, 07:24 AM
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ESP won't activate unless it detects the car is not responding to your inputs
Sometimes it gets overly agressive but it looks at steering wheel input, accelerometers and wheelspin. It can help you maintain directional control by selectively braking one or more wheels.
For example, you are turning right but starting to understeer (the front wheels are turned right but the car is continuing straight). ESP will brake the right rear wheel. If both rear wheels have traction the car will pivot on the right rear wheel and begin to turn right.
In the scenario you described, it's possible ESP didn't do anything because the car was responding to your steering input and going where you intended it to go. If the rear wheels were slipping laterally while turning at the same rate as the fronts, ESP may not even be detecting much slippage.
For example, you are turning right but starting to understeer (the front wheels are turned right but the car is continuing straight). ESP will brake the right rear wheel. If both rear wheels have traction the car will pivot on the right rear wheel and begin to turn right.
In the scenario you described, it's possible ESP didn't do anything because the car was responding to your steering input and going where you intended it to go. If the rear wheels were slipping laterally while turning at the same rate as the fronts, ESP may not even be detecting much slippage.
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04-07-2006, 08:47 AM
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I was under the impression it should have been working hard to keep >
the rear from coming out.
Same as if you just understeered terribly, it should brake a wheel to help stop it.
I'm going to wait until a rainy day and find a huge parking lot where I can play a little.
I always have done this in the snow to see how a new car handles when it starts sliding.
I've only had my Avant for a few weeks now.
My '98 Avant didn't have ESP but it was fun to drift in the snow with!
I've done dozens of HPDE's, so I'm used to catching slides and driving at the limit, that's why I'd never try that on a regular road.
Same as if you just understeered terribly, it should brake a wheel to help stop it.
I'm going to wait until a rainy day and find a huge parking lot where I can play a little.
I always have done this in the snow to see how a new car handles when it starts sliding.
I've only had my Avant for a few weeks now.
My '98 Avant didn't have ESP but it was fun to drift in the snow with!
I've done dozens of HPDE's, so I'm used to catching slides and driving at the limit, that's why I'd never try that on a regular road.
04-07-2006, 09:23 AM
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ESP senses directional control problems but it only controls traction
This may seem like a fine point but it is important to realize that the ESP won't turn the steering wheel to get you out of a spin. The ESP can only reduce engine power and apply braking (it can do braking on each brake individually). Normally the ESP light comes on if the system senses the need to interfer and it sounds like your situation was likely to qualify. You may want to have the system checked out at the dealer.
I see the ESP light quite often when I am accellerating hard in first gear while making a right turn from one raod to another, especially in the rain. I only once got an ESP reaction from a situation like you describe. I had a very low tire (I didn't know about it until after the incident) I was on an entrance ramp to an interstate and going fast enough to get some noise out of the tires. The rear end broke loose and the ESP light came on and really took care of the spin. I am not at all sure I could have done as good a job as the ESP did. I cannot apply differential braking like ESP but of course I can turn the steering wheel which ESP cannot.
I see the ESP light quite often when I am accellerating hard in first gear while making a right turn from one raod to another, especially in the rain. I only once got an ESP reaction from a situation like you describe. I had a very low tire (I didn't know about it until after the incident) I was on an entrance ramp to an interstate and going fast enough to get some noise out of the tires. The rear end broke loose and the ESP light came on and really took care of the spin. I am not at all sure I could have done as good a job as the ESP did. I cannot apply differential braking like ESP but of course I can turn the steering wheel which ESP cannot.
