B5.5 Tdi 130 Estate ESP

[Billabong]

Does anybody else find that the ESP traction control doesn't really, well, control the traction?! I frequently find that the I spin the wheels, especially pulling out of junctions in the wet. The ESP dash light flashes, but the wheels still spin...

[mikeaggy]

I dont think you realise how much the ESP does until you try driving with it off? Having said that, I am not sure how much good it is in the snow - it just seems to take away all the power just when you need it! Mind you I have just changed from a TD5 Discovery so perhaps am expecting too much.
Mike

[Billabong]

I've had VAG cars with ESP before (Seat Ibiza Cupra) and it seemed to quell the wheel spin reasonably well. The only problem I did find was that if you dropped a front wheel into a pot hole or similar then the ESP would kick in and you'd lose power for a couple of seconds!

[TheMadhatter]

I dont think you realise how much the ESP does until you try driving with it off

I second that, I was driving on snow and ice today on a quite stretch of road. In second gear at about 10mph I tested how much grip there was with the ESP on, not much but it did control the wheel spin and seemed to limit the engine rpm. Then tried it with the ESP switched off and the wheels spun and the engine rpm shot up. so I would say it was working pretty hard.

Also the over day I got up my road by driving with one wheel on the grass/snow by the side of the pavement and one on the icy road, impossible with out ESP