The ESP warning light means that there is a problem with your electronic stability program system or that you are driving on a slippery surface.
ESP Stands for the Electronic Stability Program and is made by Volkswagen. When you drive through slippery surfaces, the ESP light will turn on and flash on your dashboard when it’s working.
If the light is constant, you have a problem associated with your Electronic Stability Program.
The ESP does not work alone. It works in conjunction with the traction control and the anti-locking brakes (ABS). Modern cars have an onboard computer that monitors most of the car’s functions.
If one wheel slips, the ESP will control the other wheels by reducing power and applying brakings to correct your car’s stability.
The ESP can also inform the car’s engine to reduce power if your car is steering dangerously. This will then influence the power that is being supplied to individual wheels. This comes in handy when, for example, you keep revving the car on the icy ground, but there is no traction on the wheels. Power will be reduced; hence, enabling you to have more grip on the wheel.
The ESP works together with the ABS. This makes it hard to identify the main cause of the problem immediately.
To determine the problem causing the ESP light, it is always recommended to check the trouble codes with a diagnostic scanner.
Here is a more detailed list of the most common causes of an ESP light.
Faulty wheel ABS sensors
The wheel sensors send information about each wheel’s speed to the ABS control unit. The ABS control unit then measures this information and applies necessary solutions when one or more wheel slips.
If one ABS sensor fails, it may think that one wheel slips but it doesn’t, which will cause the light to come on.
Faulty ABS rings
The same thing applies to the ABS rings. The ABS sensor measures the wheel speed from the ABS rings, and it happens that these rings break, which will cause it to measure the wrong speed.
Faulty Throttle body
The throttle body is used to control the power output for the ESP system when your car slips. If there is anything wrong with the throttle body, it will cause the ESP light to come on.
Faulty Brake Pedal Switch
The ESP system needs to know when you are pressing the brake pedal. For this function to work properly, there is a brake pedal switch installed on your brake pedal.
If this switch is faulty and sending out wrong information, it may cause the ESP light to come on.
Faulty Steering Angle sensor
The ESP system does also uses the steering angle to calculate what to do in a slipping situation. If your steering angle sensor is becoming worse or is not programmed correctly, it may cause the ESP light to come on.
You do also have wirings from the ABS control unit to each wheel sensor at each wheel. These wires move a lot because of the suspension, and this can often cause the wirings to become worse when your vehicle becomes old.
The easiest method to see this is to measure the ABS sensors from the connector plug at the control unit. To do so, you need to check a repair manual for the correct pinout.
ESP Light – Meaning, Function & Causes was last modified: February 19th, 2021 by Magnus Sellén
Hi, I’m Magnus, the owner and the writer of Mechanic Base. I have been working with cars for 10 years, specialized in diagnostics and troubleshooting. I created this blog because I was tired of finding false information on the web while looking for repair information. I hope you enjoy my content!
