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ESP Light MOT failure?
mookaloid - 6/3/13 at 02:26 PM

Please can anyone tell me if an ESP light being illuminated is an MOT failure? car is a 2001 Beetle.

Cheers

Mark


matt_gsxr - 6/3/13 at 02:36 PM

One our Audi A3 (2003 I think) the light has been on for years and it doesn't seem to be an MOT failure.
I was surprised because I thought the rules had changed.

It is a standard problem with A3, Golf and I guess Beetles.


Mr Whippy - 6/3/13 at 02:38 PM

Apparently has now been included

Electronic Stability Control

Checks of anti-lock brakes will be extended to include Electronic Stability Control if fitted. The tester will check for the presence and correct operation of the ESC malfunction warning light together with looking for obviously missing, excessively damaged or inappropriately repaired or modified components and electrical wiring, as well as an ESC switch missing, insecure or faulty.

AA advice kinky

[Edited on 6/3/13 by Mr Whippy]


Agriv8 - 6/3/13 at 03:00 PM

I was under the impresion that has gone from 'not tested' to 'failure' if fitted to the vehicle. When the new MOT regs came in ( not sure when that was /is )

Regards

Agriv8

[Edited on 6/3/13 by Agriv8]


tegwin - 6/3/13 at 04:03 PM

Do you have Vag-Com to find out where the fault is.... possibly just a sensor or something simple to fix!?


mookaloid - 6/3/13 at 04:06 PM

Thanks Chaps

It's a car my daughter is thinking of buying so I think as part of the deal I will insist on a visit to the VW dealer to diagnose.

Apparently today it isn't an MOT failure but it is part of the new regs - only the testers don't know when it will actually become a fail.


adithorp - 6/3/13 at 04:09 PM

Was supposed to become a failure item in May (?) this year, but I think it wasn't implemented.

It's usually an ABS pump/ECU fault... and expensive.


JAMSTER - 6/3/13 at 04:23 PM

brake light switch ???


tegwin - 6/3/13 at 05:03 PM

quote:
Originally posted by JAMSTER
brake light switch ???


Yeah, brakelight switches and steering wheel position sensors seem to be the usual suspects..



Vag-com cables can be had off ebay for a few quid and the software found freely if needed... sure you can get it sorted


beaver34 - 6/3/13 at 05:41 PM

is it the spinning wheel one?

if so ours come on and off on th odd occasion and is triggered by the maf sensor on ours would you belive, spilt breather pipes have been replaced which is known for causing the light

now it comes on once every 3-6 months not every other day


britishtrident - 6/3/13 at 07:11 PM

It is probably the reason the car is up for sale, this type of fault can be a b@&^%*^ to pin down.
Even if you get the fault code in my experience fault code rarely point directly to the faulty component.
I would advise unless the seller fixes it before sale walk away.


steve m - 6/3/13 at 07:28 PM

I dont know how the VW system works, but on my Mondy you can turn it off (why?) and it will remain off, untill switched back on,

Despite ignition off an on

hasnt been switched off by mistake has it?

Steve


Wadders - 6/3/13 at 07:47 PM

As suggested walk away unless seller gets it sorted. Worse case scenario ABS pump could be shot.
The light came on on my old T5 and VW quoted me £1400 + vat just for a pump, no labour included, i ended up getting it fixed another way but it still cost approx £500 and was a nightmare to sort.

Al.


beaver34 - 6/3/13 at 07:56 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Wadders
As suggested walk away unless seller gets it sorted. Worse case scenario ABS pump could be shot.
The light came on on my old T5 and VW quoted me £1400 + vat just for a pump, no labour included, i ended up getting it fixed another way but it still cost approx £500 and was a nightmare to sort.

Al.


its not abs related abs has its own warning lamp on the beetle


britishtrident - 6/3/13 at 08:14 PM

I would speculate the wheel sensor signals gofirst to ABS then the ABS provides the signals to the ESP.
On Bosch ABS systems it is not unknown to finf the multi-pin electrical connector to the ABS unit corroded due to water ingress and this causes problems.


bashracing - 6/3/13 at 09:52 PM

just to go back to the original question re, mot failure, not at the moment but new regs are due to be enforced from the 6th of april, unless it gets delyed again


matt_gsxr - 6/3/13 at 10:12 PM

I think you will find it is a common fault.

See for example this useful description:
http://www.sinspeed.co.uk/volkswagen-audi-common-abs-fault-brake-pressure-sender-sensor-switch-failure

ABS works fine.


Wadders - 6/3/13 at 11:09 PM

Originally posted by beaver34
its not abs related abs has its own warning lamp on the beetle

The T5 also has separate warning lights, ABS worked perfectly well even when the warning light was on, the ABS and ESP lights would just come on randomly, sometimes for minutes sometimes for days on end and finally permanantly

After many plug in's and checking of wiring/connectors/sensors i had the ABS unit reconditioned and that cured the issue.

Al.


rusty nuts - 7/3/13 at 09:50 PM

There should have been a special notice sent out to MOT stations today listing all new testable items which come into force on the 20th of this month, we didn't get ours so I'm not totally sure whats going to be included


britishtrident - 7/3/13 at 11:28 PM

Sooner or later it is going to be in the MOT but that doesn’t change the fact the car has a fault that could cost more than the vehicle is worth to fix at least using genuine VW parts.


mookaloid - 7/3/13 at 11:47 PM

Thanks again chaps, I have persuaded her that it isn't worth the risk. So now I have the dilemma about what to do about he current car.

I think I'll start another thread


bashracing - 8/3/13 at 05:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
There should have been a special notice sent out to MOT stations today listing all new testable items which come into force on the 20th of this month, we didn't get ours so I'm not totally sure whats going to be included

if you check special notice 5-2012 on the vosa website it lists the items coming in