ESP light + power loss when banking right.

[treysgreen]

As the title states, whenever I'm at highway speed and taking right curves my ESP kicks in and I'll get momentary loss of power. It doesn't happen if I turn ESP off before taking the turns. It doesn't generate any codes but it is very worrisome. Any ideas?

[old guy]

Just to be clear, you are actually checking for codes and not just referring to not getting a CEL?

[treysgreen]

Just to be clear, you are actually checking for codes and not just referring to not getting a CEL?

Correct. No codes are reported via vagcom. Though a while back I did get a code for the ABS sensor That lit up the ESP, brake and traction control light. I cleaned the sensor and it has only come up once in the past year.

Also, my title is wrong. It's not the ESP light. It is the traction control light.

[old guy]

I suspect your problem is coming from an erroneous reading from one of your wheel speed sensors. I't either reading too high or too low. The ESP is reading it as the car getting out of sorts (wheel spin) and starts to cut power a little. I would recommend that you watch the wheel speed sensor inputs in real time and see if that confirms my suspicion.

[treysgreen]

I suspect your problem is coming from an erroneous reading from one of your wheel speed sensors. I't either reading too high or too low. The ESP is reading it as the car getting out of sorts (wheel spin) and starts to cut power a little. I would recommend watch the wheel speed sensor inputs in real time and see if that confirms my suspicion.

Will do. Good call. Thanks Fletcher.

[old guy]

Will do. Good call. Thanks Fletcher.

Here's a really neat "walk through" for anyone who wants to monitor the wheel speed sensors: Clicky click®

[LT1FirebirdSLP]

Just started to experience this problem. I am in the middle of diagnosing but suspect it could be the result of overly worn tires or uneven tire wear causing wheel speed sensors to not read evenly or within their expected limits.

[pape]

As the title states, whenever I'm at highway speed and taking right curves my ESP kicks in and I'll get momentary loss of power. It doesn't happen if I turn ESP off before taking the turns. It doesn't generate any codes but it is very worrisome. Any ideas?

I have had the exact thing happen to me... I have 2 sets of wheels. 19" with all the same tires and wear, and 16"oem with 3 different tires and wear. When I run the 16" at highway speeds and turn I have the light (TC I think) and loss of power. With the 19" wheels there is no light nor loss of power, so long time ago I switched back and fort the wheels to test if it was the uneven tires. I concluded after the test my problem was the tires. So this might be something worth looking at on your car.

[LT1FirebirdSLP]

Quick update. I just threw brand new Blizzaks on my car and the issue has stopped happening. Will continue to monitor and update.

[cleoo]

Here's a really neat "walk through" for anyone who wants to monitor the wheel speed sensors: Clicky click

This link returns a 404. Id like to do this but it’s dead.

I’m also having an issue while driving too at highway speeds (50+), turning slightly to the right into a curve while pressing on the gas, the traction control light blinks and I lose the ability to accelerate. If I press the gas, nothing, when I release the gas and straighten out the steering wheel and press the gas again will I regain control and able to accelerate.

I tried the Steering Angle Sensor (G85) Alignment on the VCDS and I was still getting the blinking traction control and loss of power.

Sometimes I’d get a feeling of braking when I turn into a right curve and the traction light blinks. That was a new issue.

Any things I need to check?

[old guy]

You will need VCDS to monitor the wheel speed sensors in real time. Additional info in this thread Clicky click®️

[Cybersombosis]

This link returns a 404. Id like to do this but it’s dead.

I’m also having an issue while driving too at highway speeds (50+), turning slightly to the right into a curve while pressing on the gas, the traction control light blinks and I lose the ability to accelerate. If I press the gas, nothing, when I release the gas and straighten out the steering wheel and press the gas again will I regain control and able to accelerate.

I tried the Steering Angle Sensor (G85) Alignment on the VCDS and I was still getting the blinking traction control and loss of power.

Sometimes I’d get a feeling of braking when I turn into a right curve and the traction light blinks. That was a new issue.

Any things I need to check?

Are you Front Trak by chance (Front wheel drive)?

[cleoo]

Yes. Front wheel drive.

[Cybersombosis]

I find that any Front Track cars I test drive always has the traction control light turn on when I get on the throttle and there is any slippage whatsoever.

[cleoo]

I monitored the wheel speed sensors on the ABS module on VCDS but I didn’t really noticed any drastic difference among the four sensors. Maybe one was a tic slower than the others but definitely not the front left, I suspect, was causing the power loss.

I haven’t tried the cleaning of the wheel speed sensor yet from the link old guy sent.

[cleoo]

Resolved: A torn inner CV boot was the cause of the issue. It leaked a lot of grease and caused a mismatch apparently.

Replaced the axle with another one and the blinking ESP and the sudden ABS braking went away.