Sometimes I'm feeling playful in my C320, so I turn off the ESP. I've noticed that without ESP the throttle response is somewhat better (with my auto tranny), and I think the handling is better (the system is not doing any stability braking, slowing me down in the turns?)

Maybe it's just a mind-trick, but it does seem to handle better, leading me to think that the ESP is too aggressive in application (too conservatively sensitive... comes on too soon to keep me out of trouble).

Anyway, anyone observe similar changes?

 

Doesn't the ESP yellow triangle light up in the dash if ESP is activated by wheel spin? I think you'd know if it was cutting in too conservatively. I'm not sure about the braking but I bet there's a notification of that as well.

 

If you have not already seen this posting, this bit of advice from Mercedes Tech Talk portion of MBworld may further enhance your car's performance. It shows a way to turn off completely the traction control.
traction control link

I have not tried this on my own car.

 

Very helpful post, Fred. I need to start reading the tech forum more often. Boy, that mbtech208 is the MAN, isn't he?

 

The steering does not hit as quickly with the ESP on and you would not see the dash light up for that one. You only really see that light up when it looses traction in the front such as going fast thru turns or over bumpy road. Im gonna guess the throttle response will seem quicker as well since the system is not trying to correct anything from take off. But its there to keep you out of trouble, as you stated. The fun starts when you start to get into some trouble.

 

Hey i like trouble.Let the fun times begin.

 

Vinmanc32, are you sure about these statements? Does anyone know for sure that simply having the ESP switch in the normal "on" position affects things such as steering and throttle response during "normal" maneuvers? I was under the impression that the system was engaging only when the yellow triangle was lit on the dash. In addition, I don't think the ESP controls steering directly at all. It simply monitors vehicle direction and compares it to various "inputs", like steering angle, yaw rate, wheel spin, etc. It applies the brakes individually at the appropriate wheel(s) and may cut engine output, but again, I don't think it does anything with the steering system. MB-BOB, I don't think it affects throttle response unless it detects wheel spin or vehicle slip. IMO!

On a side note, my ESP engaged the other day and I was very impressed. I was making a left at a corner somewhat quickly, where they had just done some paving. Some loose gravel was in my path and as soon as I felt a little slip, the light came on and the car continued on my intended path "like magic".

 

From my own experience in my car, when the ESP is on the steering is not as quick to respond as when its off. You are very right about what it controls however, I can only tell you about how it feels in some situations. And it feels different when its on vs when its off. And the lights do not always go on. I only find they go on when the system is really in a serious correction mode. It does not activate for example; if I maneuver around an object but the wheels stay steady. On gravel as you mentioned or any time the wheels feel like they are going to break loose, the light will engage. I feel it in the wheel but no lights. Im am not a mechanic or officianado, just my own personal experience. Perhaps the system works at different levels so as to keep you under control in normal situations yet keep you stable when it senses that control could be lost.

 

I'm not technical, either, just reporting what I think I feel in the car. I agree that the system does nothing to correct steering, other than retard directional forces till you regain steering control.

It's just that when you're cornering at or near the limits of adhesion or a little over, the system does its thing by cutting output and applying differential braking to maintain your controlled turn direction (maybe too early, in my opinion).

While this is going on, mashing the throttle to take off won't have any effect until the system relinquishes control of the throttle to you, hence the perceived throttle lag. With ESP "off," I think I can get on the throttle faster. There, I think I said it better this time. Try it and see what I mean.

 

i agree with vinmanc32 totally.

The ESP light does NOT always flash. It was raining last week, and it was late into the night, so I decided to go into this industrial park and see how my car handles in the rain.. took a couple of hard turns at speed. And most of the time the ESP didn't flash. Should be noted though that I wasn't on the gas during the turns, just yanking the steering wheel. But I *DO* feel the ESP. The car just seems to slow itself down mid-corner. Okay, I'm no pro-star test driver, but that's how I thought I felt.

ESP seems to only flash under power or as vinmanc32 said, during extreme circumstances.

As for the car feeling so much sportier with ESP off, I don't know. I'm thinking if I'm feeling playful, then I'll turn it off and I'm a bit more aggressive, so it's probably a mental thing.

 

I have done several 0-60 tests in my E55 with a G-Tech Pro and on each and every run with the ESP on, the times were .1 to .2 slower than with it off. One could say that I just wasn't doing as good a job mashing the throttle with the ESP on but that's not the case since every run came up slower.

MB-Bob I am with you in that the ESP on button retards throttle response ever so slightly. I have heard that with ESP on you can lose up to 20% of your torque on an E55. I don't know if this is entirely true but I swear I get better daily runs with the ESP off. The car seems to shift quicker and the drive-by-wire throttle responds better, especially on uphill climbs.

Even with the ESP button off the system is not truly shut down but at least it is diminished. I have only driven with my ESP button on when it rains since I ran those 0-60 runs. Your daily driving will be more fun.

 

It sounds like you guys have experimented w/ ESP on and off a lot more than I have. I was just stating what I had read about the system operation. I'll turn it off and give it a try. Though, I have a 6-spd, so it might be a little harder to determine a difference than with auto, since I can't just mash it and "wait".