Can snow/cold (by itself) cause "ESP Failure, Visit Workshop"?
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Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 587
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From: The Windy City
'02 C32, '10 135i M-Sport, '10 E63, '17 GLE63S
Can snow/cold (by itself) cause "ESP Failure, Visit Workshop"?
I had the problem quite a few times this weekend, on and off at no particular intervals, driving on completely dry roads, then on a bit of snow, and then on pretty dry roads this morning but with some snow still caked up in the rear wheel wells. Obviously, I've knocked as much snow as possible out of the wheel wells, but this first occurred when the car was completely clean and dry after driving it very normally all night, no hijinks/donuts or rapid acceleration.
The key point that I should mention is that the temps around Chicago have been anywhere from ~12-34F all weekend, and that the car spent the majority of it's "life" in California...
I would just ignore it and take it to the dealer, but they may not have a loaner until the end of the week and well, driving the car in Limp Home mode with the flashers on isn't very fun nor safe
Nothing specifically has triggered it, at least nothing that i've noticed, since sometimes it has come up while already at speed, sometimes while leaving a stoplight normally, and this morning when I accelerated from a wet-spot and the ESP actually did kick in. The problem has managed to reset itself each time, even with whatever code that was being thrown resetting itself and having the CEL disappear along with the problem, so i'm at a complete loss for ideas...
Any help is much appreciated; this is for a bone-stock 2002 C32, and as far as I know, the only issue it has would be the stock rotors which are getting a bit worn down, but not warped or heat-cracked.
The key point that I should mention is that the temps around Chicago have been anywhere from ~12-34F all weekend, and that the car spent the majority of it's "life" in California...
I would just ignore it and take it to the dealer, but they may not have a loaner until the end of the week and well, driving the car in Limp Home mode with the flashers on isn't very fun nor safe
Nothing specifically has triggered it, at least nothing that i've noticed, since sometimes it has come up while already at speed, sometimes while leaving a stoplight normally, and this morning when I accelerated from a wet-spot and the ESP actually did kick in. The problem has managed to reset itself each time, even with whatever code that was being thrown resetting itself and having the CEL disappear along with the problem, so i'm at a complete loss for ideas...
Any help is much appreciated; this is for a bone-stock 2002 C32, and as far as I know, the only issue it has would be the stock rotors which are getting a bit worn down, but not warped or heat-cracked.
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Dad - CL550, Me C350, Sista B8 A4
no clue about the snow but my sisters car says the same thing too...although shes too lazy to take the car in the last 6 months its been saying it but thats a whole new story. that car has never seen snow so I don't think its snow alone...might be a common problem?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 587
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From: The Windy City
'02 C32, '10 135i M-Sport, '10 E63, '17 GLE63S
And i'll be trying out the whole "recentering" of the steering at lunch (at work currently 
), since that seemed to solve a number of seemingly related problems with the ESP and the Steering Angle Sensor...
), since that seemed to solve a number of seemingly related problems with the ESP and the Steering Angle Sensor...
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 587
Likes: 13
From: The Windy City
'02 C32, '10 135i M-Sport, '10 E63, '17 GLE63S
I saw some threads while searching about some grounding issues on the C32s when they were released originally, but past that, I haven't found jack s***.
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From: Ohio
2003 C230K SS
Don't have any advice for you, but my car does the same thing. Only on very cold early mornings with snow. I turn the car on and it says "ESP Failure, Visit Workshop" then that goes away, then something about the SRS Failing. Then that goes away after about a minute????
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 587
Likes: 13
From: The Windy City
'02 C32, '10 135i M-Sport, '10 E63, '17 GLE63S
Don't have any advice for you, but my car does the same thing. Only on very cold early mornings with snow. I turn the car on and it says "ESP Failure, Visit Workshop" then that goes away, then something about the SRS Failing. Then that goes away after about a minute????
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 587
Likes: 13
From: The Windy City
'02 C32, '10 135i M-Sport, '10 E63, '17 GLE63S
Let it sit for three hours, still no-go. CEL is on immediately when I start it, and as soon as I rev or shift into gear, the ESP Failure thing pops right back up... Any ideas are welcome 
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: So. Oregon Coast
C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
Me too. I had thought it was because I park on a hill, but now I'm getting 2 errors almost constant.
One to tell me, ESP visit workshop" and another that says
ESP unavailable. Funny thing is that I can still feel it kicking in
and as usual...I turn it off.
For the most part I find it annoying anyway.
But it's also very annoying to see it poppiing up on the screen.
Still I've chosen to ignore it.
Eventually, I'll have the mechanic read out the errors and tell which sensor or system is spewing errors. For now, I just curse the evil ESP ghost in the machine.
The only downside is that I heard someone say that with esp messed up, the car automatically limits power output of the engine?
Could that be true??
One to tell me, ESP visit workshop" and another that says
ESP unavailable. Funny thing is that I can still feel it kicking in
and as usual...I turn it off.
For the most part I find it annoying anyway.
But it's also very annoying to see it poppiing up on the screen.
Still I've chosen to ignore it.
Eventually, I'll have the mechanic read out the errors and tell which sensor or system is spewing errors. For now, I just curse the evil ESP ghost in the machine.
The only downside is that I heard someone say that with esp messed up, the car automatically limits power output of the engine?
Could that be true??
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From: little ferry nj
08 Silver Lexus IS250 (manual),73 air cooled super beetle-- black 2004 230 ss is gone
I get those warnings first thing in the morning when its super cold and sometimes when its wet, but they go away. Today I got the alternator/battery workshop warning,for the first time ever. Outside temp 28. Drove 10 mi to work,restarted car and it went away. Not very assuring are these MB electronics
