So the parking lot was deserted behind our building today and it had just rained. So of course, I want to try out the ESP.

My idea was to do full speed turns and see what the ESP would do when the tires start to slip...

I never did see the ESP light. I have had the ESP light go off during acceleration and braking, of course. So now I wonder if even the ESP can kick in if you are just drifting into a curve and lose control.

So if you are neither touching the brake nor the accelerator, does ESP have anything to play with when it senses you lose control in the curve? Does it hit the brakes for you in this instance?

--Steffen

 

Yes, ESP includes both traction control and stability control. What you are asking about is stability control. If the ESP senses that the car is not going in the direction that you want it to, it will brake individual wheels to try to get you pointed in the right direction. It does this by using a steering wheel sensor to determine what direction you are pointing the car. And if the back end is going in the wrong direction (sideways), it will uses the brakes to straighten it out.