C32 AMG, C55 AMG (W203) 2001 - 2007

question regarding traction control

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Old Sep 27, 2004 | 03:33 PM
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bnz616's Avatar
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2012 GL550
question regarding traction control

I assume these are all instances when traction control went off. ESP is on.

I'm going down a pretty steep driveway angled and when I'm almost off of it and I'm adding a little gas, I hear this griding slipping feeling. Almost seems like I'm scratching the bottom of the car. This is traction control going off right?

Also, if I am about to make a left from a stop and I add a little too much gas, I also hear that grinding slipping sound. This is also traction control right?

Just curious, what is it actually doing when traction control goes off? It feels/sounds so horrible. Sounds like too much of that would eventually break something.

Just picked up a C32 recently and just wanna make sure that these things are normal.
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Old Sep 27, 2004 | 03:49 PM
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You'll hear the tires spin (probably on gravel/cement) along with the yellow triangle with an exclaimation point in the middle blinking on and off in your speedo, that's the ESP doing its job.
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Old Sep 27, 2004 | 04:13 PM
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Originally Posted by bnz616
Just curious, what is it actually doing when traction control goes off? It feels/sounds so horrible. Sounds like too much of that would eventually break something.
Traction Control (ESP) activates when it senses slippage at one of the rear tires. When the computer senses one tire slipping, it applies the brake to that wheel (to reduce the slippage). The Grinding/Pulsing you hear is the brake being applied to reduce the slippage. Additionally, if the slippage is bad enough, or lasts long enough, the computer will cut throttle as well.

To reduce the amount of ESP activation, try driving as if there were an egg between your foot and the throttle. Tip into the throttle, and make smooth movements of the throttle. Using the throttle as a digital control device (ON or OFF) will result in ESP activating far more than is actually necessary.

ESP also works in the event of tire slippage during cornering, but that's a lot more complicated.
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Old Sep 27, 2004 | 04:42 PM
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Ok. So it must be the ESP going off. I was just curious because the griding feeling is so bad. Almost seems like something is going wrong. So the grinding feeling/sound is the brake pulsing on the wheel slipping. Any chance of that causing any problem if it happens too often?..I guess in the long run. Yeah, smooth throttle will help. Not quite used to the throttle yet.
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