Driving Tips; Intelligent Technology; Electronic Stability Programme (Esp) - Skoda OCTAVIA - 05-2010 Owner's Manual

Driving Tips

Intelligent Technology

Electronic stability programme (ESP)*

General
The ESP aids you in maintaining control of your vehicle in situations in which the
vehicle is driving at its dynamic limits, such as entering a curve fast. The risk of skidding
is reduced and your vehicle thus offers greater driving stability depending on the
conditions of the road surface. The system operates at all speeds.
The following systems are integrated into the electronic stability programme:

Electronic Differential Lock (EDL),

Traction control system (TCS),

active driver-steering recommendation (DSR),

Antilock brake system (ABS),

Brake Assist,

Uphill Start Assist
The ESP system cannot be switched off, only the TCS system can be switched off by
 fig.
pressing the button 149, the warning light
Using the system Safety
Fig. 149 ESP switch

lights up.
Driving Tips
Operating principle
The ESP switches on automatically when the engine is started and then conducts a
self-test. The ESP control unit processes data from the individual systems. It also proc-
esses additional measurement data which are supplied by highly sensitive sensors: the
rotational velocity of the vehicle about its vertical axis, the lateral acceleration of the
vehicle, the braking pressure and the steering angle.
The direction which the driver wishes to take is determined based on the steering
angle and the speed of the vehicle and is constantly compared with the actual behav-
iour of the vehicle. If differences exist, such as the vehicle beginning to skid, the ESP will
automatically brake the appropriate wheel.
The car is stabilised again by the forces which take effect when the wheel is braked.
Intervention into the brake system takes place primarily on the outer front wheel of a
vehicle which tends to oversteer (tendency for the rear of the vehicle to break away)
while occurs this is on the inner rear wheel of a vehicle which tends to understeer
(tendency to shift out of the curve). This braking control cycle is accompanied by
noises.
During an intervention of the system, the warning light
cluster  page 32.
The ESP operates in combination with the ABS  page 171, "Antilock brake system
(ABS)". If there is a fault in the ABS system, the ESP also does not operate.
The ESP warning light lights up in the instrument cluster when there is a fault on the
 page 32.
ESP 
WARNING
It is also not possible for the ESP to overcome the physical limits of the vehicle.
Even if a vehicle fitted with ESP you should still always adapt your style of
driving to the condition of the road surface and the traffic situation. This partic-
ularly applies when driving on slippery and wet roads. The increased safety
General Maintenance Breakdown assistance
Intelligent Technology 167

flashes in the instrument
Technical Data