ESP System failure?

[fubie]

Anybody know where to start chaing the ESP system failure msg? A couple of months ago I went to a restaurant that has a very steep angled driveway. To get into it you're almost turning the wheel all the way to the right and going up a steep incline at the same time. When I did the ESP System Failure msg came on. It reset after I ate and no more msgs until the next time I went. That was a couple of months ago. Well the msg just came on again and isn't going off this time. Any suggestions?

[Wilder]

Originally Posted by fubie

Anybody know where to start chaing the ESP system failure msg? A couple of months ago I went to a restaurant that has a very steep angled driveway. To get into it you're almost turning the wheel all the way to the right and going up a steep incline at the same time. When I did the ESP System Failure msg came on. It reset after I ate and no more msgs until the next time I went. That was a couple of months ago. Well the msg just came on again and isn't going off this time. Any suggestions?

I dont really know but on your suspension table, you have a position sensor.... Maybe this part broke or have a failure...????!??!?!

[fubie]

That sure sounds reasonable seeing how the suspension was being stretched. Does it say where the sensor is located?

[Marcin]

Today I was driving on a straight road and the stability control failure showed up on the sid and it won't go away. any suggestions on how to fix it other than going to the dealer?

[jlrdrony]

have you change wheels?............

[Mithos the Hero]

Try unplugging your battery and leaving it off. It did this while taking out my airbag and well my msg went away and i had it ever since my accident. Maybe just coincidence?

[Marcin]

I noticed that when I start the car and begin driving the stability control works. Usually "stability control failure" shows up on the sid when I'm in a parking lot going very slowly using first and second gear. what could be a problem? its been like this since monday.

[Ridenbaugh]

Originally Posted by Marcin

I noticed that when I start the car and begin driving the stability control works. Usually "stability control failure" shows up on the sid when I'm in a parking lot going very slowly using first and second gear. what could be a problem? its been like this since monday.

Is it possible a speed sensor is going bad? does the speedo still work ok when you have the problem? I know sometimes like when I get stuck on ice or snow I will get a warning of all the system failures and the front tires spin but the backs do not move and the car gets confused. Just an idea, i'm no mechanic

[Marcin]

Originally Posted by Ridenbaugh

Is it possible a speed sensor is going bad? does the speedo still work ok when you have the problem? I know sometimes like when I get stuck on ice or snow I will get a warning of all the system failures and the front tires spin but the backs do not move and the car gets confused. Just an idea, i'm no mechanic

It happened again today on my way to work...actually I was looking for a parking space at my workplace and the failure showed up. I was going slow in the second gear. I think the speedo worked but I'm not sure now. I take a look at it the next time it happens. On my way back home the failure didn't occur. thanks for trying to help

[Mithos the Hero]

Not sure if the speedo is connected to those. Im still new to the FWD world. On my old car. Each wheel had a wheel speed sensor for each wheel but the speedo was connected to the differential at the rear. When I get home I can always check my WIS and let you know.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Marcin

It happened again today on my way to work...actually I was looking for a parking space at my workplace and the failure showed up. I was going slow in the second gear. I think the speedo worked but I'm not sure now. I take a look at it the next time it happens. On my way back home the failure didn't occur. thanks for trying to help

It seems that it is a faulty speed sensor in one of the wheels, maybe a poor electrical connection as it happens more when the wheels are turned.

[Marcin]

today the failure didn't occur. I'm new to Saab so is it normal for electrical problems in this car to just go away?? I will see what happens tommorow.

[Ridenbaugh]

Originally Posted by Marcin

today the failure didn't occur. I'm new to Saab so is it normal for electrical problems in this car to just go away?? I will see what happens tommorow.

well I think you can have this kind of problem with any car. When a sensor goes bad I'm sure its possible that it isn't completely bad yet and so you would have a hit and miss problem. I don't know a whole lot about esp but I don't think there is much that can go wrong with it. I assume it has a brain speed sensors and a yaw sensor. So unless the brain is bad then I would guess a speed sensor. but... if it was a speed sensor that is going bad your abs should be non functional as well. Do you get an ABS warning?

[Mithos the Hero]

Sorry it took me a while to get back here. According to WIS your Speedo info comes from the left rear wheel speed sensor on gas (petrol) cars and left front on diesel. I will say pray or something that its not your wheel sensor. I regrettably learned that the wheel sensor is integrated into the hub. Which means you need to replace the entire hub...

[Marcin]

I didn't have the problem for a coulpe of days. today the failure occured again. The speedo worked so did everything else. I hope it is not the wheel speed sensor cause replacing the entire hub sounds expensive. (thanks Mithos the Hero for info). I just got the car a couple of months ago but already did over 5k miles. Now the car has 53000 miles on it. It seems like something goes wrong only for a second and than is back to normal because when I turn the engine off and then turn it back on the problem goes away. I think I just gonna keep driving as it is now, however if I start getting the failure more often I'll probably vist a dealer. Do you think that the dealer will tell me exactly what causes the problem or do they use trial and error method?

[jlrdrony]

it must be borne in mind that any change in the components of the chassis, can affect the functioning of the eps,
For example:
-changing different wheels&tires, springs, dampers or sock absorbers.

[bwik]

My dear old daddy used to have a 1989 Saab 9000S sedan. Nice car. Anyway, on sunny days the engine fire sensor would make the car believe it was on fire. So it would not run if it was parked in sunlight on a summer day.

It seems Saab has still not calibrated its warning systems any better. Regards! And mine has TCS warnings routinely in the winter. Turn the key off. Restart. And the error should clear. If not then see your dealer about a yaw sensor. In cold weather these problems tend to get worse (as sensors malfunction more often in cold weather).