Newbie Help please!!! 2001 S3 ESP Fault??

S3 Eddie

S3 Eddie

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Hi every one

Well i have just bought a 2001 S3 and WOW! I thought i would really miss my old Mk2 2.0 16v Golf! Ha not really the case now!

Still i think i have a problem with my ESP, as i cant seem to turn it on? .....I think!
Basicly the button dosnt work! I press it and nothing lights up on the dash or button.

The car understeers(more than i would expect it to) if i give it too much right foot, might be that the front tyres are low in all fairness!

Thanks to Welly, I have had the car on VagCom and nothing shows up on the car as being faulty!

I have heard the switches can be tempramental! Any ideas or anyone come across this before???
or am i just being an idiot and in actual fact everything is ok

Many thanks

Edd!
 
If you are comparing handling characteristics between a Mk2 Golf GTI and your S3(I presume running on standard suspension), don't even bother. I own both, and the Golf, being so light, just handles beautifully in comparison to my S3 equipped with Bilstein Shocks an Eibach springs!

with regards to the ESP, if you hit the button, a traction control light should appear on your dash, a circular arrow with a triangle around it.
 
jojo said:
with regards to the ESP, if you hit the button, a traction control light should appear on your dash, a circular arrow with a triangle around it.
Click to expand...

Morning Jojo! LOL.

I thought this - but it's a facelift S3, and I couldn't see the traction control light. When you turn the key - there is no sign of it on the dash?!

I thought it may be a bulb gone, but I couldn't even see where it was meant to be (not having a facelift S3 myself I don't know).

Ed is coming up to see me later on I believe, so I can have a better look then.
 
audi upgrades
Morning boys!

Yeah no light on the dash at all. i can press the esp button all day long and nothing seems to change. lol

Welly - Yeah i'll be up about just after 7 i expect mate. see if we can find a few more ponies under that bonnet! Ha!

Hope we can find an answer to this esp issue too!
 
S3 Eddie said:
Yeah no light on the dash at all. i can press the esp button all day long and nothing seems to change. lol
Click to expand...

Pressing the button should turn the ESP off as you know. My concern was the inability to connect to the haldex controller on your motor through Auto Scan. We'll have another go later on - but it may be a few simple things causing that - either the haldex fuse, or the control plug for the haldex.
 
I Checked the fuse and it looked fine, didnt change it tho!

Yeah we'll have a good look into it tonight as im sure its not right!

Cheers buddy :)
 
well your traction control is on from start up, hitting the button will bring the light on the dash which turns it off!! the light is there as a warning to say its off, personally id start up, press the button once and see if you can get the car to break traction :)
 
It breaks traction easily if i press the button or not!!!!

Tyres are down to about 2mm on the front tho! :think:
 
S3 Eddie said:
It breaks traction easily if i press the button or not!!!!

Tyres are down to about 2mm on the front tho! :think:
Click to expand...

Nope, thats deffo not right dude. Still doing it despite the solving of the N249 fault?

At the point the front wheels begin to spin, the Haldex controller should engage the backs. Shame it's not snowy still, that was such an easy way to test the AWD system.

Agreed, in which case, something isn't right. Potentially a Haldex controller fault. The wheel spin, combined with the fact that my VAG COM couldn't communicate with the Haldex controller makes me immediately suspicious.
 
Can anyone confirm for me where the Haldex plug is?

I believe it to be underneath the ABS pump somewhere - however have no idea what it looks like to identify...

Pics would be useful.... :thumbsup:
 
I had a faulty haldex unit, took the fuse out to stop it from working purposely. Broke traction everywhere and was a real pig of a car, even moreso than normal. Torque steer was also apparent on uneven road surfaces.

I'd say that your haldex has stopped functioning. Strange that you can't connect to it at all, the controller must be either unplugged or totally broken. Check the haldex controller is plugged in, it's located on the diff itself, can't remember if it was actually plugged into the diff or to another connector leading off last time I looked, so sorry about that. Check yourself though, obviously a communication error. It won't log faults if it's not plugged in or completely broken, but I could be wrong.

My car (facelift) has the light and it illuminates upon ignition and goes off shortly after, I have the ESP switch located in centre console, and the light illuminates once again if pressed during engine running. This is normal practice on S3's equipped with the ESP function is it not? Someone might correct me!!

I have a Rear differential complete which is available for anyone who wants to purchase it. I was going to use it but my car "magically" fixed itself!

G
 
Mr.G said:
Check the haldex controller is plugged in, it's located on the diff itself, can't remember if it was actually plugged into the diff or to another connector leading off last time I looked, so sorry about that. Check yourself though, obviously a communication error. It won't log faults if it's not plugged in or completely broken, but I could be wrong.
G
Click to expand...

Welly...just in case you miss my post!

Ta

G
 
Mr.G said:
Welly...just in case you miss my post!
Click to expand...

LOL, cheers G, I did indeed miss it. :thumbsup:

Mr.G said:
My car (facelift) has the light and it illuminates upon ignition and goes off shortly after, I have the ESP switch located in centre console, and the light illuminates once again if pressed during engine running. This is normal practice on S3's equipped with the ESP function is it not?
Click to expand...

Yes it is standard practice, and was what I was expecting to see, however there is no sign of a traction control light AT ALL. I would expect if the Haldex was a bit 'fuzzy' shall we say.... that it would at least pop up the traction control light to inform the driver that the AWD system was inoperable.

I also wonder if there are any other fuses that may interfere with the Haldex system which may be causing a problem... Unlikely I grant you, but not impossible based on past experience.

I'll get under it tonight and have a good look. The bits for my mini moto project won't be here until tomorrow anyway, so have nothing better to do AT ALL... LOL.

I will post up what we find later on.

Thanks for the help G. :thumbsup:
 
Last edited:
No problemo Welly! :)

Interesting thread this, will keep watching it!

Let me know if you need the complete differential I have if you can't cure the problem!

G
 
Ok, cheers guys. At least im not being a plonker! lol

I think there is defo sometning wrong now! ha bleeding typical! :sadlike:
Still im goin to find myself some grass and see if all 4 wheels spin, if not.......well just have to wait untill mr wellings is home this eve and see what we can see!!!

Im sure me and/or Welly will keep everyone up to date!

Thanks x
 
Evening all.....

Well - some progress this evening with the problematic Quattro system.

Evening started with the N249 bypass. Easy enough job (although the whole idea is to stop the ESP dumping boost - and the ESP is working loads....).

1.jpg


That is the finished product. Annoyingly is tidier than mine. Also note the 'T' piece in there ready for boost gauge fitment in the foreseeable future.

Then we moved on to the Haldex issue. Switch definitely not working at all. Started with the obvious - fuse replacement. Checked both the fuse for the Haldex (31) and also the fuse for the ESP controller (9). Both fine. ****.

Then moved to the back of the motor. Jacked up, underneath and located and unplugged the Haldex plug.

And found this:

2.jpg


3.jpg


As you can see from the red highlighted areas, there is some quite substantial corrosion on the internal pins of the plug.

Not 100% sure whether this is the issue or not, however it would be difficult to carry on fault finding knowing that this may be the issue. Gave it a little bit of a clean out, but pins 1 and 2 look to have burning around the base of the pins - making me think the plug itself may be FUBAR.

So, that was the summation of tonight's activities really - nothing conclusive sadly.

The saga continues.

Oh, and we drilled the air box.... :eyebrows:
 
Evening all.....

Well - some progress this evening with the problematic Quattro system.

Evening started with the N249 bypass. Easy enough job (although the whole idea is to stop the ESP dumping boost - and the ESP is working loads....).

1.jpg


That is the finished product. Annoyingly is tidier than mine. Also note the 'T' piece in there ready for boost gauge fitment in the foreseeable future.

Then we moved on to the Haldex issue. Switch definitely not working at all. Started with the obvious - fuse replacement. Checked both the fuse for the Haldex (31) and also the fuse for the ESP controller (9). Both fine. ****.

Then moved to the back of the motor. Jacked up, underneath and located and unplugged the Haldex plug.

And found this:

2.jpg


3.jpg


As you can see from the red highlighted areas, there is some quite substantial corrosion on the internal pins of the plug.

Not 100% sure whether this is the issue or not, however it would be difficult to carry on fault finding knowing that this may be the issue. Gave it a little bit of a clean out, but pins 1 and 2 look to have burning around the base of the pins - making me think the plug itself may be FUBAR.

So, that was the summation of tonight's activities really - nothing conclusive sadly.

The saga continues.

Oh, and we drilled the air box.... :eyebrows:
 
Further to the issues found, I thought I would put up the fault code found relating to this issue:

Address 03: ABS Brakes
Controller: 8N0 907 379 E
Component: ESP 20 CAN V005
Coding: 18448
Shop #: WSC 01236
1 Fault Found:
01324 - Control Module for All Wheel Drive (J492)
49-00 - No Communications

No comms at all on the Haldex controller module.
 
Well Welly i must say! im as happy as a pig in poo! Now i have a bit more paarrp tiisssshhhh!! lol :happy:
Also doing the bypass has really livend up the performance! :eyebrows:

Got the S3 in my workshop today/tomorow or Saturday to have that plug "modified"
well cut off the plug and hardwire it in place! Then we can see if i have 4wd if yes = Happy Days! if No = Back to Welly and Vagcom!!!

Anyone know if the ecu and haldex system uses millivolts to operate? i.e if i use bullit conectors to join the wires it will loose voltage thru the connetion and the system still wont work, or is it a case of so long as it has power it will read the signal?????

Does that make sense to anyone??? lol

See then if the 4wd starts to work, if it does = Happy Days.........if not= More time with welly and the vagcom!!!!
 
S3 is in the workshop NOW!!! Fingers crossed this repair to the loom fixes it!

Update in 1hr hopefully! :think:
 
WhoooHooo!! ITS FIXED!................Well sort of!

After cutting and hardwiring the loom back together my 4wd now cuts in when it should! :w00t:
i have taken some pics and i'll post them up later when im home.

BUT............ESP is still not working, so hopefully another run on vagcom will bring up any errors, now that it should connect and read. Unlike last time!

Welly - i'll be calling you later :laugh:
 
Evening all!


Well a bit of an update on the inop ESP!

Not the best news in the world with a new car, but chin up! I got the car for a very good price! :eyebrows:

Ran another diag test with the repaired haldex controller plug and this time vagcom connected to the controller.
Came up with a fault code (can’t remember what it was! Welly will update with it soon prob!)

Looks like it going to require a replacement haldex controller to fix the ESP! :(

Any ideas how hard they are to fit???

Going to leave it for now as its fun to drive without ESP, unless a working one pops up at a good price!
So.... there we go looks like its problem solved! At least now i know whats wrong!

Also reset the throttle bodie as i had a few odd throttle responses over the last few days, not long driven home and all seems well now!

Bring on the weekend for a heavy detailing sesh, and a few engine refinements!
 
Pretty simple error comes up on the Haldex controller now - 65535- Internal Control Module memory error.

As soon as I saw this I gave the bad news to Eddie - new controller needed! D'oh.

Still, at least now being able to connect to it makes it easier to diagnose the fault.

Related thread below:

http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/p/278596/1893478.aspx
 
thats a very detailed thread tells people every thing .. un lucky for me i have both fault codes the 01324 on auto scan and 65535 when i scan awd system with vag com so looks like ill be needing a new controller then.
 
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