Is the known Volkswagen Teves/ESP fault down to the whole unit or just a sensor?
My wife has a 2005 Volkswagen Golf 2.0FSI GT with 51,000 on the clock. The light in the ESP switch, and the dashboard steering wheel and ABS signs, have all come on together, intermittently, over the last six months. They usually come on after heavy rain and then go off again if the engine is restarted after a few miles. As a former amateur rally driver, I have driven the car off road almost on the limit (but of course safely) with the warning lights both on and off, and can detect no difference whatsoever in the handling and braking.
I know that you have advised many times, in response to readers letters, about a known problem with the ATE Teves unit. However, on speaking to a relative who is a manager at a VAG garage (in a different area of the country) he confirms the known Teves problem, but that there is an even more common problem with the sensor being faulty. I do wonder, therefore, how many VAG car owners are paying astronomical costs for a replacement Teves unit, when it is only in reality the sensor that is at fault.
I know that you have advised many times, in response to readers letters, about a known problem with the ATE Teves unit. However, on speaking to a relative who is a manager at a VAG garage (in a different area of the country) he confirms the known Teves problem, but that there is an even more common problem with the sensor being faulty. I do wonder, therefore, how many VAG car owners are paying astronomical costs for a replacement Teves unit, when it is only in reality the sensor that is at fault.
Asked on 20 November 2010 by DH, Ogmore by Sea, Bridgend.
Answered by
Honest John
When I first brought this up 18 months ago, VAG patiently explained to me that it was not their policy to repair the ESP, only to replace the entire ABS/ESP module, sometimes at a cost to the owner of £1,500. However, they have now changed their tune and, instead of replacing the entire modules are merely repairing the pressure sensors in the modules in the same way as the UK firms I recommended. These are www.ecutesting.co.uk and www.sinspeed.co.uk who charge about £350 plus VAT for the repair alone, to which you have to add the cost of removing and replacing the unit, usually about £200 plus VAT.
Similar questions
I purchased a Volkswagen Jetta from Car Giant, White City for £9,639 in March 2008. It had had one owner (Avis) and a very low mileage. Car Giant gave it a clean bill of health. I subsequently had it checked...
Earlier this year you ran a reply about the numerous failures of the ATE Teves Mk 60 ABS/ESP module. As I own a 2008 Volkswagen Golf Plus I was quite concerned that I could suffer one of the failures you...
The warning light on my wife's 2006 Volkswagen Golf 4-wheel-drive Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) has just come on automatically and I cannot switch the indication off. Is this particularly dangerous...
Related models
.jpg?width=115&height=75&rmode=crop)
Decent handling and comfortable on the move, impressive TSI engines, massive improvement over the previous Golf, high-economy Bluemotion models, high quality feel of interior, five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
.jpg)
