Did my Audi A3's ESP cause my accident?

Our 2006 Audi A3 Automatic has been written off in an accident, which we feel has to be due to a fault in the Electronic Stability Control (ESP) in the car. A car with new tyres, travelling at approximately 50mph on a straight road, should not suddenly skid violently in a zig-zag fashion, go through a hawthorn hedge and end up in a field.

Asked on 21 July 2012 by CH, Macclesfield

Answered by Honest John

There is a description of the well known ATE/Teves ESP brake pressure sensor fault here, but I have never heard of it leading to a crash: www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/audi/a3-plus-s3-2003...d

I have, very nearly, been in a high-speed crash caused by the ESP of an Alfa Romeo Spider going berserk and counteracting driver inputs. That model was later recalled by Alfa Romeo to fix the specific problem.

Tags: accidents esp

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