A4 B6 Cabriolet ESP Light On problems

2014-04-07

Last night it happened again with while my sister was driving. The codes are almost the same, the common denominator is the MAF. If it happens often , we will replace it. Again, just used the inexpensive vcds to clear the code and everything is fine again.

ESP_MAF

2012-09-23

It’s been over a year and 18k miles later, I have total of 3 ESP light on incidents. It’s the Yellow triangle light on the dash comes on after your battery died and recharged or replaced. It also comes on intermittently when the gas gauge is low or totally full or whenever it decided to come on. If you have a CVT transmission like mine, here’s what happens when this ESP light comes on.

esp - check engine - airbag lights

1. The idle is low and eratic <500 RPM instead of 800 RPM.

2. It will die when stop at the light, it will start right up but the idle is really bad.

3. When accelerate from start, the engine revs up and the transmission catches abruptly (the car jerks and goes).

4. Sometimes it causes the check engine light to come on.

Yes, you can try to get on the freeway and drive it home like me last time or clear the codes if you have your laptop with the usb OBDII in the car and reset all the codes. It will start normally and just like nothing ever happens. With the failures like this, if you don’t have a reliable or trust worthy mechanic, you may get taken to the cleaners for nothing. The best is to get and if you own an Audi and you don’t have a laptop, then you better make sure you have tons of money.

This happened to me last friday getting out from work, the gas was close to red mark, drove a short distance to bank and back. The ESP light came on for no reason. After the last time, I knew the trouble, but I happened to have my laptop and the OBDII in the car. I drove to pick up my wife, it was a horrible drive in the city with many lights, the car jerked every time I accelerated from stops or red lights, it died almost every time I stopped. When I got there, I took out the laptop, pulled the codes and clear them all.

ESP light on codes     Check Engine Light On codes

Check engine light came on as soon as I accelerated the first time. While I was there, I cleared the Airbag light on also from last week.

airbag light on codes

I haven’t written any post lately because all our Audis have been so great, I’m glad I have something to write about. I’ll never own any other cars because none of them have VAG-COM. I hate to stare at my car when all the warning lights are on and only dealers can reset them for some hefty fee.

Cheers and don’t be afraid of ESP light on. If you have experienced these problems and solved them, please comments for all readers to learn.

2 Comments

  • i have the same problem, i have an audi a4 3.0 petrol 2001
    How you have fixed that problem? Im loose my mind woth this problem
    And i have spend a lot of mony.

    • Hello,
      You need to get the VCDS to clear the code every time it happens. I think it’s a bug in the transmission software. Don’t take it to the shop, I don’t think they can fix it, it’s intermittent, don’t waste your money on fixing this ESP. According to the VCDS read out, we did replace the MAF.

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