ESP mud start

[x332race]

About 6 months ago, before I became a MB owner, I had a BMW 328i with traction control...one day I foolishly put one wheel on the mud and stopped to allow a mother + kids who did not know the width of her car to pass on a narrow road....could not get going again as the rear wheel in the mud just kept spinning with traction control on and off (the other wheel was firmly on the tarmac)

Would I have experienced this problem with ESP (I have a 2004 C270cdi estate facelift (2004)

 

[Uberwagon]

My 1991 car with traction control does this without a problem.

Dave!

 

[x332race]

Does what? Get stuck or start moving?!!!!

 

[Uberwagon]

Moves off, I just have to be gentle with the throttle. This was really quite gloopy mud aswell.

Dave!

 

[BlackC55]

You need an LSD not ESP.

ESP won't really help. In these conditions its best to turn it off.

 

[BTB 500]

This is from my Vito's handbook

ASR is automatically activated when the engine is switched on.

It may be best to deactivate ASR in the following situations:

* if snow chains are being used

* in deep snow

* on sand or gravel

If you deactivate ASR:

* the engine torque is not restricted and the drive wheels can spin, cutting into the surface for better traction

* traction control still intervenes by braking if one drive wheel reaches its grip limit, e.g. if the surface under one side of the vehicle is slippery. The wheel is then braked to increase traction in this situation.

* ESP® still intervenes to stabilise the vehicle

 

[Londonscottish]

As Black C55 says LSD best.

My C43 is fairly bad in this situation but will pull away

I hired a BMW 320d a few years ago in France and had a few scary moments pulling out of dusty/gritty junctions when all power was cut due to lack of traction on one side. Not funny.

 

[x332race]

Thanks for replies....not sure if any clearer..Dave Uberwagen seems to have been in a similar situation and recovered....unwilling to put it to the test as do not want to get stuck again!

 

[BTB 500]

What does your handbook say? As above, on my Vito it's clear that ASR will brake an individual rear wheel to stop it spinning due to lack of grip. Don't know about my SL, but being a much older car I would expect the electronics to be less clever (it doesn't have ESP, for a start).

 

[Diesel Benz]

A 2004 MB with ESP must have the LSD or ASR function implemented electronically with brakes. ESP off in this case can be useful as it allows the single wheel slip more without reducing immediately engine power but since the other wheel has a good grip, probably ESP can be left on too.

Which MY this BMW was? I know old BMWs switching off the electronically controlled LSD feature when ASR was switched off (or what ever those are in BMW terms) but I would not expect that from modern BMWs.

 

[Meldrew2]

In the bad old days, when I drove a Ford Transit, leaving the handbrake half on prevented the wheel slipping.....

Nice to know that all BMW's technology can't beat an old Transit.

Old Transits dont leak oil... they just mark their territory...
.

 

[x332race]

It was a 1999 BMW E46 with ASC. The car would not move with ASC on or with ASC off......did not appear to be any LSD function to the ASC fitted when stationary (was quite effective whilst driving though)

Handbook does not say much about ESP.

Dieselman:- from what you are saying, with ESP on, the car acts as if it has a limited slip diff so I would get moving if one wheel on mud, the other on tarmac.

 

[Dryce]

I
Dieselman:- from what you are saying, with ESP on, the car acts as if it has a limited slip diff so I would get moving if one wheel on mud, the other on tarmac.

That's my experience.

I've had my W211 in mud and ice and the little orange triangle has flashed and the car has moved off with zero drama.