MeganeII applying brakes itself with ESP ASR fault display

[kenster]

Intermittent issue which seems to be getting progressively worse. The brakes slowly apply causing the car to crawl or stop, throttle input is fine but of course overheating of brakes and severely hampered performance results, this is dangerous if you're pulling out onto a roundabout etc! (The only other telltail sign is "ESP/ASR system fault" displayed on dash when this occurs.)

Currently with a main Renault Stealer who seem completely baffled by it. After doing my own research ive discovered someone with a similar issue potentially diagnosing it themselves as the culprit actually being the clock spring assem, which ive subsequently found that wasn't the issue and may be the ABS pump, not cofirmed though.

Anyone know if indeed an ABS pump or perhaps faulty ABs sensor or ring can cause the above symptoms? No errors have been found by Renault Stealer technician via the OBDII diagnostic port afaik.

TIA.

[davelowe]

Are the brakes cycling on an off (as though the ABS is operating)?

[kenster]

Not as far as i know, the wife has issues with it up north at the moment. From what she's telling me sounds like they just come on and stay on till you stop the car and restart it!

[davelowe]

I don't know what to suggest. The ESP message may be a red herring. There are other reasons why the brakes might bind (faulty calipers etc). Does it pull to one side?

[kenster]

Someone on another forum suggested i tried switching ESP /ASR off. Is that possible in this car?

I know i can do it on my Audi not sure i can do it on this automated POS!!! None of my local garages want to touch the car so it's off to the local Renault Stealer today, lets hope in some miracle it's not horrendously expensive and they dont spend a few days fixing it at £95/hr labour or whatever they charge. A scandal in itself!

[AlexB]

Hi kenster,

Do all four brakes overheat or just one or two? Was thee any job done on the brakes recently? Do you change the brake fluid every second year? Is the battery good and of a good make? What exactly computer tests did the dealer perform? Does the ABS work? What engine do you have, BTW?

Meanwhile, do not drive the car. It is illegal. Please feel free to look in the factory repair manual, which is in the sticky thread above the other threads.

[kenster]

HI Alex,

do you or anyone know how i turn off ESP? Is there a button on the dash or anywhere? Someone on here must know the answer to this.

Was thee any job done on the brakes recently? Definately no, new tyre but apparently it was doing it before then. V intermittently.

Do you change the brake fluid every second year? Err not sure, i would say no.

Is the battery good and of a good make? Original battery afaik, spins engine fine as do lights seem ok, but interesting point, was occuring during day last time but that doesn't mean much as the frikking headlights are stuck on most of the time.

What exactly computer tests did the dealer perform? - Stealer 'plugged in computer' scratched head as no diagnostic faults occurred, was flumoxed after that. - Think i was charged £70 to be told 'computer says no'.

Does the ABS work? - I will try them myself when i drive it tomorrow. On a safe private environment away from the public.

What engine do you have, BTW? - 2.0 Dynamique.

thanks.

[tomalamix]

How about the question if all the wheels are hot? Is all the 4 wheels hot?

cheers

[kenster]

I can't answer that till tonight when i jump in the cash burner.

After reading the manual there seems a distinct difference between ESP (Electronic Stability Program)which applies braking to a wheel/s to eliminate understeer etc, ASR (Anti Slip Regulation) which is basically traction control adjusting torque between driven wheels, and then there's ABS.

Read about ASR here:
http://www.renault.com/en/Lists/ArchivesDocuments/asr.pdf

Read about ESP here: Page 20
http://www.renault.com/en/innovation/au-service-de-la-securite/documents_without_moderation/safety%20pdf/all%20safety%20datasheets.pdf


Plan is to test drive it in a safe area to see if it occurs, if it does, pull up, switch off ESP and then continue, see if it makes any difference.
You cannot switch ABS off, yet you can i believe, cut out ESP/ASR using the switch down to the right next to the cruise control/speed limiter activation switch
I asked this question and noone else seem to answer or know so anyway here's the switch to turn off ESP. Here it is below.




so im hoping if it does play up switching the stupid thing off will potentially highlight where the garage need to start checking.

Then pullover and check the temp of all 4 discs. And yes i wont be touching them if they feel remotely too hot!

[tomalamix]

Even if the system names are differente they are operated using the same system, the electrically assisted ABS system. THE ASR or ESP will NOT work unless your ABS is working properly. The temperature is to check if there is any problem related with excessive braking in all the wheels or only one or two. Well, post when you have same results.

Cheers

[kenster]

HI Tom,

yes i figured why you were asking about the heat of the discs, which is what ill be checking later tonight. Not driven the car yet you see, only Mrs Kenster. I understand what you're saying as i guess from an input perspective they all share the same information from wheel speed steering wheel pos, revs etc.

Thanks.

Ken

[tomalamix]

Yes, that's more or less the things work. I gave a second thought about your experience with your dealer and if there is an malfunction it should be stored in the memory. There were no errors at all? Not even stored errors? Its strange, once the car pop up an error its stored in the ECU memory until you connect it to a PC and clean it.

Well, for now i bet you have two hot wheels, crossed with each other, i.e., front left and rear right or front right and rear left...

avoid to burn your self

cheers

[davelowe]

One last thought is that there could be air in the ABS system.

Interested to hear the outcome of your test.

[kenster]

OK back from test, in the end i drove it for about 3hours Fri night, and it didn't play up on me once. which was a relief in a way because where i was at the time, i wouldn't of appreciated pulling over believe me.

On a small trip out the next day it did it, not much mind you, as i was doing about 45 i felt the car 'dragging' and realised i was having to apply more throttle to maintain speed, soon as i came off the throttle, i was slowing down definately faster than engine braking, which i proved of course by dipping the clutch. I did what someone else mentioned on the Renault forums, which was to put your toes under the foot brake and try to push it back up, wether this was coincidence or not the problem went away.

Pulled over to check brakes and all four were definately applying, and no sign or mention of any braking errors on the dash.

[davelowe]

What colour is the brake fluid?