Electronic Stability Control

[Steven12]

Hi guys,

I have a Civic 09 with VSA (aka ESC) and I was wondering if I should turn it on at all time, as I understand it ESC is good on rainy days when you want to have traction control around corners, but it does it improve safety in any way even on normal dry days? and by turning it on, does it hurt fuel consumption?


thanks

[OMG.JAI xD]

ESP is an extension to ABS.
Which means it works all the time. (constantly calculating/evaluating wheel speeds and how it varies).

Having it on all the time WILL improve the safety of your vehicle even in dry or wet days.
You dont know when you will encounter a sudden obstacle on the road causing you to quickly change the direction of the vehicle.

By turning it on it wont hurt fuel consumption.
It does not effect it in any way UNLESS it sense it needs to go to work.

ESP works by applying or releasing the brakes. Advancing or retarding ignition timing. Shortening or lengthening injection pulses. Or the more simple way. Sends an alternate throttle position sensor voltage to the ECU.
Unless youre going sideways like tokyo drift and holding that drift. Then it will effect fuel consumption.

Lets say loosing traction while taking off, and it controls it by grabbing traction.
I think that will save more fuel than continuing with wheel spin.

Its an added bonus to have esp. You dont want to be wrapped around a pole.

[UNLS1]

you cant turn it on when its always on!
You can turn it off though!

just leave it on, if u have a big power V8 or turbo it will help, but not in a 1.8 civic lol

[Steven12]

yeah I think I am confused, when the VSA exclaimation sign is on, that means that VSA is off right?


because every time I turn the engine off and back on again, the VSA sign disappears even if it was on the last time.

This must means the VSA is on by default, if you turn it off, the VSA sign comes on meaning that it has been switched off...... and you if turn the engine off and on again, the sign goes aways meaning it is switched on by default

[OMG.JAI xD]

VSA is automatically turned on everytime the car is turned off and on.

It cant be continuously off. Unless a fault is detected rendering the system to a halt. But that would bring your VSA and ABS lights on.

When the light is on the dash. It means its on. When you loose traction. It flashes until the car regains traction.

I suggest you go through your manual. It explains everything Ive said, and more.

[Steven12]

VSA is automatically turned on everytime the car is turned off and on.

if thats the case then no lights would mean it is turned on, as is the case when you turn the engine on.

[OMG.JAI xD]

if thats the case then no lights would mean it is turned on, as is the case when you turn the engine on.


No lights means its functioning properly.
Lights on means that its working, senses that it needs to assist.
A constant light means a malfunction in the system.

You are not suppose to have any lights on the dash.
When a light is lit up, its a warning light. Telling you something is turned on or activated or malfunctioning.

[Sherweeeny]

ffs.

when the light saying VSA off is brightly displayed on the dash in yellow, that means that you are on ur own. when there is no light on in the dash, it means VSA is on and the computer will help you out if u come into trouble.

do something stupid and have the VSA intervene will have a VSA light on the button flash everytime its intervening to let u know that it is interfering to bring shit under control.

turn the car off then on, and VSA is on again. keep it on. theres no reason to turn it off unless u want to do helis etc.

[JaCe]

I think the confusion arises from people assuming the light indicates on. To OP, if something lights up in your dash which isn't an indicator or something normal (eg cruise control), chances are its a warning or a fault. By default you shouldn't even know the VSA is enabled (i.e. light off).