Can I drive with the ESP light on?

Tiny
STARLORD1976
  • MEMBER
  • 2006 DODGE CHARGER
  • 5.7L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,000 MILES
Should I drive with the esp light on or off, and why?
Tuesday, October 27th, 2020 AT 8:31 AM

9 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Good afternoon,

You can but you have no protection from ABS or panic stopping along with traction control.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/abs-warning-light-on-easy-repair-guide

Do you know the code that is set so I can look up possibilities for the failure?

Roy
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Tuesday, October 27th, 2020 AT 1:34 PM
Tiny
STARLORD1976
  • MEMBER
  • 173 POSTS
The light doesn't stay on, there’s a button that turns it on or off. Didn’t know if I suppose to leave it on or off.
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Tuesday, October 27th, 2020 AT 1:41 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
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You turn it off when no one is riding with you. You turn it on when you have a passenger riding with you.

Roy
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Tuesday, October 27th, 2020 AT 1:51 PM
Tiny
STARLORD1976
  • MEMBER
  • 173 POSTS
Can I ask why?
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Tuesday, October 27th, 2020 AT 5:24 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,443 POSTS
The reason for the switch is because there are times when you may not want traction control on, for instance you want to spin the tires, traction control prevents that. Another time could be if you are stuck and try to rock the car, with traction control on it will try to prevent that as well.
As for Roys answer, he means that if you wish to drive around without the safety systems on in the vehicle, do so if you wish, but only when you are the only one you are responsible for if something were to go wrong. IE; you go into a corner at speed, blip the throttle and spin out, lose control and wrap the car around a pole.
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Tuesday, October 27th, 2020 AT 10:14 PM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
The best thing to do is to have the code read by someone and see if we can help you narrow the area of failure. Then the safety systems will be working again.

Roy
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2020 AT 1:07 AM
Tiny
STARLORD1976
  • MEMBER
  • 173 POSTS
I still don’t understand, every time I start my car the light is off. Should I push the button to turn the light on every time or just leave it off?
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2020 AT 8:37 AM
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
I would just leave it off.

Do not do anything until someone is in the seat. Then turn it on.

Roy
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2020 AT 9:01 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,443 POSTS
Okay, if the light is off when you start it then you are okay and the system is working as it should. The switch that turns the light on actually is to tell you that you turned the traction controls off. The switch is there for those times you may want to turn the system off.
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2020 AT 11:32 AM

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