Dear All,
I have traded my 97 S500 to a 97 S600. The S600 got the ESP instead of the ASR. Finally I have a chance to test the ESP because of the weather.

For my S500 with ASR, when I hit the gas after traffic light, the wheel will spin, then ASR come and cut engine power (wheel stop spinning) and I can see the yellow triangle flashing in the center of the speedometer.

For the S600, I did the same thing, the wheel still spinning, the rpm hit almost 5000, no yellow triangle but the car is going straight but the wheel is still spinning.

I would like to know what is the different between ASR and ESP. is my situation normal? I also try a to hit the gas a little harder when turning into a corner, I can hear the wheel spinning but the car still turning to the direction i wanted, also no warning yellow triangle.

I can only see the yellow triangle on when I turn off the ESP or b4 fire up the engine.

My owner's manual says that ESP doesn't replace ASR. Rather, ASR is integrated into the ESP function.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

ESP incorporates everything that exists in ASR. I believe ASR is Mercedes-Benz's term for what everyone else calls traction control. All traction control does is reduce wheel spin by cutting engine power. What ESP does is make sure that the vehicle stays in its intended path. So that means that, apparently from the way your ESP works, it will let the wheels spin as long as it is able to keep the car in its intended path - which is straight in your case. ESP is the only system on a car that has the ability to apply individual brakes, thereby preventing understeer and oversteer. So if the sensors feel like the car is still moving straight, they will not cut the power. However, even though you claim that the wheels continued to spin, maybe it was just one of the wheels that was spinning as ESP may have applied the brakes to the other one? I really don't know, but that's basically how ESP works vs. ASR. All ASR does is cut engine power to reduce wheel spin. It can't control oversteer or understeer. ESP can cut engine power and/or apply individual brakes.

__________________
1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver

Thanks!

maybe it was just one of the wheels that was spinning as ESP may have applied the brakes to the other one?

So my question is, if the ESP really works, should I see the yellow triangle flashing?

I don't know how MB setup its alert system for ESP, but in the 1999 S600 I drove, while in the exact same situation as you were (right off stop light, etc), when I stepped on the accelerator the triangle came on. So I guess the ESP comes on when it is working.

__________________
1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver

(right off stop light, etc), when I stepped on the accelerator the triangle came on.

so if your wheels keep spinning? or the ESP cut the engine power?

Sorry I didn't understand your last post. In your first post you said that the triangle light didn't come on in the S600 right?

__________________
1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver

I never see my triangle flashing, and my wheel always spinning....
so i would like to know your situaion
thanks

My owners manual explains the function of ASR and ESP pretty well. Did you read your manual? I have ASR only and I can tell you that it does apply the brake to the spinning wheel as well as reduce the throttle (and flash the triangle).

Mike

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

I just want to know in this situation
1) if ESP allow the wheel to spin (when hit the gas hard at stop light in rainy day)
2) or it will act like the ASR (reduce engine power)
3) if the yellow triangle will flash