VSA! Help!

[tbourner]

I'm in a field in Dorking, I went down a ditch and 2 guys sat in the boot to get us out, then we got stuck in mud and dug a hole, 2 different guys pushed us out but during getting out the vsa light came on and stayed on.

I do have lots of mud up the left hand side and in the wheel arch so is it likely to be dirty or damaged sensors? I can't afford a vsa module at the moment and my mot is in 2 months.

What do I do? I guess it's Ok to drive with the light on (if I can get out of the field), should I try to wash the mud out? Where are the wheel sensors so I can have a look at them?

 

[vile]

The wheel sensors are built into the hub Trev I believe.
You might have pulled the cable connecting to the sensor itself.I would clean everything up and jack the car up to see if anything has come a drift.

 

[tbourner]

Does anyone know if the system gets confused and throws a wobbly when you're permanently stuck in mud?

This field was like a sponge, I got stuck in someone elses tracks but even on the 'solid' bit peoples wheels were spinning, I pushed out 3 other cars!

Anyway I'm home now, the light went off after a few hundred yards on solid ground! Is that normal? Does the system just give up on wet ground and then reboot once the wheels are gripping? The light stayed on when I was in the field, even after restarting ignition a few times, that's why I ***umed something had broken! I just hope it doesn't come on again when I next use the car.

 

[jayok]

Yes, it can "reset" itself. Basically, when in the mud/snow/ice, if it detects multiple activations in a short peroid, it ***umes that they system itself is broken and throws a light. However, if the issue resolves itself after 5 cycles of the unit (i.e. power-on/off) the car will ***ume that the fault is fixed and you're back to normal.

Ideally, you'd turn off the VSA when in situations like this (getting out of a field) to allow you to apply the power needed to move the car even with the wheels spinning.

 

[bogdic]

I'm finding VSA system very sensible. After changing my front tyres, the light came on at first round about or when the system engaged in the rain. After a few days the fault was gone.

It was ok for about 3 months until this morning when it went on again. Stop/start the engine and the light went off and stayed off.

 

[jayok]

It could also be the brake pedal switch, this will throw a VSA light (!) as well. It's common on older cars and it may need a clean.

The VSA isn't *that* sensative to be fair and it constantly re-trims its setting as you drive.

 

[tbourner]

Well the light hasn't come back on so I'm hoping it's OK now. Must have just thrown a wobbly when in the field. Bit strange that VSA is designed to give up at the time I need it most though.