It's a warm Friday evening, and everything seems just right. You head to your garage to get your car, pick your wife up from her rehearsal, and enjoy a nice dinner together. You get into your VW Jetta and turn the key once, but nothing happens. Suddenly, the indicator lights and the headlights go wild, but the engine doesn't show any signs of starting. A message pops up on the screen, something about Stabilization Failure. But what is it?

 

It’s an error for stabilization control, and your VW car won't start. When you get this type of error, it means that something is wrong with your ESC*. It can either be a minor bug in the electronic system or a mechanical issue. So what can it be? Here's a guide to help you out:

 

Your car's electrical system might have a minor bug that simply returns an error when working together with its components. A simple bug in the system may be the culprit here. Try to restart the engine again and see if the error disappears. If the car starts, but the error persists, it may go away after driving it a few blocks. However, if the car doesn't start, you should get it to a mechanic. Sometimes, the battery may be poorly connected to the electrical system, and it's a quick fix. However, in some cases, a full reflashing or remapping of the engine computer may be needed to fix the problem.

 

VW recommends a visit to a certified mechanic if your car doesn't start after a few tries. The ESC sensors may be the problem, but you will need to get a careful inspection from a VW mechanic. Firstly, the mechanic will do a visual inspection – he will look for signs of corrosion or damage to the wiring or the sensors throughout the vehicles. All damaged wires or connectors should be replaced immediately, and check if the problem persists.

 

If the problem persists, a multimeter should be used to measure the voltage and current flow throughout the electrical system. Both the resistance and the continuity should be checked to see if they are in the expected range. Once the faulty component is detected, it should be replaced.

 

The error may also be caused by your car's ABS system interfering with the ESC. Your mechanic will have to use an OBD scanner to check the diagnostic codes stored by your car's computer. If the code errors suggest that the ABS system affects the ESC, then the ABS system must be repaired. Check the ABS wiring and wheel sensors if the codes don't indicate a direct correlation. This requires an in-depth inspection, with special attention to corrosion and physical damage.

The ESC system in your VW car is an excellent safety feature, but it can return errors. When these happen, make sure not to panic. Try to restart the engine a few times (three to five times). If the problem persists, head over to a certified VW mechanic to determine the cause of the problem and fix it.