High winds causing warning light 2012 interstate

[poodlelover]

Hi, we are having a driver bring out our new (to us) 2012 Interstate extended version. It has two new front tires, and 20,000 miles. There are50 mile an hour winds through New Mexico on highway 40. An engine light came on, I think she said esp. It's tough to hear her. Anyway, she called Mercedes and they said it is the front grill area, something came unplugged because of the high winds. She was able to plug (reconnect? ) it back in and the warning light is no longer on. Does this scenario sound familiar to anyone? Are these tough to drive in high winds? Just kind of stressed......

[Ron_CA]

Park it before they flip it. 50 mph winds are rough in any vehicle, especially one with a big profile for a sail.

[73shark]

They do require attentive driving in cross winds especially when passing something that blocks the wind like an overpass.

[Nealrap]

It's really hard to try to drive highway speeds in gusty winds.

[UKDUDE]

I drive the I-40 regularly and it has been pretty windy lately. But 50mph winds wouldn't cause me to pull over, I would just drive at a much slower speed. I see many RVs going at or below 50mph. You do what you feel comfortable and safe with.

[UKDUDE]

I should add that my Mercedes dealer told me the 2015 Sprinters are to be equipped with all sorts of new technology including something that compensates for wind blowing the vehicle around. Some sort of braking applied to the opposite wheels to pull the vehicle back into the lane. Very clever stuff.

[spenfolder]

On my Jeep ESP stands for Electronic Stability Control. It kicks in when the roads are icy or slick, or sometimes when there are very strong cross winds. I think it is designed to protect against over steering or over correcting. Here is the Wiki definition: Electronic stability control - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Could this be on your Mercedes?

Stan
Salt Lake City

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by UKDUDE

I should add that my Mercedes dealer told me the 2015 Sprinters are to be equipped with all sorts of new technology including something that compensates for wind blowing the vehicle around. Some sort of braking applied to the opposite wheels to pull the vehicle back into the lane. Very clever stuff.

ESP is "Electronic Stability Program." Here is what my Sprinter Owner's Manual has to say about it:

If ESP® detects that the vehicle is deviating from the direction desired by the driver, one or more wheels are braked to help stabilize the vehicle. If necessary, the engine output is also modified to help keep the vehicle on the desired course within
physical limits. ESP® assists the driver when pulling away on wet or slippery roads. ESP®
can also help stabilize the vehicle during braking.
If ESP® intervenes, the warning lamp flashes in the instrument cluster.
Warning
If the indicator lamp remains lit, ESP® is not available due to a malfunction. Vehicle stability in standard driving maneuvers is reduced.
Adapt your speed and driving style to the prevailing road conditions and to the nonoperating status of ESP®.

Basically, if the ESP symbol flashes, you're driving too fast for conditions and the van is trying to save you from your stupidity. If it comes on and stays on, it can't save you from your stupidity anymore and it's time to get smart and park it.

[73shark]

While I've yet to experience the ESP on the AI, I did once w/ my Tahoe when hitting a patch of water unexpectedly at ~50 mph w/ cruise control on. The ESP kicked it out of cruise and corrected for the impending skid before I could say "Oh 5hit!" It's a good thing to have.

[MotorCity57]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

ESP is "Electronic Stability Program." Here is what my Sprinter Owner's Manual has to say about it:

Basically, if the ESP symbol flashes, you're driving too fast for conditions and the van is trying to save you from your stupidity. If it comes on and stays on, it can't save you from your stupidity anymore and it's time to get smart and park it.

Protag, have you ever considered taking a job with Airstream or Mercedes, writing their user manuals? I love the way you phrased that!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by MotorCity57

Protag, have you ever considered taking a job with Airstream or Mercedes, writing their user manuals? I love the way you phrased that!

No. But I do write technical specifications for a living— for at about another nine months, anyway— and I learned early in my career that although specifications are written by engineers, contractors reading the specs usually aren't engineers. Specs and manuals should be written in plain English, not jargon, whenever possible… but they seldom are.

[toskeysam]

Here is a link to one of the Mercedes Sprinter factory crosswind testing videos. It has no dialog, and once you get past about 60secs of watching a windsock blow....it show the testing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbIevQ-RbbY

There are other wind tess videos that give a good discussion, but I cannot seem to find them again.

[Ron_CA]

Poodlelover....Is everything OK. Hope so,We haven't heard back from you.

[UKDUDE]

ESP is on current models but not "Crosswind Assist":
From the internet:
"Crosswind Assist will be standard in Europe, but won’t hit our Sprinter for another year, arriving in the fall of 2014 on the 2015 model."

[toskeysam]

Very true about timing of availability in US. I should've stated up front that this was for the next generation Sprinter.

[poodlelover]

Thank you for all of the wonderful insight. The driver is still on her way, in Arizona tonight. Hopefully she will arrive Thursday morning. The winds have been fine today. So excited to see this Airstream in person!