I find it mostly annoying. Does anyone know of a way to turn the ESP off so I don't have to turn it off every time I get in the car?

 

Why would you want to do that? I can understand during certain conditions, but most of the time it should remain ON.

 

No offense, but I know the party line. I find it an unhelpful intrusion into what I as a I driver should be and am perfectly capable of doing. Don't need big brother making those decisions for me. And I'm sure there are at least some others who feel the same. If it were a quick tap of the button to turn it completely off that would be great. But you need to hold it down for something like five seconds to turn it completely off.
Anyone know of a way to program it that way?

 

In adverse conditions the ESP can react a lot faster and with more finesse than you can. It can apply the brakes to one specific wheel if needed, good luck doing that yourself. If you want to spin around a parking lot in snow sure turn it off, but it in everyday driving it can save your life and that of those around you.

 

Thanks guys.

Does anyone have an answer to the actual question?

 

More finesse, eh? Maybe it can save your life, but there is only a moderate level of skill required for a person to be able to outperform the ESP in any road condition. Sure, in pointless theoretical experiments the ESP can do wonders, but in reality it can't come close to exhibiting the dynamic control that a skilled human can.

You guys are speaking as if what you say is true, and that is certainly not the case; it's just true for you (and, admittedly, also for the majority of drivers).

OP, hitting the ESP button is the first thing I do after starting the car - it's just second nature now. I disable it under all driving conditions . . . and I live in SK I'm not sure about the A5, but it is possible to disable the ABS and ESP (not one or the other, though) via VAG-COM on some VAG vehicles. I've also seen some people put a 600-1000µF capacitor into their ESP switch to make the switch default to ESP disabled. If you trial and error with the caps, you can find one that will take approximately the same amount of time to charge as it takes to press your ESP button to switch on/off. When you start the car the cap simulates you pressing the button while the cap charges, and turns off the ESP; press the actual button yourself to turn the ESP back on.

 

The best way to turn it off is to buy a Chevy Cavalier. you dont have to worry about any advanced stability control with that car....

 

This is the best answer so far! LOL!
This thread is pointless, a human that can reat quicker than ESP hahaha, now that is funny!

 

ESP can occasionally annoy when trying to accelerate on sheet ice etc but I can speak to one example of ESP saving the car and likely my life. While I was driving two lane undivided highway at speed and at the last second, a long big box truck pulled out to cross the highway at an uncontrolled intersection. The driver's O-Face indicated he saw me too late and he stopped broadside blocking the highway. The only opening was the gravel shoulder on the far side of the oncoming lane. I swerved left around the front end of the truck and immediately turned right to get back on the concrete before hitting the ditch at speed. During the right turn my S4 started to slide sideways in the gravel and I was still travelling towards the ditch. Before I could react any further, yaw sensor / steering angle sensor / etc caused ESP to instantly engage at the exact moment I thought game over and like magic the car straightened out which allowed the wheels to get back onto the concrete. It was all over in a flash and it was in the few moments that followed while I was safely returned to driving in the proper lane that I fully appreciated what ESP can do.

I occasionally turn ESP off while slogging through slow downtown city adverse winter weather conditions but I ALWAYS have ESP ON while highway driving regardless of weather and would recommend same to any Audi Owner with ESP.

 

No idea about the answer but Tahts the problem today, too many people relly on technology to drive, that just gets me angry, its alright and all but most people cant, because they never learned to properly and thats just bad.