Golf IV ASR upgrade to ESP

magna413

Well-known member
Joined
May 2, 2012
Location
Võru, Estonia, Europe
TDI
VW Golf MKV 2.0TDI 4Motion EURO
Hello

I have a Golf IV 2002 and it has ASR. I would like to know what parts are needed to replace so i could enjoy the benefits of ESP?

Probably ABS unit and master cylinder, what else?
Thanks.
 

kd7iwp

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Location
Abbotsford, BC, Canada
TDI
2002 Golf GLS
You will need a new ABS pump, Brake booster (I think), master cylinder (I think), Steering angle sensor G85, Lateral motion sensor, ESP button, some wiring and programming. I wrote an article about how I installed mine. You may need a newer ECU. At least in North America, a 2002 ECU will not work, you need at least a 2003.

 

tongsli

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2000
Location
Baltimore, MD
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI, 2004, Jetta Wagon TDI PD
You will need a new ABS pump, Brake booster (I think), master cylinder (I think), Steering angle sensor G85, Lateral motion sensor, ESP button, some wiring and programming. I wrote an article about how I installed mine. You may need a newer ECU. At least in North America, a 2002 ECU will not work, you need at least a 2003.
This has been one of the best modifications that I've made to my car. And, I also put it into my wife's car.

Just an update. I had one of the sensors under the steering column go bad. Was a few hundred dollars new but worth replacing.
 

Lanp900

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Location
PNW
TDI
ALH Golf 2001-Bert
I installed ESP in my 2001 golf, no ECU modification necessary.

Just my experience that ECU replacement may not be universally necessary in pre-2003 vehicles.

Cheers!
 

FirstOrbit84

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2006
Location
Jax, FL
TDI
'02 2-Door Golf TDI
Just put the cash towards LSD!

I had no ESP or ASR in my 02 Golf, and with the LSD there was better grip than in my 2010 with all that alphabet soup of electronic jazz.
 

tongsli

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2000
Location
Baltimore, MD
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI, 2004, Jetta Wagon TDI PD
I installed ESP in my 2001 golf, no ECU modification necessary.

Just my experience that ECU replacement may not be universally necessary in pre-2003 vehicles.

Cheers!
by ECU do you mean the electronic part of the ABS unit? or do you mean the main ECU under the wipers?
 

Lanp900

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Location
PNW
TDI
ALH Golf 2001-Bert
by ECU do you mean the electronic part of the ABS unit? or do you mean the main ECU under the wipers?
My 2001 had an Mk60 ABS-only controller, so I changed it to an Mk60 unit with ABS, ESP, ASR, etc. I did not have to perform any modification to the main ECU under the wiper tray. I had no idea whether it would work on the early Mk60-equipped vehicles, as I had heard varying reports, but I'm pleased that it did. :)
As far as I know, the main ECU is the original that came with the vehicle.
Cheers!
 

kbrenny

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2008
Location
Mora, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta wagon TDI
The 2002 is the only year with ECU issues when swapping to ASR or ESP. The programing for traction control is there on all others ECU's but in 2002 it just is not even present.

I am not sure, but a good programmer might be able to take a full dump from a 2003 ECU or european version 2002 and write it to a 2002 ECU so you would not be required to replace the whole unit.

I looked into the LSD before I did my ASR retrofit and would really liked to have it but there is one difference between the two. The LSD would still allow both wheels to spin in certain conditions ( ice), while the ASR would pull back throttle input to reduce wheel spin automatically. After all my research and speaking with several people from Northern states the ASR / ESP was a better option for icy condition where the LSD was better for those with performance in mind.
 

tongsli

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2000
Location
Baltimore, MD
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI, 2004, Jetta Wagon TDI PD
My 2001 had an Mk60 ABS-only controller, so I changed it to an Mk60 unit with ABS, ESP, ASR, etc. I did not have to perform any modification to the main ECU under the wiper tray. I had no idea whether it would work on the early Mk60-equipped vehicles, as I had heard varying reports, but I'm pleased that it did. :)
As far as I know, the main ECU is the original that came with the vehicle.
Cheers!
IIRC, there were some early MK60abs pump/MY2001 folks who did try it. Will have to re-read the original thread.
 

Lanp900

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2011
Location
PNW
TDI
ALH Golf 2001-Bert
The 2002 is the only year with ECU issues when swapping to ASR or ESP. The programing for traction control is there on all others ECU's but in 2002 it just is not even present.
I guess that would explain it then. I wonder why it is that way, doesn't make much sense that that coding would be removed later in the production cycle. Say the 2001 ECU's were more similar to their euro counterparts?
 

kbrenny

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2008
Location
Mora, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta wagon TDI
I believe in the 2002 TDI's ASR or ESP were not an available option in North America. Being the first year with IMMO3 makes the ECU different than the 2001. I know on my car it would not recognize the ABS pump and all I had to do was install a 2003 ECU and it was all plug and play.
 

turbocharged798

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Location
Ellenville, NY
TDI
99.5 black ALH Jetta;09 Gasser Jetta
I believe in the 2002 TDI's ASR or ESP were not an available option in North America. Being the first year with IMMO3 makes the ECU different than the 2001. I know on my car it would not recognize the ABS pump and all I had to do was install a 2003 ECU and it was all plug and play.
Well, all TDIs before 02 never came to the US with ASR or ESP yet 99-~01 are compatible with it.
 

kbrenny

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2008
Location
Mora, MN
TDI
2002 Jetta wagon TDI
Interesting,

I know malone could have written my 02 ECU with a european program and it would have recognized the ASR and it would have been plug and play. I just did not want to mail my ECU off and wait. I also found a 03 ECU for sale locally and grabbed it to save the time and hassle. I ended up selling my 02 ECU for 20 or 30 less than I paid for the 03. It was worth it to save the time, and I also did not account for shipping the ecu to malone so it really cost me less than I thought to just use the one from an 03.
 

mittzlepick

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2001
Location
union maine
TDI
2004 jetta wagon (365k)2001 wagon tire burner 6spd 2003 wagon(417k)
love to know how to eliminate this stuff on my track gdi
 
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