any ideas why my ESP light turned on by itself while I was making a road trip?
 

and I couldn't turn it off. Pulled over to a nearby gas station and shut off the engine. When I restarted the car, it cleared. What does ESP do exactly?

TIA

i think it could be a sensor...but when you get back have it checked out

I don't exactly recall the look of our dash lights...is there a light that actually says ESP?
 

Or was it the orange triangle/exclamation point light?

You can disable the ESP system by pressing the ESP button on the dash above the radio.

ESP (electronic stability program) uses the ABS senors, a yaw rate sensor, accelerometers, throttle position senors, etc. to determine whether your car is proceeding on its intended path. If, for example, you pull a full-lock turn on ice, the car will understeer and not rotate at the appropriate rate, indicating slippage. The ESP system brakes the appropriate wheels (in this case, the inner rear wheel) in an attempt to bring the car back in control.

It prevents understeer and oversteer.

i once had an esp light from a vac leak.

Mine was on in the B5 when the ABS sensor was loose.

you would see this (colors obviously are wrong)
 

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/96166/esp.jpg">

ESP = Enable Smoke Production
 

LOL well, maybe if you had a 300HP A4 ;)

excuse the nubness, what is a vac?

Right...
 

Some manufacturers include both an "ESP working/ESP deactivated" light and an "ESP malfunctioning" light. Others use the same light for all three indications.

Zenith - you probably knocked the switch and shut off the ESP system accidentally (which switches on the light). When you restarted the car, it reenabled the system.

thanks for the reply... but actually
 

it turned on by itself and cannot be turned off, as I tried to press the ESP botton several times while driving. I dont usually get this light, last time I recall is last summer.

Just wanted to know if it is "safe" to drive with this abnormality. (and I just relocated so probably not going to visit dealer soon)