All you need to know about your car's electronic stability control - The Best Toyota Dealership in Town

August 8, 2025

All you need to know about your car’s electronic stability control

Written by Maham@DE

The electronic stability control (ESC) works as an intelligent assistant in motorcars, preventing skidding. It also prevents a car from losing control. The ESC is a crucial safety feature that makes a serious attempt to prevent accidents from happening at the very start.

Instead of airbags or seatbelts, the ESC in Toyota Cars is becoming increasingly popular. It helps salvage cars after accidents and crashes. It is effective at keeping passengers safe, and many new vehicles in developed countries are equipped with ESC as a standard feature.

What is the difference between an Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and an Electronic Stability Control (ESC)?

Everyone is familiar with Anti-lock braking systems (ABS). They have been around since the late 90s, and they allow cars to brake hard without the wheels locking up. This allows the drivers to steer the car clear of any impending incident. ESC complements ABS by amplifying each other. Thus, drivers are provided better control.

An ESC is like a heroic invisible hand, intervening and assisting drivers to keep their cars on the road. It is particularly helpful when the weather is cold, the roads are slippery, or an immediate turn is required. Let us now examine the modus operandi of Electronic Stability Control in detail.

Briefly understanding Electronic Stability Control

Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is an intelligent safety system in cars. It prevents them from skidding and losing control on roads under multiple conditions. It achieves this through the following tasks:

How quickly the wheels are spinning.
How much is the car turning?
Is the vehicle starting to spin?

Once it detects that drivers are about to lose control, it automatically corrects the situation by applying the brakes to each wheel and reducing engine power.

Is ESC the same thing as ESP? If so, then what is it known as?

Both electronic stability control (ESC) and electronic stability program (ESP) refer to the same technology. The difference comes in the way automakers choose the terms and implement the systems. If there is a debate centering on electronic stability control versus traction control, both terms refer to the same technology.

The term’ Electronic Stability Control’ is more commonly used, as it is a neutral term.

Why does it matter?

Many accidents occur when drivers lose control of their vehicles. Here are some common scenarios where the ESC is beneficial:

Taking a bend quite quickly.
The need to swerve quickly to avoid obstacles.
Driving on slippery roads (icy, wet, or snowy conditions).

In such situations, most drivers are unable to recover from a skid or spin. ESC steps in to prevent such issues. It detects a loss of control (especially understeering or oversteering) and automatically applies brakes to the wheels. It helps bring the car back on track without anyone noticing.

Exploring the reasons why the ESC light is on

The ESC is an essential component of cars. However, it too is not immune to wear and tear. If the electronic stability control warning light remains illuminated on the dashboard (displayed with wavy lines beneath it), it indicates multiple issues. They are listed as follows:

System being deactivated temporarily

In certain driving conditions, such as muddy, dusty, icy, or snowy terrain, the ESC system may automatically deactivate. This indicates that it is disabled.

Sensors are faulty

An ESC relies heavily on sensors (wheel speed, acceleration, steering angle, etc.). Dirty or malfunctioning sensors can trigger the warning light.

ABS is malfunctioning

Both the ABS and the ESC share components with each other. A problem in the former can affect the latter’s functions.

The system got manually deactivated

Some automobiles allow owners to turn the ESC off manually through a button. As long as the system remains inactive, the light will stay on.

Should the blinking ESC light be ignored? Understanding the associated risks

Driving a car with the ESC light on can pose a serious risk (especially if it is persistent). The vehicle will move, but the safety of passengers is at risk. It worsens in poor visibility and on roads with poor conditions. This is what will happen:

Zero stability in sharp/emergency turns.
Loss of traction on wet or slippery roads.
Braking performance is compromised as the ABS also gets affected.

What to do when the ESC light turns on?

The ESC light being on can help car owners answer their question, “How to check ESC is working.” Yet there is more that meets the eye. Meaning they should conduct the following checks to see if the ESC is in a working condition or not.

Check if it turns off by itself: If the light briefly appears on when the car starts and then turns off, then it’s fine. It is a typical sign as the system is doing a self-check.
Restarting the car: At times, a simple restart can reset the system. This works when the warning was temporarily triggered.
Getting a diagnostic test: If the light stays on, then it is wise to have it checked by a professional. A diagnostic test helps determine the main issue.

Possible ways of repairing the ESC

The results of the diagnostic test will determine whether or not the ESC needs repairs. It will also provide the cost of electronic stability control repair. The following repairs are part of the repair process:

Cleaning/replacing the wheel speed sensors.
Resetting the ESC system.
Repairing/replacing the ABS/ESC module.
Updating the car’s software/operating system.

Over to You

The electronic stability control (ESC) of automobiles is a vital component. It should not be taken for granted. If car owners suspect something is wrong with their car, then they should contact a professional for diagnostics and necessary repairs.