With so many buttons in modern cars, most drivers avoid touching anything they don’t recognise, just in case it does something they didn’t mean to. That’s exactly what prompted one learner driver to ask what a particular button means in her new car, after failing to find an answer in the manual.
Sharing an image of the icon on Reddit, viewers could see a symbol showing a car with two wiggly lines underneath it and the word "OFF" at the bottom. She wrote: "What does this button do in my car? Sorry if this is obvious, but I have no idea what this button means.
"It’s in a pretty strange place in the driver-side footwell, next to the headlight height control. I tried to find it in the car manual, but I just can’t seem to find anything that explains it. Thank you."
According to the Cars and Vehicle thread on Gumtree, the 'OFF' button usually disables specific vehicle systems, including the auto stop-start function or ESP (Electronic Stability Programme).
They explained: "In the UK, most systems like ESP are automatically enabled when you start your vehicle. Auto start-stop off buttons are commonly found in models like the Nissan Qashqai or Vauxhall Corsa, while ESP off buttons often appear in performance models such as the BMW 3 Series.
"You’ll see a warning light on your dashboard, such as ‘ESP OFF’, when these systems are disabled. Most drivers should leave ESP enabled, only turning it off in specific situations like getting stuck in mud or snow, where wheel spin might help.
"Always check your vehicle’s manual, as locations vary between manufacturers such as Ford, Volkswagen, and Jaguar."
Commenting on the Reddit post, one user said: "The real reason to use this button is if you’re stuck in snow or ice and the car won’t put any power to the wheels because the traction control keeps cutting it when it detects the wheels slipping. Turning traction control off allows the wheels to slip so you can try to get unstuck."
Another user added: "This is the button that disables traction control. Traction control is an electronic system that helps your car maintain grip in slippery driving conditions by slowing down an individual wheel that is spinning excessively compared to the others.
"Imagine you’re walking on an ice rink wearing normal shoes: if you try to walk really fast, your feet will slip and you’ll lose balance. If you take slow, careful steps, you’ll have more grip and control. Traction control helps your car do the same thing instead of spinning uncontrollably.
"However, the system doesn’t work well when your car is completely stuck on a slippery surface, like deep snow or mud. That’s usually the only time most people ever need to press this button - but remember to turn it back on once you’re unstuck."
A third user added: "You need to press and hold it until a light comes on the dashboard whenever you see that symbol."
