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      01-22-2012, 07:18 AM   #1
juhap
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DSC OFF

When you switch DSC off (press and hold the DSC OFF button for couple of seconds) is it truly completely off? Or is it like in Mercedes that you can't really completely disable it?

Now that we finally have plenty of snow here, I've been learning to drive with DSC OFF, and it's been an absolute blast. I had tried it once or twice before last winter, but both times I switched it immediately back on after scaring myself shitless. I must have been just trying too hard, because now it feels relatively easy to put the car in a slide and keep it sliding in the right direction by feathering the throttle and making minor adjustments with the steering wheel. Of course it's best to do it at slow speeds and when there's no oncoming traffic

I don't consider myself to be a great driver, so being able to pull off something like that makes me wonder if I'm still getting help from the computer.
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      01-22-2012, 07:29 AM   #2
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when you push on the button for a while as you said its supposed to be off, a better way to do it is to go on sport+
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      01-22-2012, 08:44 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by az34 View Post
when you push on the button for a while as you said its supposed to be off, a better way to do it is to go on sport+
The bit about Sport+ may actually not be true according to this (posted by z4z4z4 in another thread):



That's also my personal experience as I don't notice the steering being any heavier or the ride being more firm, etc.

I did notice after a recent software update that BMW had changed the Sport+ indicator light in the instrument cluster by adding the DSC OFF symbol to it. The 2012 Owner's Manual is very confusing about this:

The DSC OFF indicator lamp lights up: Dynamic Traction Control DTC is activated.

DTC ON is not the same thing as DSC OFF. I can only assume that BMW added this to make sure drivers understand that Sport+ turns off some driver aids. Adding another warning light to the instrument cluster would have cost more.
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      01-22-2012, 09:17 AM   #4
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DSC off

Its my understanding and experience that you have Stability control and Traction control.

If you press the DSC button you turn in off. You now no longer have Yaw limiting traction control, but there is some level of traction control, ie wheel spin. If you press and hold the DSC button you turn off both the Stability control program and the wheel spin control logic.

Lastly all ABS functions remain on at all times.
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      01-22-2012, 12:17 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wiles335i View Post
Its my understanding and experience that you have Stability control and Traction control.

If you press the DSC button you turn in off. You now no longer have Yaw limiting traction control, but there is some level of traction control, ie wheel spin. If you press and hold the DSC button you turn off both the Stability control program and the wheel spin control logic.

Lastly all ABS functions remain on at all times.
I believe that is backwards. Pressing the Trac button enables DTC (wheel spin allowed but yaw control is still in effect). Its primary purpose is to assist when on snow and mud. With full DSC you go nowhere but with DTC, you can spin the tires a bit and move. As the chart shows, Sport+ goes into the same DTC mode. It gives you the ability to power out of a curve (hints of wheel spin) while still having the yaw control safety net. Although the BMW Performance Center warned me the leash is pretty loose and you can kick it hard enough in Sport+ to overwhelm the yaw control.

Pressing and holding the button is full DSC off. No traction control or yaw control. Per the OPs question, I'd guess it will re-enable itself if you get too crazy. Even the E60 M5 does that. The BMW performance center has to add a secondary disable button to do their hot lap which is constant sliding back and forth.
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      01-22-2012, 01:03 PM   #6
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Ok

I accept your statement, with respect to yaw. In the end, for the most fun, use sport+.
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      01-23-2012, 01:48 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richard in NC View Post
Per the OPs question, I'd guess it will re-enable itself if you get too crazy. Even the E60 M5 does that. The BMW performance center has to add a secondary disable button to do their hot lap which is constant sliding back and forth.
Thanks Richard, I guess I haven't done anything too crazy yet. About the disable button....sliding around doesn't sound like the right recipe for a hot lap?

Quote:
Originally Posted by wiles335i View Post
In the end, for the most fun, use sport+
DSC OFF is the most fun on snow as DTC is a bit too restrictive for my liking. It's a matter of personal preference of course.
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      01-23-2012, 11:35 AM   #8
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So, I guess there's no way to get all DSC and DTC both off with the faster shifting? i.e. if wanting to drift/slide the car I'd want to be in Normal+DTC Button.

Wonder if this can be coded to do something else? i.e. Sport+ disables DSC and DTC. Or, ideally, the DTC won't remove Sport+ and just then additionally disables DTC.
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      01-23-2012, 07:56 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by richard in NC View Post
I believe that is backwards. Pressing the Trac button enables DTC (wheel spin allowed but yaw control is still in effect). Its primary purpose is to assist when on snow and mud. With full DSC you go nowhere but with DTC, you can spin the tires a bit and move. As the chart shows, Sport+ goes into the same DTC mode. It gives you the ability to power out of a curve (hints of wheel spin) while still having the yaw control safety net. Although the BMW Performance Center warned me the leash is pretty loose and you can kick it hard enough in Sport+ to overwhelm the yaw control.

Pressing and holding the button is full DSC off. No traction control or yaw control. Per the OPs question, I'd guess it will re-enable itself if you get too crazy. Even the E60 M5 does that. The BMW performance center has to add a secondary disable button to do their hot lap which is constant sliding back and forth.
Thx for the thorough explanation. I'm curious about the bolded part: what's the criteria for this to occur?
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      01-25-2012, 08:51 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tranquility View Post
Thx for the thorough explanation. I'm curious about the bolded part: what's the criteria for this to occur?
That is just a guess based on learning the e60 M5 turns its DSC back on.

Let me see if I can find videos or post my low quality one of the Performance Center Hot Lap. Sliding isn't as fast but its waaay more fun.

Here is one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKoUDXKxxPQ
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Last edited by richard in NC; 01-25-2012 at 09:39 PM..
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