Long press on DSC button - what happens?

[davipt]

According to a friend of us with a 1-series, he told me that when he presses the DSC button, it turns some systems off, as expected, but if he keeps the button pressed for some seconds, then some other systems are also turned off (traction control for example).

Obviously I had to try to do the same on the X3. Twice. Once in a test drive some months ago, and again now with the new car.

What happens is the following:
- pressing DSC lights up a 4x4 light on the dashboard
- pressing DSC again turns the light off
- pressing DSC button for some seconds (around 8-10 I think) when the light is on (never tried with the light off) turns the light off, but then *the light doesn't come on again anymore*!!!

I've tried all combinations of short press, long press, take the key off and on again, etc.

It just resets after some hours with the key off.

Do you know what happens in this case? I've asked the BMW salesman but she had no clue.

It felt like Hal from 2001 - "Are you trying to shut me down? Dave? So I'll turn the button off and forbid you from trying to shut me down"