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  #1  
Old 09-06-2006, 01:25 PM
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Long press on DSC button - what happens?

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"
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  #2  
Old 09-06-2006, 02:04 PM
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My 3 series does much the same as the 1 series (or so it sounds) and I have had the same "problem" as you have with the X - though I've never been able to not get it to turn back on/off. I've got a question in to my SA and we'll see what answer I get.
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  #3  
Old 09-06-2006, 02:20 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mwbbmw
(...)I've never been able to not get it to turn back on/off.(...)
Never? The test drive car reseted itself overnight (we were playing with it at night, and then on the morning the light was already working), and with our car we played in the morning, when we got the car, and at the end of the day it was working again (~6-7 hours).
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Old 09-06-2006, 04:20 PM
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I am working from memory here, but I think this is it:

On our 325xi, DSC is normally on. Push the button once, DSC is off, and traction control remains on. That is the equivalent of the 4x4 light, but I think it is a different symbol on the E46. No dynamic stability control in play now, but it still has traction control (braking one wheel at a time). Then hold the DSC button in, and the big warning light comes on. Now you don't have any traction control, and you can play in parking lots to your heart's content, slip-sliding away. It is only useful for starting out in snow/ice/sand where you want to spin the wheels to get moving. As soon as one is moving, turn the DSC back on. I have played with all three modes on snowy roads, to understand the behaviour of the car at the limits.

None of the above works on the X5, it has two modes not three. Suspct the X3 is exactly the same as the X5.
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Old 09-06-2006, 05:15 PM
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Here's the answer I received from my SA:

"You have the answer to your own question, You're correct on the DSC/DTC on the 325I you're also correct on the airbags light on the X3." (I asked him about my airbag light not remaining on all the time as my '04 did - it is pressure sensitive and also based on whether the seat belt is in use). "The DSC light on the X3 will come on when you push the button once,what you're actually doing you're taking away the electronic intervention on the DSC, the vehicle still is 4WD, it just limits the regulation and allow some wheel spinning in the event that you need to rock the vehicle or get a run on a hill."

So, the 3 series will turn off DSC with one push. Holding it down turns off DSC and DTC. On the X3, your only option is to turn off DSC but the "other" remains on as it is a feature of the all wheel drive system.
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  #6  
Old 09-06-2006, 05:21 PM
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So, the long press really is my "HAL" idea? The car taking control and ignoring you?
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Old 09-06-2006, 06:11 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davipt
So, the long press really is my "HAL" idea? The car taking control and ignoring you?
Yup! It is interesting how much wheel spin one push really allows though!
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Old 09-06-2006, 11:12 PM
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I *think* there are 3 modes on the X3, since I've tried both just DTC mode (DSC off) and DTC/DSC off. On that one big snowstorm in the NE in Feburary, I started getting nowhere in the deep snow so I briefly pushed DSC, presumably leaving it in just traction control mode. I was able to get moving much better, some wheelspin but xDrive can moderate it somewhat.

On a rainy day a month ago, I held the DSC button for 3-5 seconds, supposedly shutting both traction and stability off. I purposely took the next turn fast, and held the X3 at a pretty darn silly angle (almost sideways) for a bit

By the way, the Quick Reference Guide does mention this distinction.
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Old 09-07-2006, 12:18 AM
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Ok so lets just run this down and get everyone clear on this...

Push briefly, the "4x4 triangle !" light illuminates (same light as every other BMW minus the 4x4 text on the bottom). Pushing briefly turns off DSC, but leaves DTC on. DTC or dynamic traction control allows for a little more fun and wheel-spin before the car will react putting you back on the road. Think of it a delayed and less intervening DSC.

Holding the button for 5-8 secs, turns DSC/DTC off completely meaning you are on your own. The car will not intervene whatsoever.

Now, its a little different on our cars than other BMW's because of xDrive. It is very difficult to get more wheelspin and have more 'fun' (i.e. tailhappy sideways turns) because xDrive simply counteracts it on its own. There is no way to turn off xDrive. Therefore with DSC/DTC off you can't really do that much damage to your xDrive BMW, but say if you were in a regular BMW sedan or convertible oh the tailhappy times you would enjoy...

Now, on another note, newer gen BMW cars label the button DTC (which makes more sense), as a brief press will switch the car into DTC mode. But the button works in the same way as in our cars...
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Old 09-07-2006, 01:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xx3
Ok so lets just run this down and get everyone clear on this...

Push briefly, the "4x4 triangle !" light illuminates (same light as every other BMW minus the 4x4 text on the bottom). Pushing briefly turns off DSC, but leaves DTC on. DTC or dynamic traction control allows for a little more fun and wheel-spin before the car will react putting you back on the road. Think of it a delayed and less intervening DSC.

Holding the button for 5-8 secs, turns DSC/DTC off completely meaning you are on your own. The car will not intervene whatsoever.

Now, its a little different on our cars than other BMW's because of xDrive. It is very difficult to get more wheelspin and have more 'fun' (i.e. tailhappy sideways turns) because xDrive simply counteracts it on its own. There is no way to turn off xDrive. Therefore with DSC/DTC off you can't really do that much damage to your xDrive BMW, but say if you were in a regular BMW sedan or convertible oh the tailhappy times you would enjoy...

Now, on another note, newer gen BMW cars label the button DTC (which makes more sense), as a brief press will switch the car into DTC mode. But the button works in the same way as in our cars...
Well, I read your post, but it makes it more confusing to me, not clearer. What you are saying is the opposite of the original poster, the opposite of mwbbmw (who had it confirmed by his dealer), and the opposite of my experience with the X5 (which may, of course, be different than the X3). Just to help my own understanding, I checked both the 2004 and 2005 X3 owner's manuals on the home page, and they confirm there are two modes, not three. Can't comment on the Australian experience.

So, maybe it is different in some specific markets, or some specific production range, but I still think there are two modes, not three. I am referring here to the X3, and X5, not to cars such as my 325xi which has three modes.

Care to clarify?
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