[Gandolfthegreat]

Just took delivery of my 03 Cooper S on Friday and i decided to test the traction control. (I have DSC which i assume includes traction control?)

Anyways i've read stories of it being really protrusive, i.e cutting all power when you get a bit eager, but alas, i can wheel spin so easily. I'm starting to think that either i haven't got it, or its malfunctioning, or BMW have re-jigged the settings for the 03 specs???

Anyone experiencing similar? or an idea as to why this is happening?

[timlowden771]

I have Asc+T on my Mini and if I have got it turned on it won't let me spin the wheels. As soon as one of the wheels spins it just kills the power.

[MiniMan7]

I have DSC, and I notice, that if it detects any spinout, it immediatly cuts power. However, if you were to turn it off, then you would be able to spin out very easily.

Make sure your DSC is on. You'll know its off because you should see the light on the tachometer. It looks like a triangle with a ! in the middle, outlined by a curved arrow.

It's alittle confusing, when the light is on, that means the DSC, or ASC-T is off, when the light is off, it means the DSC, or ASC-T is on. So I would check to make sure your DSC is on.

The light should also flash when its in use. Hope this helped.

[ezrally]

ASC+T= no go on ice/snow, its an 03.
So its off alot!
Saves the snow tires on the tarmac though.

[GordonD]

I have DCS on my MCs and find it is only intrusive for about the first couple of minutes after i start after being parked for a while.


It will flash its little brains out at the first couple of starts after i leave home but i hardly ever notice it after that. I've wondered if there is some engine warm up protection which cuts revs when the oil is cold?

[ezrally]

Quote:

Originally posted by GordonD
I have DCS on my MCs and find it is only intrusive for about the first couple of minutes after i start after being parked for a while.


It will flash its little brains out at the first couple of starts after i leave home but i hardly ever notice it after that. I've wondered if there is some engine warm up protection which cuts revs when the oil is cold?

Maybe because the idle speed is up higher at idle when cold and giving you 500rpm more power?

[HarryHBMCC]

Quote:

Originally posted by ezrally
ASC+T= no go on ice/snow, its an 03.
So its off alot!
Saves the snow tires on the tarmac though.

Strange as I leave it on in snow and ice and find ASC+T works very well. I just did the Snowy Safari Rally and left it on. It was occasionally a bit intrusive but it saved my bacon a few times too. Mine is an 02/02 build. With experience I find it to be quite useful. With it off even with snow tires I find it spins so badly in piles of slush that it is much better to leave it on.

Harry

[GordonD]

Quote:

Originally posted by ezrally
Maybe because the idle speed is up higher at idle when cold and giving you 500rpm more power?

Good thought.

By the way I agre with Harry - I don't find DSC to a be a problem in snow for many situations. I have tried turning it off to get going in hilly/deep snow situations but once the wheels are rolling i just turn it back on

[RickB]

I'm one of those who believes DSC has almost gotten me killed, by cutting power to the extent that it's as if the engine has died, while I'm trying to duck into a small opening in traffic. If I need to accelerate from a stop, especially if I'm also turning as when entering from a side street, I turn the DSC off. Other S owners told me their DSC was not so intrusive; what's the consensus?

[GordonD]

Quote:

Originally posted by RickB
I'm one of those who believes DSC has almost gotten me killed, by cutting power to the extent that it's as if the engine has died, while I'm trying to duck into a small opening in traffic. If I need to accelerate from a stop, especially if I'm also turning as when entering from a side street, I turn the DSC off. Other S owners told me their DSC was not so intrusive; what's the consensus?

Like many people i have had questions aabout the impact of DSC when I really had to get going.

the thing i can't decide is - in those situations where DSC takes over would you be any better off with the wheels (presumably) just spinning? I'm sure you feel better with all the noise and revs building but if you are not hooked up you are not hooked up. To sit there making smoke and noise is not going to get you out of there any faster. It may be that a clever driver can feather the throttle etc etc but my bet is most folks just bury it and hang on when the brown stuff flies.

[RickB]

I had the 32 upgrade; this includes whatever was in 31?
I am adept at balancing throttle and clutch to the available traction - much better than the traction control, which seems more like an on/off switch. My impression is the traction control intervenes much too aggressively, completely cutting power, when there would have been mimimal slippage without its intervening at all.

[nmottram]

I experience exactly the same as Gandalf. It's almost as if the traction control isn't there. I am due for a service soon so will get it checked then I think.

[noahe]

I really like the DSC, and find it works quite well.

One point. Regardless of DSC or ASC+T, version or whatever, if you rev the engine, and dump the clutch, the wheels are going to spin. The system cannot overcome inertia. If one wheel gets worse traction, the system will apply the brake on that side to reduce wheel spin until both wheels are even.

The system is set conservatively, to allow NO slip. Compared to say, the Porsche PSM system, which allows you to have some fun, put keeps everything from getting nicely out of control.

It is ok in the snow, but I don't like it on the pavement. It cut the power for way too long when I was making a left turn in traffic. I know I would have been better off with a little wheel slip (notice I say slip, it would not have been wheelspin). So in the snow I turn it on, on the pavement I turn it off.

-Andrew

[HarryHBMCC]

Still strange here as my performance tires are down to half their tread after 6 months of driving from chirping, squealing starts WITH the ASC+T left on. If I do it just right, holding the power right at the start of slippage, it lets me stay there and the power keeps on coming. If I go too far then it holds me back. Seems like a good system to me. Makes me wonder if there isn't a tuning parameter in the system somewhere.

Harry

[GordonD]

We have about 3" of snow last night around rush hour so the city was bedlam.

i was trying to make a left turn across traffic and had moved into the centre turn lane and was waiting on the snow which had been thown up by passing cars to scoot into the traffic. A jeep pulled in on my bumper and at the 1st opening we both launched. Horrors - DSC decided to do it's nanny thing and just bogged me down - needless to say the jeep had 4wd going and almost climbed up my back end. I'm sure he thought I was a real ******.

If I had been smart i would have thought to turn DSC off but i had other things on my mind. My conclusion is that it was too intrusive for too long but i still value it once I'm moving along. It was flashing away as i was highway driving but except for the light i would not have known

I like it but wish it was a little smarter - or is it that i wish i was a little smarter