330 Traction Control

[KH]

I have a 2001 300i, my first BMW, so forgive the daft question.

Is the Traction Control permanantly on and if so, what's the DTC button for?

Thank you. Kim

[soprano]

KH said:

I have a 2001 300i, my first BMW, so forgive the daft question.

Is the Traction Control permanantly on and if so, what's the DTC button for?

Thank you. Kim

DTC turns the traction control off - if you press the DTC button it is only partially off IIRC, you need to hold it down for a few seconds to turn it fully off.

[NickXX]

Will be DSC in that vintage of 330.

It is on from start up. Press the button briefly and it will turn off the stability control (and corner braking control etc.) but keep traction control on. Hold it for a few seconds and traction control also gets disabled.

[VAG1]

NickXX said:

Press the button briefly and it will turn off the stability control (and corner braking control etc.) but keep traction control on. Hold it for a few seconds and traction control also gets disabled.

Other way round

[dumbfunk]

VAG1 said:

NickXX said:

Press the button briefly and it will turn off the stability control (and corner braking control etc.) but keep traction control on. Hold it for a few seconds and traction control also gets disabled.

Other way round

Correct -- 4 second push *also* disables stability control.

[KH]

Still slightly confused.

So what do I do if I want everything on?

[ian in lancs]

KH said:

Still slightly confused.

So what do I do if I want everything on?

Nothing! Its all on when the car is started. That's the default setting. Pushing the button once allows the car more slip & slide, pressing and holding takes all computer control of stability away and you're on your own! Turning the ign off and on puts the computer control back on. I would only turn it off on a track where there's room to get out of trouble!

[KH]

Thanks Ian.

[blondini]

VAG1 said:

NickXX said:

Press the button briefly and it will turn off the stability control (and corner braking control etc.) but keep traction control on. Hold it for a few seconds and traction control also gets disabled.

Other way round

No, NickXXX is correct. Have you read the handbook for one of these?

[jcas]

Is there any kind of indication that the whole lot has been turned off - something different to the dsc disabled that you get if you press the button momentarily?

Ta.

[JimexPL]

blondini said:

VAG1 said:

NickXX said:

Press the button briefly and it will turn off the stability control (and corner braking control etc.) but keep traction control on. Hold it for a few seconds and traction control also gets disabled.

Other way round

No, NickXXX is correct. Have you read the handbook for one of these? [/quote

No, VAG1 is correct. Get in your car and try it in the three settings. My Z4 will happily spin its wheels all day long in a straight line with 'DTC mode' selected, but as soon as the car starts to slip sideways the stability control kicks in. If your manual says otherwise then it is wrong (not unheard of).

[VAG1]

It wouldn't make sense if it turned the stability management off first.

[blondini]

VAG1 said:

It wouldn't make sense if it turned the stability management off first.

It turns off stability management first as this improves the function of the traction control. The handbook explains that the purpose of this setting is to make it easier to get the car moving in difficult conditions. e.g. When stuck in mud or snow.

[Dominic H]

jcas said:

Is there any kind of indication that the whole lot has been turned off - something different to the dsc disabled that you get if you press the button momentarily?

Ta.

Yep, on the E46 when you press for a second a yellow warning triangle with an exclamation lights up in the centre of the instrument binnacle. If you keep the button depressed for a further 4 seconds; a second,yellow,round warning light with an exclamation mark lights up to the right of the OBC display.

Dom H

(I found this out about 10 minutes ago, after 3 years of ownership.... . This is from a man who drove around with the clock an hour fast, because he refused to read the manual )

[NickXX]

VAG1 said:

It wouldn't make sense if it turned the stability management off first.

Stability management is turned off on both settings.

As I said above, press once and stability control turns off, TC stays on. Hold for a few seconds and everything (bar ABS) goes off.

Or at least that's what it did in the e46 330d I had for 3 and a half years...

[NickXX]

JimexPL said:

No, VAG1 is correct. Get in your car and try it in the three settings. My Z4 will happily spin its wheels all day long in a straight line with 'DTC mode' selected, but as soon as the car starts to slip sideways the stability control kicks in. If your manual says otherwise then it is wrong (not unheard of).

VAG1 is not correct. The 2001 330 is an e46 which will have DSC. DTC may well be a different system, but I am familiar with DSC.

[blondini]

An e46 will either have ASC or DSC, the latter being more advanced. Both do the same job, and both are part/fully deactivated in the same way.

DTC is a subsystem.

[KH]

I don't feel so stupid now.

So, let me try and get this:

1. If the weather's dodgy and I want all my aids on, I don't touch anything at all.
2. If I want to spin my rear tyres but still be helped round the wet bends, I press the button once.
3. If I want end up in a hedge, I press the button twice.

?

Edited by KH on Friday 28th August 11:06

[blondini]

I've only ever used the 'intermediate' setting a couple of times to get me up hills in snow. You can't spin the wheels unless you become completely stuck then the traction control won't allow more than a whisker of throttle.

[obscene]

Dominic H said:

jcas said:

Is there any kind of indication that the whole lot has been turned off - something different to the dsc disabled that you get if you press the button momentarily?

Ta.

Yep, on the E46 when you press for a second a yellow warning triangle with an exclamation lights up in the centre of the instrument binnacle. If you keep the button depressed for a further 4 seconds; a second,yellow,round warning light with an exclamation mark lights up to the right of the OBC display.

Dom H

(I found this out about 10 minutes ago, after 3 years of ownership.... . This is from a man who drove around with the clock an hour fast, because he refused to read the manual )

I'm nearly as bad, wondered what the light switch when turned to the left did as when light switch turned to the right was normal and when turned left they were the same. A month or two later my dumb ass figured out they were autolights... that or my dad/sister mentioned the idea OR I looked it up.