E46 M3 DSC operation

[Toilet Duck]

Hello,

I've had my E46 M3 convertible for around 18 months, and I've never pressed the DSC button to change settings on a drive. What does it do exactly? If I press it, a yellow sign comes up on the dash display (can't remember exactly what the sign is off the top of my head) If I press it again, it goes off. I read somewhere on here that if you press and hold, it activates another setting. However, If I press and hold the button, it doesn't seem to bring up any other dash icons. Pressing the DSC button seems to just bring one icon up on the dash, either "on" or "off." I've never driven the car whilst the yellow icon is displayed. What exactly does it do? The car is manual and not SMG.

Cheers!

[scottri]

It turns off the traction control - nothing else as far as I know. (on SMG it allows another faster SMG setting as well)

[Paul_M3]

Normal e46's have two DSC settings I believe.

The M3 has just ON or OFF as you have discovered. When the light is on, you have no traction control or stability control enabled.

[Toilet Duck]

scottri said:

It turns off the traction control

Does this mean that when you press the DSC button, other than ABS you do not have ANY electronic aids to save you??

[Toilet Duck]

Paul_M3 said:

Normal e46's have two DSC settings I believe.

The M3 has just ON or OFF as you have discovered. When the light is on, you have no traction control or stability control enabled.

Ah OK. So pressing the DSC button once means you have no electronic aids (other than ABS I assume?) to save you. I will continue to leave this button untouched then

[Paul_M3]

Correct. ABS remains active, but all traction/stabilty programmes are turnd off.

[survivalist]

Hi
My Z4m is the same, DSC either on or off. Every other (non-M) BMW I've had recently has had 2 stages, with the partially off option allowing some wheel slip before intervening. Does anyone know why the M models don't have this 2 stage system?

Thanks in advance.