Launch Control in E92

[jonnywalker46]

Hi Guys,

Got my E92 last week and struggling to find out how to launch control on it. Anyone tried it or knows how its done please let me know

Thanks

[rash_decision]

jonnywalker46 said:

Hi Guys,

Got my E92 last week and struggling to find out how to launch control on it. Anyone tried it or knows how its done please let me know

Thanks

I assume it's got a DCT gearbox then?? If so, is it not in the owner's manual?? If not, I'm sure either someone will be along soon, or Google will tell you.

[sinizter]

Copied from elsewhere

Put the car into S5 mode. Turn off the DSC and then that'll unlock S6. Put the car in S6, foot on the brake, push the shifter forward like you're upshifting and hold it there until the checkered flag appears on the gear indicator screen. Pedal to the floor and let go of the shifter when u want to launch. Keep it 100% pinned and it'll shift at redline until you get scared and/or let off. U can adjust the launch rpms on the cruise control stalk.


I don't own an M3, so I don't know if this is correct.

[playalistic]

Bye bye clutch. It was nice knowing you.

[shibby!]

Thats pretty much what it is for the E46 SMG too.

[dele]

Sitting in my M3 now and can't get it to work lol

[4340BB]

Why on earth would anyone in there right mind want to do that. Should have bought a manual if you want to do that.
That's just my opinion.
Also keep in mind that BMW can see how many times the car has been launched when they plug it in to diag machine.

[waremark]

I believe that it does not work until the car has done 2,000 km. If it hasn't I am shocked that you would be doing this. Do you own your own car?

Would you drop the clutch at 4,500 rpm in a manual if you had one?

Please remind me not to buy a second hand car from you!

[x5x3]

If launch control does so much damage to the car then why is it there?

I have to confess I have not tried it on mine, but there again I did not buy it new so the previous owner may well have used it a lot anyway!

[sinizter]

I remember seeing somewhere that if a car had more than 20 "launches" the warranty would be void - Is there any truth in this ?

[Gokartmozart]

sinizter said:

Copied from elsewhere

Put the car into S5 mode. Turn off the DSC and then that'll unlock S6. Put the car in S6, foot on the brake, push the shifter forward like you're upshifting and hold it there until the checkered flag appears on the gear indicator screen. Pedal to the floor and let go of the shifter when u want to launch. Keep it 100% pinned and it'll shift at redline until you get scared and/or let off. U can adjust the launch rpms on the cruise control stalk.


I don't own an M3, so I don't know if this is correct.

Pretty much, but forward is actually downshift not up.
Best done around 5200 rpm.

I have used it 3-4 times. Around 500 miles after run in service. On 2 occasions I had a gearbox temp warning on the Idrive.

The very first time I did it I ballsed it up somehow, cue me crawling forward like a milk float.

I see it as a novelty feature and no more. Lots of noise and rear end squirming.

So have a go or two to tick the box, but as a reagular thing, then no.

[dele]

waremark said:

I believe that it does not work until the car has done 2,000 km. If it hasn't I am shocked that you would be doing this. Do you own your own car?

Would you drop the clutch at 4,500 rpm in a manual if you had one?

Please remind me not to buy a second hand car from you!

Steady on,

I was only curious as to how to get in the mode, i didnt actually intend to use it as ive heard too many horror stories from the GTR

[waremark]

x5x3 said:

If launch control does so much damage to the car then why is it there?

I assume that it is there to get good acceleration times in magazine tests.

I have the impression from past threads on http://www.m3post.com/forums/ that the M3 fluid clutch is more resilient and can cope with more use of the launch control than the GTR clutch, and also than the SMG clutch. Indeed, I have not heard of anybody needing a new clutch. The car's systems stop you using it too many times in a row (as mentioned above).

[Wills2]

waremark said:

Would you drop the clutch at 4,500 rpm in a manual if you had one?

It's naughty but fun.

no kittens or old ladies were hurt and please can we think of the children

[Stedman]

x5x3 said:

If launch control does so much damage to the car then why is it there?

Willy Waving at the pub. The car scene is full of men, remember?

[ecain63]

sinizter said:

I remember seeing somewhere that if a car had more than 20 "launches" the warranty would be void - Is there any truth in this ?

If its 20 launches then thats quite generous.

On the First SMG M3's they only allowed 3 launches before the warranty was torn up. As the cars got updated over the years the number of launches allowed was increased. I think the E60 / E61 M5's are allowed 3 per month with a max of 9 to 12 over a clutch life. If the new DCT is allowed 20 launches then i'd be very wary.

BMW told me that the launch (SMGIII) was not harmfull to the clutch so long as the clutch / fly / box was allowed to cool properly after every lauch. If the clutch parts were still warm when the next launch was performed then the clutch would wear rapidly, maybe even dramatically fail. Excessive or rapid use of the launch facility would be deemed as abuse and will void your warranty.

So, theres your gypsies warning. Dont get into the situation where BMW might think you are abusing your car beyond the manufacturers guidelines. By all means try the launch to tick the box but i dont think its something you should do from every traffic light. BMW can read off the 'balck box' to find out the number of launches, the temperature of the parts before and after and launch and they can tell how often and at what times you did them. They have you over a very unstable barrel im affraid.

I was lucky with my M5. The previous owner had only ever used launch control once and BMW were able to tell me that as soon as i took it in for a new clutch, fly etc. Had it been used as a traffic light rocket i might be £3k lighter as a result. I wont use it myself, i dont see the point unless you are at the Pod, which im not.

Eddie

[foresterlad]

Back in 2004 I ran a CSL which came with a complimentary BMW training day at Prodrive near Warwick. We used CSL's which one instructor informed me had only been used as track cars and each were used for 30/40 starts over a four month period before being sold via BMW dealerships. I actually came across the car I used in Bristol and the transmission was perfect, courtesy of new clutch/flywheel. The mileage was around 3/4K.!

[roadsmash]

4340BB said:

Also keep in mind that BMW can see how many times the car has been launched when they plug it in to diag machine.

Firstly, sorry to revive an ancient thread.

Just wanted to ask you all if anyone knows if the average Joe can check this? Is there a code reader available that will show this information?

I’m thinking of buying one soon and it would be a good thing to check when viewing if possible.

Doesn’t really matter if not but would be a bonus.