M3 E46 Traction Control

[Stephen Pook]

Just bought a manual E46 M3 (2001)and I must say I am very pleased indeed with it. I have, however one small gripe; When launching in first gear enthusiastically the DSC light flashes and the power is cut dramatically. I have tried turning off the DSC but this doesn't stop the electronics cutting in. I am not trying to do 'wheel spins' etc but I am used to driving TVR's where you can 'feel' the rear wheels start to lose traction and you can then back off accordingly.

I have tried to engage M Trac mode and I am not sure if the car is letting me do that. I have DSC on and push the button on the steering wheel (as per the instruction manual) but the cruise control icon comes on in the dash and the electronics keep preventing me from pulling away as quickly as I think the car is capable of doing.

Now I appreciate that DSC in most circumstances is a good thing but I am finding the automatic power shut offs a bit frustrating as the car tends to kangaroo forwards until I back right off on the throttle. Is there any way I can turn off the Traction control? Any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks,

Steve.

[m12_nathan]

A 2001 model won't have M-Track (was only on the CSL and CS), you are infact turning on the cruise control

Turning off DSC will prevent any electronic interference with wheelspin. Just press the button down near the sport button and the warning symbol between the rev counter and speedo will illuminate - that is it, now turned off, you will at that point be able to sit stationary in a cloud of tyre smoke, do donuts, powerslides and anything else you fancy. Once off the only electronic help you get is ABS and CBC (Corner Brake Control) which obviously both only do anything when you are braking.

[Stephen Pook]

Thanks for the quick response.

The M track issue would explain the cruise control. Problem is when the DSC is turned off (light on the dash is on continuously) the power keeps shutting off before the wheels spin! From what you are saying it sounds like the DSC on my car will not turn off even though the dash indicator would suggest it is.

Anyone else had a similar problem? And anyone know how this might be fixed?

Cheers.

[m12_nathan]

Never heard of that, on M models DSC off really means it (apart from the american model manual e60 M5 before some smartarse chimes in )

Register on www.mtorque.co.uk when it comes back online (been down this morning) and ask there - loads of e46 M3 owners to help you out.

[Stephen Pook]

Thanks Nathan. I'll log on later and see if anyone can enlighten me. Maybe I'm just being a bit thick and missing something!

Steve.

[Zod]

If you turn off DSC, you get the orange warning light.

Lighting up the rear with DSC off will allow as much wheel spin as you can handle.

[Stephen Pook]

Hi Zod.

I understand what you say but on my car with DSC off and the warning light on the car will not wheel spin. Rather it just seems to get to about 5k rpm and then the power cuts and the car kangeroo's forward as though the engine is cutting in and out repeatedly.

[m12_nathan]

are you talking about with the front wheels stationary? Mine won't rev over about 6k unless it is moving, presumably some kind of engine protection mechanism. Makes them a pain to rolling road though.

[Vixpy1]

m12_nathan said:

are you talking about with the front wheels stationary? Mine won't rev over about 6k unless it is moving, presumably some kind of engine protection mechanism. Makes them a pain to rolling road though.

There are ways round that

[kentmotorcompany]

To fully turn the traction control off, you need to press and hold the DSC button for about 3 seconds.
Just pressing the button will only lower the DSC to a lower threshold, and turn on the yellow DSC light in the display. After holding the button for 3 seconds you will see 2 yellow lights, the other light is the brake display that is red when the handbrake is on. Do it with the handbrake off and that way you will be able to see it lights up yellow.

[m12_nathan]

kentmotorcompany said:

To fully turn the traction control off, you need to press and hold the DSC button for about 3 seconds.
Just pressing the button will only lower the DSC to a lower threshold, and turn on the yellow DSC light in the display. After holding the button for 3 seconds you will see 2 yellow lights, the other light is the brake display that is red when the handbrake is on. Do it with the handbrake off and that way you will be able to see it lights up yellow.

Surely not a motor trader who doesn't know that the above is only applicable to non M cars. On M cars you just push it once.

[kentmotorcompany]

m12_nathan said:

kentmotorcompany said:

To fully turn the traction control off, you need to press and hold the DSC button for about 3 seconds.
Just pressing the button will only lower the DSC to a lower threshold, and turn on the yellow DSC light in the display. After holding the button for 3 seconds you will see 2 yellow lights, the other light is the brake display that is red when the handbrake is on. Do it with the handbrake off and that way you will be able to see it lights up yellow.

Surely not a motor trader who doesn't know that the above is only applicable to non M cars. On M cars you just push it once.

OOPS!

Its been a while since I last drove a E46 M3, the memory must be a little hazy.

Congratultions for being the first person to correct my product knowledge on PH. I am normally quite proud of my BMW expertise.

Anyway lets hope this thread now quickly disappears off the front page.

[m12_nathan]

lol

I'm sure it will be forgotten by tomorrow

[ju6121]

I may be wrong on this but I think when you first start the engine from cold, the engine limits itself to aroud 5k revs which may be why the power cuts out even with dsc switched off. Once the engine has been warmed up however this limit disappears and so you can light up the rears with dsc off

[m12_nathan]

That isn't the limit I'm talking about at about 6k but you may well be right in the case of the OP - presumably all the oil temp lights are out before you attempt this fast getaway? Only ever use 3k rpm until it is warm on mine so don't know if there is a cold rev limit to go along with the lights or not?

[Stephen Pook]

Point taken about the cold start. I'm generally very careful about not revving cold engines for obvious reasons. I do wait until the amber lights around the rev counter have gone out. That said, the engine does appear to warm up pretty quickly from cold compared to other cars and the cut out seems to occur at about 5-6k! I wonder if the engine is not in fact as warm as the indicators would suggest? I'll try again with a thoroughly warmed up engine and see what happens.

The engine will happily rev right up to about 8k with no problems except for in first and sometimes second gears when, by my judgement, the rear wheels may be in danger of losing traction.

Thanks for the input!

[m3 paul]

As everyone else has said. On non 'M' cars there is a two stage DSC but on the M3s you just push the DSC button once and the telltale light comes on and then all hell can break loose. If it isn't switching off with one quick press then you probably have a DSC fault.