DSC button question

[Wurf]

I'm wondering how many of you turn off DSC almost every time you hop in the car?
I'm a bit of a newb to this car and have been playing around with the DSC and I am amazed how much quicker and responsive the car is with DSC deactivated. There's a great deal more torque steer when the wheel is turned but I'm ready for it and I like the way it runs a lot better, especially when I want to rip on it for awhile.

It seems like a much faster car to me with DSC turned off too.

 

[fastdreams]

I turn it off for safety reasons. Most of the time I need to jump out in fast moving traffic from a stop.

If DSC is on it will cut power and leave me as a sitting duck waiting to get ran over by latte swilling mom in her giant SUV looking back at her kids yelling at them to shutup so she can concentrate on putting on her makeup while she texts her lover for a meeting time and place.

 

[Kain]

If DSC is on it will cut power and leave me as a sitting duck waiting to get ran over by latte swilling mom in her giant SUV looking back at her kids yelling at them to shutup so she can concentrate on putting on her makeup while she texts her lover for a meeting time and place.

You had me at "latte."

 

[MSMS3]

I turn it off for safety reasons. Most of the time I need to jump out in fast moving traffic from a stop.

If DSC is on it will cut power and leave me as a sitting duck waiting to get ran over by latte swilling mom in her giant SUV looking back at her kids yelling at them to shutup so she can concentrate on putting on her makeup while she texts her lover for a meeting time and place.

Turn it OFF for safety reasons? It's there for safety reasons.

It's only a power cutter for WOT clutch dumping where it cuts ignition or fuel or boost if the tires break loose, or under other break loose traction like on ice, rain, lose gravel or such. You can launch pretty hard with it on so long as you do not break traction. If you want to turn it off during the couple seconds you are WOT in first gear, great. But then turn that life saver back on after you shift.

I do disable it for drag racing and performance testing. But I can still run 14 second flat quarters with it activated. It would need to be off at an autocross or other closed course to allow the vehicle to reach the limits of tire traction in cornering. IMHO, all other times it needs to be ON.

The real danger in disabling DSC is what you lose once underway under normal driving conditons. Deactivating it also disables the electronic stability control (ESC), which can absolutely save your ass in an emergency.

The electronic stability component of our DSC reads differences in wheel speed and braking forces and selectively applies brakes to the sliding wheel or to the wheel needed to correct an impending slide due to vehicle sideways yaw, among many other things.

Bosch is one of the primary consortium members developing and standardizing ESC systems. Here's a link to some of their videos with demonstrations of what active ESC does and how it can save your ass (and maybe mine should I be out there on the road close to you):

http://www.bosch-escential.com/us/language1/film_clips_animations.html

These are big clips, be patient.

 

[Wurf]

Turn it OFF for safety reasons? It's there for safety reasons.

It's only a power cutter for WOT clutch dumping where it cuts ignition or fuel or boost if the tires break loose\, or under other break loose traction like on ice, rain, lose gravel or such. You can launch pretty hard with it on so long as you do not break traction. If you want to turn it off during the couple seconds you are WOT in first gear, great. But then turn that life saver back on after you shift.

I do disable it for drag racing and performance testing. But I can still run 14 second flat quarters with it activated. It would be needed at an autocross or other closed course to allow the vehicle to reach the limits of tire traction in cornering. IMHO, all other times it needs to be ON.

The real danger in disabling DSC is what you lose once underway under normal driving conditons. Deactivating it also disables the electronic stability control (ESC), which can absolutely save your ass in an emergency.

The electronic stability component of our DSC reads differences in wheel speed and braking forces and selectively applies brakes to the sliding wheel or to the wheel needed to correct an impending slide due to vehicle sideways yaw, among many other things.

Bosch is one of the primary consortium members developing and standardizing ESC systems. Here's a link to some of their videos with demonstrations of what active ESC does and how it can save your ass (and maybe mine should I be out there on the road close to you):

http://www.bosch-escential.com/us/language1/film_clips_animations.html

These are big clips, be patient.

I thought of the safety concern and the dynamic stability side of it already. I've experienced it in action a couple times and it's amazing. Hit the brakes a little too hard at high speed while changing lanes and the ass end wanted to come around but the car just corrected itself instantly. I was blown away!

OK well suffice to say I will not be driving around regularly with it turned off. I just wanted to see how many of you do.
Not worth starting a poll.

Thanks guys

 

[Nliiitend1]

I turn it off for safety reasons. Most of the time I need to jump out in fast moving traffic from a stop.

If DSC is on it will cut power and leave me as a sitting duck waiting to get ran over by latte swilling mom in her giant SUV looking back at her kids yelling at them to shutup so she can concentrate on putting on her makeup while she texts her lover for a meeting time and place.

I'm pretty sure the steering angle sensor (and the ECU's torque-cutting operation that is tied to it) operates independently of the DSC system, so you're not really accomplishing much there, aside from allowing a bit more wheelspin...

 

[fastdreams]

Turn it OFF for safety reasons? It's there for safety reasons.

It's only a power cutter for WOT clutch dumping where it cuts ignition or fuel or boost if the tires break loose, or under other break loose traction like on ice, rain, lose gravel or such. You can launch pretty hard with it on so long as you do not break traction. If you want to turn it off during the couple seconds you are WOT in first gear, great. But then turn that life saver back on after you shift.

I do disable it for drag racing and performance testing. But I can still run 14 second flat quarters with it activated. It would need to be off at an autocross or other closed course to allow the vehicle to reach the limits of tire traction in cornering. IMHO, all other times it needs to be ON.

The real danger in disabling DSC is what you lose once underway under normal driving conditons. Deactivating it also disables the electronic stability control (ESC), which can absolutely save your ass in an emergency.

Thanks for the safety lesson, I know you mean well and for most people DSC should never be deactivated.

I don't care what bosch says about their system...I know how it works in reality, and it will absolutely 100% bog my car down putting me in harms way. I have experienced it many times. Do I need to accelerate that hard? Well no I can get by backing off a notch.

Keep in mind this is a specific scenario where I am turning out of my subdivision, onto a 65mph highway with limited site visibility, where people come up the hill around the corner at 65-80mph. Sure plenty of people pull out and accelerate slowly. I think they are foolish and putting themselves at unnecessary risk of getting rear ended by your typical inattentive driver. I'd just as soon haul ass out of there and get up to speed the sooner the better.

I believe it's more important to rely on skill and observation than electronic nannies. I have a lot of track experience with this car with the DSC off, and I can tell you, you don't need DSC to perform emergency manuevers safely. Electronic intervention can only do so much to save you from a stupid decision or a panicked reaction.

- knock on wood - I have been driving for 16 years and have never caused an accident nor have I once had a single car accident. Part of that may be luck, guardian angels, etc...but I also believe part of it is my attentiveness to what I am doing behind the wheel, intuitive understanding of the machine I am piloting, and the skill I have accumulated in formal and informal settings over the years.

In the end though, I will agree with you that it is better to leave the safety measures enabled as much as possible for normal driving. It is helpful in certain situations. Likewise - yes - it can be safer at times to turn it off if you know what you are doing.

 

[fastdreams]

I thought of the safety concern and the dynamic stability side of it already. I've experienced it in action a couple times and it's amazing. Hit the brakes a little too hard at high speed while changing lanes and the ass end wanted to come around but the car just corrected itself instantly. I was blown away!

OK well suffice to say I will not be driving around regularly with it turned off. I just wanted to see how many of you do.
Not worth starting a poll.

Thanks guys

Sounds like a scary moment!

Definitely leave it on for normal highway cruising and such, no reason to have it off in that environment.

Also I would recommend that you sign up for a performance and emergency driving skill class. I think it should be mandatory for all drivers. you can learn the same kind of skills at track days aka drivers education events

 

[fastdreams]

I'm pretty sure the steering angle sensor (and the ECU's torque-cutting operation that is tied to it) operates independently of the DSC system, so you're not really accomplishing much there, aside from allowing a bit more wheelspin...

I disagree. Try it. Try to pull out, in a right turn, and imagine a Ford Expedition towing a 100ft boat coming from the lake suddenly bearing down on you at 70mph.

This is a very real scenario that I face every day.

Try it with and without the DSC. Assuming you can modulate the throttle decently, you will accelerate better with DSC off. In my case, starting at about 1/3 throttle input at first gear while turning will kick off the traction control and stop the car from accelerating. Maybe it is because this is an uphill road I turn on to, and so the front end is a bit lighter because of it.

Anyway, this is an unrealistic scenario for most folks, so it is a pointless exercise for me to try to belabor the point. But since I started I felt like I had to explain myself (blah)

 

[zoomdoom]

^ Easy fix.Dont pull out infront of people just wait until traffic is clear.

 

[fastdreams]

^ Easy fix.Dont pull out infront of people just wait until traffic is clear.

I think you missed the part where it is a limited sight situation.

But there is a light, where I could for a few minutes until it changes. I would get shot or run over by the other 100 people wanting to get to work behind me (lol2)

Hey suburbia people are crazy.

I jest but actually the roads around here are very dangerous, sadly a lot of people get killed because they are not paying attention. 65mph speed limit and curvy hilly roads is a bad combination for your average SUV driver. Gets more interesting/scary when the deer are rutting or whatever it is they do once a year.

 

[Nliiitend1]

I disagree. Try it. Try to pull out, in a right turn, and imagine a Ford Expedition towing a 100ft boat coming from the lake suddenly bearing down on you at 70mph.

This is a very real scenario that I face every day.

Try it with and without the DSC. Assuming you can modulate the throttle decently, you will accelerate better with DSC off. In my case, starting at about 1/3 throttle input at first gear while turning will kick off the traction control and stop the car from accelerating. Maybe it is because this is an uphill road I turn on to, and so the front end is a bit lighter because of it.

Anyway, this is an unrealistic scenario for most folks, so it is a pointless exercise for me to try to belabor the point. But since I started I felt like I had to explain myself (blah)

I have tried it.


And it makes NO difference.


I can pull out just as quickly while turning with DSC on as I can with it disabled. Like I said, the steering angle sensor-related aspects of the ECU's torque control system are unaffected by the DSC button...

 

[MSMS3]

I see fastdreams point. Turning off DCS while nailing it to get onto the Interstate and up to speed makes sense in that scenario. At least you KNOW that the engine nanny will not stall you if your tires break loose with someone bearing down on you. That must be fuel cut when it happens, because it is very abrupt.

But that does not change my belief that beyond such extreme situations or when at the strip or track or performance testing, it is better to keep DSC turned on.

Electronic stability control has saved me twice. Once in a big Nissan Armada SUV I own and once in the MS3. Both were abrupt lane change situations to avoid someone else's sudden stupidity. Glad I had it turned on.

 

[cpolly69]

the dsc and tcs being disabled or enabled actually affects the throttle plate mapping - the throttle body plate will actually open up a little more when they are both totally killed - only a few % - but i've datalogged this - i personally don't like electronic help of any kind - if it were up to me i'd do just fine w/ no abs, no tcs, and no dsc - for some more fun - instead of toggling the button - try pushing and holding it down while you start the car - hold it down until all the other lights go off and both tcs and dsc will be truly disabled

 

[Marauder.45]

I drive the MS6 so I have the added security of AWD. But I do turn my DSC off for track and spirited driving. I do turn it on however for highway driving. Once in excess of 60mph, having the computer backup to keep me going straight isn't a bad thing. I've spun at 80+ mph, and boy would I have loved some help in keeping me going straight in that car.

Course if I had I probably wouldn't have bought the MS6.(hand) Cause then I wouldn't have hit the guardrail after spinning 3 times and totalling my first car.

 

[240ka]

turn mine off everytime i get in unless its wet out

 

[SicSpeed]

I drive the MS6 so I have the added security of AWD. But I do turn my DSC off for track and spirited driving. I do turn it on however for highway driving. Once in excess of 60mph, having the computer backup to keep me going straight isn't a bad thing. I've spun at 80+ mph, and boy would I have loved some help in keeping me going straight in that car.

Course if I had I probably wouldn't have bought the MS6.(hand) Cause then I wouldn't have hit the guardrail after spinning 3 times and totalling my first car.

^^
Thats the way i roll too, rain i leave it on, hwy(or depending how fast im going) i leave it on. Other than that if i remember i turn it off.

Its already proven numerous times that the dsc will save u most times (hwy speeds) by keeping you in control and not spinning out in an emergency manouevre.

I rather not spin out on the hwy and see cars coming at me or t-boning me!!

 

[Marauder.45]

I spun 3 times and wound up facing the wrong direction in oncoming traffic with my car disabled due to inertia switch killing the fuel. If it hadn't been for the guy behind me stopping in the lane with his hazards on, I could have been toast.