DSC software upgrade development - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

jez · 12th October 2005, 15:17

Hi everyone,

I ended up selling my e39 540i as I was fed up with the DSC cutting in every time I tried to pull out of a turning quickly. I see that there have been a number of posts here about the merits of turning off DSC for best performance and uninhibited control of the car, versus the loss of the DSC safety net.

Would you be interested in a software upgrade to your DSC to reduce the threshold so that it was much less intrusive, yet remained switched on in case you really get out of shape (a bit like the new 3-way DTC)? It would be great if I could get some idea of interest from you guys to help gauge if the development effort will be worthwhile. If you could reply with the model and year of your car(s) that would be really appreciated.

gsfent · 12th October 2005, 15:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by jez

Hi everyone,

I ended up selling my e39 540i as I was fed up with the DSC cutting in every time I tried to pull out of a turning quickly. I see that there have been a number of posts here about the merits of turning off DSC for best performance and uninhibited control of the car, versus the loss of the DSC safety net.

Would you be interested in a software upgrade to your DSC to reduce the threshold so that it was much less intrusive, yet remained switched on in case you really get out of shape (a bit like the new 3-way DTC)? It would be great if I could get some idea of interest from you guys to help gauge if the development effort will be worthwhile. If you could reply with the model and year of your car(s) that would be really appreciated.

I would be interested, say about a 50% reduction. I have US version '01 E39 M5.
Regards,
Jerry

Philip · 12th October 2005, 16:11

What I would prefer instead is a way to 'remember' the setting so that i don't have to keep turning it off after each startup. I have a 11/99 build.

jez · 12th October 2005, 16:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philip

What I would prefer instead is a way to 'remember' the setting so that i don't have to keep turning it off after each startup. I have a 11/99 build.

Hi Philip, thanks for your comment, this should be possible, but instead of having to turn it off my suggestion is that the modifications would mean that the DSC is less intrusive so you would not feel the need to turn it off in the first place. This way you would still have the DSC safety net available if you should need it.

Thanks also to Jerry, please keep your comments coming.

NAT · 12th October 2005, 16:45

I must admit i hate the DSC . Whenever i really need all the performance the car has to offer it cuts in and i find its brutal in its execution. I have had the opportunity of exploring all the performance the M5 has to offer and with the DSC off it is very progressive and an absolute pleasure to control. It is quite possibly the most controlled car i have driven on the limit ( nissan 350 Z comes very close ). Thus in normal dry conditions on the road i drive with the DSC in the Off position. Now i know that driving skill comes in to the equation when i do this and consider myself more than capable of controling the M5 and in my humble oppinion given its progressiveness the average driver would have to go a long way to provoke it to bite you. In wet conditions , the DSC is definetely in the on position and i recon that the " Mapping " of the DSC was done predominantly for wet conditions.............which is why it is overactive when its dry. Also given the potential law suits i dont think BMW would ever agree to have a car that has a safety system that must be switched " on ". Thats why its the way it is.
So i agree with you , it is over active in the dry , and i think its because its set up for the " wet " conditions. Ill stick to manually switching off.

Regards
Nat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jez

Hi Philip, thanks for your comment, this should be possible, but instead of having to turn it off my suggestion is that the modifications would mean that the DSC is less intrusive so you would not feel the need to turn it off in the first place. This way you would still have the DSC safety net available if you should need it.

Thanks also to Jerry, please keep your comments coming.

jez · 14th October 2005, 15:51

Hmm, not a huge response, maybe the over-enthusiastic DSC is not such a big deal for most folks?

Philip, further to your comment about turning DSC off when you start up, if you really want to do this there is a simple fix suggested here http://www.bmwtips.com/tipsntricks/t...ges/DSCoff.htm
which involves a resistor and capacitor in series across the switch. Not tried this myself.

jordantii · 14th October 2005, 22:08

Interested. 01 M5 US version. always drive with it off in the dry and on in the wet.

I like how it reacts in the wet and would not change it. But in the dry it is worthless and at times dangerous.

Jordan

stever · 14th October 2005, 23:29

a better DSC (like Porsche or Corvette) would be wonderful, but

a) probably impossible to come close to payback on the enormous effort involved

b) no tuners have undertaken this because of the above and the enormous liability of altering DSC

BKH · 14th October 2005, 23:36

jez - I'd be really interested but for potential liability issues as stever mentions. Certainly you'd be wise to consider them also. That said, I hate the OE DSC and would love to see it "tastefully modified."

ard · 14th October 2005, 23:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by stever

a better DSC (like Porsche or Corvette) would be wonderful, but

a) probably impossible to come close to payback on the enormous effort involved

b) no tuners have undertaken this because of the above and the enormous liability of altering DSC

Bingo.

Even WITH access to source code, specifications and compliers this is a huge task- as a 'black box' system, it is almost impossible.

I guess my thinking is "if I really need it, I should have thought of that before I really needed it..."