Hey! I have a few questions about the DSC system. My Just-a seems to have only the stability control with no low traction mode:when I press the button once I get the message "DSC Off" and when I press it again the message disappears. Now here are the questions:

1. When the "DSC Off" message is displayed, does it mean that the system is completely off? I had a car where you could "turn off" the stability control, but in reality it would only turn off the part that would prevent the wheel spin, while if you were to slide, it would still try to correct it. That's not the case with the R56, is it?

2. How intrusive the stability control? I would like to get feedback from drivers who have driven on the track and in autocross with the system on and off. Has it ever held you back? Has it ever saved your ***? When I was driving on the track, I really felt the stability control kick in only once (it was on), and I have only done one autocross event on my MINI and I kept it off during all runs, so I don't have a baseline myself.

Thanks!

 

When the DSC is off its off and your wheels will spin freely.


I think it is extremely intrusive. I haven't driven with it on in my autocross events but I can feel how much it affects power to the wheels when whipping on the road. Sometimes its not bad but once grip gets lost, it kicks in, and I can be flooring it and the ECU just doesn't allow power to the wheels until grip is regained. I trust my ability to feel the car and adjust power accordingly than to let the DSC system do it for me. Perhaps, PERHAPS, with good tires where slip is very limited it could be beneficial but I simply don't know. I post quick times with it off so for any racing event it will never be on.

 

I've autoxed with it accidentally on. it completely cuts power when it detects wheelspin, very invasive, and slow.


I don't think I've autoxed on the middle setting, the one that just says "Traction," but it doesn't sound like yours came with that. I also have EDLC, which brakes the inner wheel on power in corners if there's wheelspin. That one is not really invasive.

 

For the R56 MINI has admitted the DSC will cut power under extreme conditions even if it is turned off. The only documented condition we have seen here is autocrossing with a nationally winning car fitted with 235 BFG Rival rubber. IIRC, Craig Wilcox had to sell his 2008 and get a 2007 to continue.

DSC will not allow full throttle if the wheels aren't pointed straight. As said, it kills autocross times. The optional DTC is just as bad. DTC is meant to be helpful in snow, but it won't allow driving on the edge of traction limit.

 

^ that raises an important note - OP, are you referring to the Base or MCS? My post was regarding the base cooper, so I'm not sure how the S behaves. I believe Craig Wilcox did have some issues with the intrusiveness of his EDLC on his old MCS, but not sure after that if he's had any issues (actually he has on OSG so I doubt it).


again though, even on my base cooper I've felt the DSC cut power noticeably. the car wouldn't accelerate exiting a corner. With it off though, I have gotten a little bit of wheel spin on corner exit.

 

"Ok, so, I autocross my 2008 Mini Cooper S with a JCW Tuning kit. I have the JCW suspension and factory LSD. I have an H-Sport rear swaybar as well as Koni Double Adjustable shocks/Struts.

"With the setup, as well as others with the same setup, the rear wheel often lifts off the ground while going around a sweeper, which, is fine. The issue is, when the inside rear wheel is in the air and I attempt to accelerate out of a sweeper, if I have ANY wheel spin at all, throttle is cut down to about 30%. Throttle stays at 30% until I fully lift off the throttle, then, it goes back to 100% immediately. On a few runs, I had 30% throttle for 30+ seconds!"

-- Craig Wilcox
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...any-ideas.html

"Unfortunately, I did not get it resolved so I sold the Mini. MiniUSA said when you turn off DSC, its never 100% turned off and will interupt throttle with a wheel off the ground....." -- CW in post 14

See post 31. After that it became an "ice mode" discussion.

 

yes.. and then he got a new car and races in stx

 

Thank you for replies. Yeah, I have experienced that it will cut power for the wheelspin, but what about when the car begins to slide? As I said, I used to have a car where you could turn off the part of the stability control that will prevent wheelspin, but the part that applies brakes at certain wheels if the car slides couldn't be turned off. Is that the case with the R56? Mine is a non-s.

 

I spun the 2010 base MINI easily enough after the finish line at an autocross with no apparent interference. Dunlop Star Specs. No cones.

 

Duplicate post.

 

Re. your question about DSC saving you... It is programmed to prevent you from getting into trouble. If you get yourself into trouble anyway it can't defy the laws of physics to get you out.

 

Thanksď I'd personally even turn off abs for autox if I could haha. Yeah, I just had that car where you couldn't turn the stability control off at all and you could feel it interfering with your driving. It was pretty annoying. Although, I did spin that car on thunderhill....as you said, laws of physics.

 

^^^ This is so true.

Amazingly some folks feel they can do anything & not pay a penalty since the DSC nanny is riding with them. Early one morning we came upon a freshly rolled MINI on the dragon. As I was driving the family of 3 to the Knoxville airport so they could rent a car for the drive home. The father said to me quite bewildered "but the DSC was on". The laws of physics can be tough if you break them.

 

The only time I felt the stability control activate on the r56 was during a mild lift off oversteer, but I'm 99% sure I could've corrected it myself. The time when I spun the other car, things were so ugly the stability control just gave up haha. I always keep the stability control off in the autox...except the last time when I was driving a 24 year old miata that didn't even have abs.

 

with it on? I've got my car set up relatively loose for autocross and I get absolutely no intervention (nor do I want it) when the car oversteers. see ~45s (ignore the wdr off bit, it refers to the camera I was using):




the one thing I get even when the DSC is off is I run into ice mode every once in a while - usually when I try to brake hard and turn at the same time - the car will totally lock up and cause me to plow (front collision is safer than side/rear). other than that, no intervention to speak of really. the nice thing about fwd - all you have to do when you start sliding is mash the gas.

 

No, the stability control was on. It was a challenging track with no runoff in some turns, so I wanted to play it safe. By the way, nice video!

I don't have to deal with ice, since it never snows here...though I am going to Canada this winter. I bet my driving will be quite a show for other ppl on the road lol.

 

In my opinion DSC prevents people from learning how to drive. More than one newbie in autocross has promptly spun when I suggested they turn off the driving nannies. But in a short time this will all be moot as we all will be driven by autonomous cars whether we like it or not.

RIP Steve McQueen

 

Totally agree, except aronomous cars. Come on, people still ride horses nowadays.

 

The electronic technology has been 15 years in development. Self-driving cars have been operating since 2007. They are currently legally running on public streets in traffic. The auto industry expects to remove driver controls from cars within five to fifteen years. The US government has been routinely passing laws to make successive optional driving aids mandatory on all cars.

Here's an informative article from 20 months ago:
http://www.ce.org/i3/Features/2014/J...rs-on-the-Rise

Yes, I suspect in the near future a few drivers will be able to run free in controlled environments just like horses are today.

 

More current video of BMW/Bosch engineers discussing the progress of eliminating drivers:

https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...yfp-t-901&fp=1

 

It will be truly devastating if the trend moves toward forcing autonomous driving versus allowing it as an option. I won't buy an automatic vehicle, only manual, and I have little desire to own an autonomous driving vehicle. I want to "drive" for the rest of my life. Its the most enjoyable thing to me. Its a passion.

 

I don't see self driving cars as a bad thing, depending on where you live. After all, what's more fun, this:



Or this:



Also consider all of the other crappy drivers on the road for whom driving is just a way to get from point a to point b...