This is my first full winter in my MCS and I gotta say that DSC is not my friend. I tried leaving it on, but in doing so you just can't get anywhere - it's actually inhibits progress driving in slippery conditions in my opinion.

I've come to the conclusion that turning it off and relying on my foot and the LSD to do the work is what works best for me. Maybe others have a different opinion on the DSC, maybe not. Feel free to let me know if I am driving incorrectly or something, those comments are always entertaining.

My $0.02 - looking forward to spring and clear roads again for an always fun driving experience.

 

DSC is not designed to be used in the snow. It is designed for that odd slip that you might encounter in a corner (maybe gravel or something). When I got my MINI I was told to turn it off in the snow.

 

Interesting, I was never given that little tidbit of information. I can totally see why that is important to know! haha!

 

It is good information to know...

It has saved my butt on the Autobahn once and it does work well.

 

I kinda like it. The biggest adjustment to my driving that I had to make--and I'm still working on it--was to actually let the tires drive you where you want to go. The usual reaction to a slide is to let off the accelerator or depress the clutch to slow the slide, but DSC will carry you out of a slide if you let it, i.e., if you slow *a bit* but continue to have your foot on the gas pedal, the DSC adjust the engine enough to allow your tires to grip and carry you to safety.

I'm not saying I want to find opportunities to test this, but I think it has served me well thus far, and nobody told me not to use it in the snow (and I'm in Colorado). So... My $0.02.

 

I can totally see how it would be a good thing for things while driving and turning, but the ability to get going in the snow is so problematic. Glad that it does have its uses!

 

+1

The DSC works great to prevent losing control when the car is at speed on snow or ice. If trying to launch on ice or snow, turn it off whether you have LSD or not (obviously best if you do have LSD) When you get rolling again, turn the DSC back on.

Depending on your driving style, you may want to leave the DSC off with dry pavement. ( several threads full of controversy on this issue)

 

I've learned to launch a bit easier, and it works just fine. I seem to accelerate the same spinning tires making noise or having the engine bog down and just go slow.

Had trouble one time in 6 years heading up a steep hill in deep unplowed snow (the one way boat launch road in Highland park). I needed to switch off DSC and spin tires till I got up enough speed to get going.

 

The manual also states the same thing. Turn it off when in snow to help with traction.

 

I have left mine on always and I have had no issues.

 

My DSC and ABS get disconnected when winter wheels go on in late November. Just open the fuse box and pull ABS fuse. It disables both

 

^^^
That's one way to do it!

 

not a good idea. If you are involved in an accident and your insurance company finds out you disabled a "safety" part of the car I bet they cancel you in a heart beat and walk away. It's in the fine print. I fully understand killing the DSC on wet roads, but the ABS too? I don't understand that.

 

I have winter tires and find that I am better off with DSC on. With winter tires, initial grip is less of a problem and DSC helps keep the torque under control and prevent spinning. In a recent storm I went out and tried going up and down an extremely steep hill (think quarter-mile ski slope) with DSC on and off. There was no question that I was better off with it on. When off, going both up and down the hill, the car wanted to go sideways. On one trip up the hill I passed two cars that were going nowhere fast. I would have beeped, but why add insult to injury?

 

Now that's smart.........

Why not just turn off the asc/dsc?

 

I love DSC in the winter. I drive like a Granny because everyone else is too damn stupid to slow down and not hit me, so I have to be the one to be able to react. Being such a lightweight (the MINI, not me ) I slip and slide when traction gets low no matter what. Deep snow is awesome with my snows and 16's, but I just don't have the mass to stick to slick roads.
Anyway... take this morning for example. I come up to a red light and downshift, then brake a little. Start to slide... back end wants to come around. Before I can decide if it's cool to just stop like that (I wasn't going but 10mph and would have just stopped crooked) or try to correct and then get back in my lane, DSC brakes the offending wheel, and I'm back in my lane in a straight line. Magic!
DSC will limit torque off the line, but it helps keep me going straight and still lets the LSD work. Maybe I just don't go out when it's that bad, but I've never had to turn it off to get moving. I figure I'd forget to turn it back on and that's when I'd really need it. Not this winter, but last there were a couple of intersections I needed 3rd gear to get moving, but usually a quick 1-2 will cut wheelspin enough to get going.

 

I never have any issues with slipping or wheel spin when DSC is on OR off. But, I also take off reaaaaally slowly. Lately, I have been driving with it off and it seems like I get better gas mileage. Maybe that's in my head...

I absolutely LOVE driving in snow... its so much fun. I've never met a mound of snow or unplowed street I couldn't blast through. OK, besides my driveway, but don't tell anyone!

 

I would actually want to pull out both ABS fuses to kill any system that can interfere (as even with ABS and DSC disabled there is still some system that applies brakes to the wheels in extreme situations) but then my speedo doesn't work and too many lights on the dashboard pop up. ( I already tried )

Have you tried stopping your car on snow with ABS and without? I find that I can stop way faster if the ABS is off. It's just a matter of knowing what you're doing.

 

I have not tired to drive my MINI without ABS. My driving goal on wet roads is to not push it so hard that I need ABS or the need to manage my brakes in an "ABS" way. If someone is activating the ABS often I think they are braking too late. My last performance car that didn't have ABS was a car I had in snow too and again drove it in such a way that I didn't need ABS. As I get older things like ABS and DSC are more to my liking. But when playing hard or in the cones the DSC is off. To each his/her own.

 

yes, it's all fine untill you need to stop fast due to some obstacle or semi-emergency situation ahead.
As you said, it's a driver's prefference. My prefference is to have all systems off in winter so the car is more predictable if i run into these kinds of situations but then again i'm a strong believer that everyone should have winter tires for their car. The benefits outweight the costs and risks.

 

DSC = Deliberatley Slows Car

At least in my case no matter what weather

 

First you can't see the reason for a 250hp MINI.....then you state you can stop better than a car with ABS can in inclement weather.

You must be very talented.

It is a fact that with the same tires, a car with ABS will be able to stop sooner than a car w/o WHILE maneuvering. There is now way that you can simulate the ABS function to the same degree. The only time this might not be the case is while braking in a straight line.

By disconnecting the ABS system instead of just turning off ASC/DSC you are putting the other drivers in danger. The only thing left on if the ASC/DSC is turned off is the ABS, nothing else is functioning (traction control, wheel braking).

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigshot

First you can't see the reason for a 250hp MINI.....then you state you can stop better than a car with ABS can in inclement weather.

yeah, I'm either very talented or I've missed the memo about the new brilliant ABS system that helps you stop faster Go read about the ABS on any technical website or even a wiki if you so desire. The system was invented to prevent wheel lock up during braking so that you can maneuver around the obstacle rather than plow right into it on turned and locked up wheels And we're talking here about winter driving, just to be clear. There is simply no way that the car with ABS will stop faster on snow. It's been proven multiple times.

And last time I checked you weren't my mother or wife to give me lectures about who I endanger by doing something. OMG, think about all those people in older cars without any "idiot" systems, they clearly must be serial killers!!! How dare they endanger us so much!!!!!
Give me a break.

It's a driver's preference. I prefer to have no systems active. Just like i prefer not to have parking assist or other option that different people may desire. However I do prefer to have winter tires, to make sure that the car has the most traction possible so I know that it will respond they way I predict should I have to make emergency maneuver.

And you're wrong about ABS fuse disconnecting everything. Yes it disconnects ABS and DSC that would control your acceleration wheel slip, but there is still one system active that applies brakes to the wheels when you're skidding or oversteering. You can actually feel and hear it pulsating the brake.

oh, and what has 250HP MINI to do with this discussion?? Does one need be talented to see no good reason for one?? I don't get it.

 

You still don't get it.......if you turn off the ASC/DSC you will eliminate only the braking assist and traction control (which is what everyone here is talking about) So there is no benefit to pulling the fuses, besides disabling the ABS which is designed to allow you to maintain control iof you car as you maneuver around things like you posted you want to be able to do. I am not talking about straight line braking, all though there are plenty of test/studies that show how effective ABS is on all surfaces EXCEPT gravel.

You can do what ever you want, but don't try to rationalize it with incorrect data.

 

Rally
You will find that Mr. Bigshot is so far beyond our ability to understand you will soon just finding yourself agreeing with him and do what he say's