So the DSC light has illuminated a few times. I notice it after drving for a bit so not sure if it illuminates at the start or after driving for a bit. It turns off after the key is turned off. Only comes on now and then.

Car is a stock 06 mini Cooper s automatic with 75k miles.

No codes from the scan gauge.

Any ideas what could cause this?

Thanks

 

Just a shot in the dark but it could be the wheel speed sensor.

 

I had read about that sensor in the big Light Trifecta thread and it seemed like that sensor would illuminate all 3 lights. Do you think a bad wheel speed sensor would trigger just the DSC light?

Where is the wheel speed sensor? Is that the same as the ABS sensor?

 

i have the same issue on my 05. just started doing this the other day. penelope if i find something i will let you know.

 

To answer part of your question, yes the Wheel Speed Sensor is the same as an ABS Sensor. They are in the tops of all the spindles. The wiring resembles that of the brake wear sensors. Check for damage from rodents, I've seen a couple of these harnesses get destroyed by over-zealous mice.... But with out any codes, which you wont' get from a generic scan tool, its all just guesses.

 

If the wheel speed sensor is bad, you getthe trifecta... (3 systems use their imput).
So it might be a steering angle sensor....or perhaps the dsc computer....it does have several parts.

 

Curious to see if anyone comes up with a solution to this. I've got a new-to-me 05 MCS and I noticed today that the DSC light came on after driving about an hour or so. Stopped at my destination, and on the way back it came on again after about an hour of driving. Mostly highway. I think I may take it and wash it really well to see if maybe I can "clean" the sensors with high-pressure.

 

Mine hasn't come on again in a while. I'm sure it will happen again at a very inconvenient time...

 

Mine once did it (after I flattened the driver side wheel well with a big hammer to get more camber adjustment range) - it was a loose fuse. Worth checking.

 

I was at the track today with my 2005 MCS and had the ABS, Low Tire Pressure and DSC lights all come on at the same time. Basically, I could run about 2 laps and then the lights would come on for the duration of my session. When I would start a new session the lights would be on when I started the car, but would then go off once I started moving. Then, once I hit the track, same lights would come on after 2 or 3 laps. Things seemed back to normal when I drove home. The lights did not come on at all.

It was my first time at this track and I had run all day at the track about a month ago without any problems. Does this sound like a sensor issue or something else? The brakes seemed soft today, but that could have just been from the track.

If it is the sensor(s) which ones should I replace? How difficult is it to do?

 

My DSC light flashes randomly - everybody told me this is just what it does when the DSC is working, but I had my suspicions because it would flash even if I was driving on a straight, smooth, and dry road. Was driving once and found that I could not accelerate the car, I was stuck at 30 MPH for about 20 seconds with the DSC light flashing. I took the car to my mechanic and they found a dead mouse under the hood. Took it to the dealership and they found that one of my front wheel speed sensors was broken, maybe chewed by the mouse. They told me to get it fixed before winter and in the meantime just turn the DSC off if I experience the loss of power again.

 

my problem seemed to go away by itself. no lights in about 1 month. i was suspecting it might be a wheel speed sensor.

 

Wheel speed sensor causes the "trifecta" of lights...3 seperate systems use the wheel speed info...so bad sensor....you get all 3...
Other items, dsc computer, steering angle sensor are more sdirectly related to dsc.

 

That dsc light comes on when ever i beat on my 06 mcs. And wont turn off untill i shut the car off. Anyone know why? My rear tires are new and fronts almost bald. Was wondering it that was it.

 

Find a qualified Euro shop that has access to a dealer level scan tool, could be any number of things and without a second correlating light on there isn't much to go on at this point.

 

Could be a number of things that are listed above in this thread. This individual here just had the DSC light because of a wheel speed sensor. Also, test the battery. The battery is perhaps the most important electrical component on the car, and due to its design and nature, is perhaps one of the most troublesome. Some individuals in this thread here had a DSC light that went away after they determined their MINI had a bad battery. Just some ideas, but do some troubleshooting before you start replacing parts.

 

A MINI dealership can scan everything, they charge about 1 hr labor to do this is you cant find a local euro shop that has the big scanner. Sometimes its the clock spring DCS angle sensor that faults.

 

Oh. I do have . Airbag light on all the time. Forgot

 

Airbag and DSC, clock ping might be bad all together. Or not connected right.

 

I'd be willing to bet 20:1 that your airbag light is on due to the passenger mat sensor and doesn't correlate to the DSC light being on. There is a recall campaign through MINI going on right now, it will be replaced for free.

DSC light can be on for anything from an intermittently failing wheel speed sensor, to a problem with the engine. Engine output power is regulated via the DSC module when the switch is not flipped to keep you from "dying". You need to find a qualified Euro tech with the proper computer to read what's going on.