the_maxx_guy

Hi folks,

So today, as I was driving back home from work, I got this weird malfunction on the car. The lights came on in my HUD, and my IDRIVE Screen.

1. Drive Control syst.! Drive moderately
2. Start-off assistance inactive!

And two more lights came on in the center instrument cluster. The brake light, but in orange, and a DSC kind of light, but also in ORANGE. So I immediately pulled over, and turned the car off. Got out and inspected the car. It was around 6:30 pm today. I go back into the car, started it up, and the error messages are not longer there. I was relieved but also concerned. SINCE, the day I got this car, while being driven towards the dealership, this message did popup, and the PORTER who was driving the car, explained that they have to PREP the car, so these lights are normal, the car is not ready. I let it go then. But seeing it again today, I got a little concerned.

Anways I started driving again, and all of a sudden the lights came back on. This time, I pulled over, didn't stop the car, but went into IDRIVE, SERVICE MENU, and looked up these messgaes in detail. Basically they were telling me to drive moderately and take the car to BMW at next opportunity. I immediately took pictures of everything with my TREO 650 so I can show it to my dealership as evidence, since I ONLY HAVE 575 miles on the car. I recieved the car with 227 miles on it. My dealer had to do a big TRADE with another dealer, who did another trade...blah blah..I hope they didn't screw it up in the original 227 miles !!!

But in any case, I am going to take the 550 in for service tomorrow morning. I am already pretty tired of the BRAKING SYSTEM. THE CAR JUST DOESN'T STOP properly. I have tried all the tricks mentioned here on these forums and also on bimmerfest on how to get used to comfort stop. THE CAR JUST GRABS THE BRAKES AT THE LAST MINUTE, and gives everyone a big JERK. I told my dealer about it, and he said that they will look into it. Now I have this another thing to show to them, with picture proof, since I am sure when I take the car to the dealer, it will not show any errors anywhere, and they may say, unable to produce condition. NOW I HAVE PICTURES. Hopefully, that will help their shop foreman.

Anyone else had experience with similar stuff, your input would be appreciated. My car is 11/05 build. Take a look at the picture below.

rodneyremington

I wouldn't be that worried if I were you. Both of those systems are not mandatory for driving the car, chances are it's an electronic glitch or maybe a bad sensor somewhere. Don't sweat it, it will get fixed.

EBMCS03

Looks like all those errors are DSC related. Might be a bad DSC unit.

the_maxx_guy

I am sure that it will be fixed. My SA has been great so far with the M3 and Z3. I expect him to take care of this one too, but it bothers me that....

MY CAR ONLY HAS 575 miles. THE BRAKES GRABS, and the PORTER and the SA told me not to worry about the lights first time around. I was expecting not to experience the same issue again.

the_maxx_guy

That is what I kind of thought, but START-OFF assistance looks like BRAKES RELATED. I read that START OFF ASSISTANCE is so that if you are on a hill, the brakes keep applied so it doesn't roll back. And since my BRAKES ARE GRABBING like crazy, it seems related. LETS SEE.

EBMCS03

Ummm ya.. they're the brakes but what controls the brakes for that perticular application... the start off assistance is part of DSC+ so the brakes staying on for the extra second after you release the brake pedel on the hill is probably DSC.

Oh ya... even Soft Brake stop was a newly introduced with DSC+... seem more and more related to DSC...

the_maxx_guy

You got a point.

5 Rakete

You may have a DSC fault but it might be due to a bad ABS wheel sensor.

ImolaRedM

That was my initial thought too but a bad ABS sensor (or misaligned sensor) would also give an ABS fault. Sounds like that's not the case. So my "guess" is that it has more to do with the ECU that controls traction. In other words... it looks like it's more up stream from the ABS sensors. I wouldn't be too worried but get it checked out.

ImolaRedM

oops... (deleted duplicate post)