Dsc off!!!!

[Scaredycrow]

A placebo is exactly what it is, the only time the DSC is doing anything is when the little orange light is blinking on your dashboard.

Not convinced that's true. Certainy is for the traction control component...

But yes, the car doen's magically go better with the DSC turned off, its just a bigger adrenaline rush knowing your the only one driving the car!

[ted]

I have done some crude testing at tracks on this topic, and the results have been quite interesting. I do know that I pretty much never turn off DSC in my road cars. Even at the track or in competition, if I find myself triggering it a lot, I just change my driving a bit to be a touch slower on the throttle or gentler with the tiller and the laptimes come down as well. The only time I turn it off, is if I need the wheels to spin or to slide. So, if its a case where I know I will use the handbrake to aid turns (like motorkhanas), or the muddy carparks as stated earlier. On wet or dry tracks, its almost a given that with my ability DSC is going to be more consistent than me. And even when I hit a patch of gravel mid corner recently in my RX8, by the time my steering wheel was back at centre on its way to getting some opposite lock, DSC had picked it up and straightened us. Sure its quite violent, but damn useful.

I did a day at Sepang (KL) a few years ago, and at his (Marc Lieb Porsche test driver) advice, we came barrelling into a 120km/h corner at about 160+ (I stopped looking to hold my breath), no brakes, just lift and turn the wheel. Just feeling what the car did to help us around was fantastic. Oh, this was in a Cayenne Turbo. Sure, at points we had the nose pointed at a weird angle, but with the foot back on the loud pedal and no wild steering corrections other than pointing at the general direction we wanted to go, this 2.5 tonne beast worked its way around perfectly. Now, I don't advocate doing this, but it proved to me that it was way more likely to do that time after time than I would have been able to. Don't read too much into this, do that on the road and its unlikely we would have made it around given the narrower lanes and bumps, do that at 20km/h more and it may have been a different answer. The current Mazda DSC does a fantastic job, as close as I have felt to the Porsche one so far (BMW M series is also quite good, Falcon Turbo allowed too much slip, then not enough etc)

To provide some raw numbers, driving a MPS3 (stock) coming out of a third gear corner onto the back "straight" at Mallala, I saw the same speed lap after lap with DSC on. With it off, 2 laps out of 5 were a touch quicker(ie <5km/h), the others were considerably slower (ie 10km/h).

On the road, definitely DSC on all the time. And for my own safety, I wished everyone else did too. Its just a wish though.

[240MPS]

Thanks Ted for the info, I was going to jump on and add some stuff and saw this I feel that having the DSC on gives me better track times by not loosing time in correcting a mistake which may arise with cars in front of you and this also goes too on the road guys, doesn't matter how good we all are/think I know I'm not perfect, I'd say I've been smart and lucky and trust me I had some doosey spins . That's why I leave it on most of the time you just never know whats around the corner when you wish you had it on.. I've had some good runs with WRX/STI's and 135bimmers and so on they may get in front for a little only because I have to control all the flashing lights on the dash and then bye bye's or stay with them side by side... When do we need to have it turned off on public roads NEVER..... Yeh I notice a difference and it's only in 1st 2nd and 3rd gears, I do get some wheel spin up the top end of 3rd when required Saftey comes first on my list for me and my family and other families around me.......

[boags]

Today i was bored at a set of lights and started playing with buttons in the car. I held the DSC button for about 10 seconds and the DSC light turned off again by itself and wouldn't turn on again until i turned the iginition off and on again. Does anyone know what this actually does?

Does anyone know who provides the traction/stability program/module for Mazda as Google isn't much help & this info might provide more info on what can & can't be turned on and off and how?

[ted]

From memory, holding the button in for an extended period just makes the ECU think that there is something wrong, and so it brings up an error code. That is reset on startup checks.

[bd581]

Told to me by Mazda employee that was told to him at a dealer only drive day of the gen 2 mps.
Holding the dsc while turning on the car turns the dsc and traction control off. Just pressing the dsc button web it's started turns only the dsc off, but not totally.

So up to you to decide if it's true or not. I know with mine it certainly turns off the traction control, feels a bit more responsive, possibly because there is no (or less) restriction by the traction control doing it's thing.
But ultimately, because I'm not Michael Schumacher nor am I the stig, it would be slower in 99% of cases

[Logan]

I just leave it on, see no need to turn it off really, way I look at it, I have plenty of fun with it switched on and the other benefit is that I have that safety to a certain extent that I wont lose the car in a corner and all of sudden spin and die in a ball of flames!

[Los Palmas7]

Ha Ha... I must be driving like an elderly, while my DSC is always set to on, thus far haven't experience DSC kicks in.

[shakespeare]

Ha Ha... I must be driving like an elderly, while my DSC is always set to on, thus far haven't experience DSC kicks in.

We need to get you on the track one day when it's wet mate! Wet Track + DSC off = AWD drifts = Lots of FUN

[timhodges]

This talk about holding down the DSC button when starting the car is staring to make sense! I went in a Hillclimb on the weekend and found that my quickest times where with DSC off (mainly due to the start/tight corners) but still felt the 'stability control' taking over when I was 'on edge' in one of the faster corners and off camber - which was very annoying (but probably saved me $37K)

Next time i'll try it ALL OFF!!!

BTW: probably not the place to ask but does anyone know where I can get a set of semi-slicks (or soft compound) tyres and rims for these events in SA. I dont particularly enjoy smashing through the $550 Dunlops that come stardard..

[High on PSI]

I drive with it off most of the time. Reason being, if I wish to launch it, its quite important you don't dump it whilst ABS and DSC is trying to harness the power. Something has got to give, and it has with other members! I hope you haven't been driving too hard with it on (having just discovered it) If I'm driving the the wet with people in the car, not looking to have fun, I will have it activated for safety. But for the most part its always off. You can still have fun in the wet and AWD handles it ok. Although I have been completely sideways in the dry with it off!

Not sure what you mean about the steering as I can't feel a difference, however I don't drive with it on enough to be able to tell a difference! Mate, you've been missing out though big time! You must have thought the car was 'ok' until you found this button! Take a couple of wide turns at a slightly higher speed in the wet (controlled environment recommended) and it slides out but grips at the same time. Not to mention, throttle out a corner and the back end steps out.

Now you know about it, switch it off if you intend to drive hard (launch, race etc) You might save yourself a new drive shaft/diff/axle. Oh, and if you haven't already, consider lowering the MPS. Becomes a whole different car. I guarantee you will like it!!

I've had the car for nearly 3 months on and have had DSC on ALWAYS. Even when driving hard and sometimes turning corners very hard. I've even tried the MPS3 Switch with the DSC on and the car tries to slow down a couple of times.. and kind off jumps or bunny hops, and the car jerks a little. ONLY a couple of times. I really hope I haven't done any damage to my car
Going to have it OFF at all times now!

[Toddy22587]

If you have the hand brake or 3mps switch activated then i think the DSC is automatically turned off.. or at least the traction control is because you can light up the front wheels without the computer trying to control it.

I leave DSC on all the time unless i'm planning to launch.. you have to be driving crazy for it to even activate so i dont see the point of turning off a safety feature that could save your life.

[projectrracing]

DSC/TC/ABS is there for drivers with substandard cornering and go/stop pedal control. They are just added features that don't really solve the "real" problem at hand.

Spend $150-$200 on a driving course at a skidpan and you'll never need those features again. You'll know your car's limits and how to handle your car when you push them too far.

These features are the same reason most FWD cars nowadays have small rear sway bars. Car makers prefer you yo understeer than oversteer.
ABS was invented to people whom just stomp on the brakes without any real control.
DCS is perfect for those idiots whom think they can change gears mid corner while doing 6000rpm, hence shifting the car's weight and making it unstable. Cos DCS limits you getting to 6000rpm and high speeds.
TC, really do you need a computer telling you that you cannot launch a car at 3000rpm in the wet?

[High on PSI]

If you have the hand brake or 3mps switch activated then i think the DSC is automatically turned off.. or at least the traction control is because you can light up the front wheels without the computer trying to control it.

I leave DSC on all the time unless i'm planning to launch.. you have to be driving crazy for it to even activate so i dont see the point of turning off a safety feature that could save your life.

The DSC does activate because when I was testing out for the first time, the wheels would start spinning but then it would stop and try to go again, jerkish kind off way.

[Toddy22587]

Must be different in my car. If i put the hand brake up to the first click i can spin the front wheels as much as i like. The TC light flashes on the dash but the wheels dont stop spinning. It can start to bounce around a bit but thats just the wheels trying to get traction

[spooon]

Mazda Australia Zoom-Zoom - Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) <-- hehee cheesy vid... but yeah it's primary function is safety not performance...

I've gota say this: seriously... it's a DSC button... not a sport button... :\

Want autopilot? buy a GTR...

[Reedy]

I found out last time I was at the track that hitting the DSC button doesn't necessarily turn the DSC entirely off.

It turns the traction control off and that's it. I got things crossed up at the fishook after I thought I had switched it off and the orange light surprised me when it start flashing and the stability control kicked in. It definitely turns the traction control off tho, wheelspin central.

I have read on MSF that you need to hold the dsc button down when you start the car in order to turn it completely off. I havent tried this tho so I don't know if it works. I usually only remember to turn it off when the traction control nukes my power on a corner exit. It's very rare that I get it mixed up enough for the DSC to actually correct a slide, so having it on in some capacity really doesn't make a difference to lap times for me. Nor will it for any of you.

Turning it off doesn't let you go around corners faster, it just lets you spin your wheels.

[Victa]

I beleive from reading that the RX-8 is like this?

Press the DSC button to turn DSC "half-off"... Hold down the DSC button for 5-8 seconds to turn it fully off... This apparently also sets an error code in the ECU that Mazda can read with their scanners...

Maybe the MPS is the same?

Chris.

[pHiLix]

I've got a Gen 1 MPS 3 and that feature definitely works.

Hold the DSC button for a few seconds and then start the car up whilst still holding the button. The "traction loss" light should stay on when it's de-activated.

I found out last time I was at the track that hitting the DSC button doesn't necessarily turn the DSC entirely off.

It turns the traction control off and that's it. I got things crossed up at the fishook after I thought I had switched it off and the orange light surprised me when it start flashing and the stability control kicked in. It definitely turns the traction control off tho, wheelspin central.

I have read on MSF that you need to hold the dsc button down when you start the car in order to turn it completely off. I havent tried this tho so I don't know if it works. I usually only remember to turn it off when the traction control nukes my power on a corner exit. It's very rare that I get it mixed up enough for the DSC to actually correct a slide, so having it on in some capacity really doesn't make a difference to lap times for me. Nor will it for any of you.

Turning it off doesn't let you go around corners faster, it just lets you spin your wheels.

[Artemis]

I switched the DSC off this morning in normal driving. Don't think it made any difference but it was fun feeling the fear as I was inching towards touching the button and wondering whether anything dramatic would happen.

Very interesting topic though.