Controls -> Driving stability control systems for Your BMW X3 SUV 2020

Driving stability control systems  
Controls  
Driving stability control systems  
DSC also recognizes unstable vehicle condi‐  
tions such as fishtailing or nose-diving. Within  
the physical limits DSC helps to keep the vehi‐  
cle on a steady course by reducing engine  
speed and by applying brakes to the individual  
wheels.  
Vehicle features and options  
This chapter describes all standard, country-  
specific and optional features offered with the  
series. It also describes features that are not  
necessarily available in your car, e. g., due to  
the selected options or country versions. This  
also applies to safety-related functions and  
systems. The respectively applicable country  
provisions must be observed when using the  
respective features and systems.  
Note  
Adjust your driving style to the situation  
An appropriate driving style is always the  
responsibility of the driver.  
The laws of physics cannot be repealed, not  
even with DSC.  
Antilock Brake System ABS  
Therefore, do not reduce the additional safety  
margin by driving in a risky manner.◀  
ABS prevents locking of the wheels during  
braking.  
The vehicle contains its steering power even  
during full brake applications, thus increasing  
active safety.  
Do not deactivate DSC when driving with  
roof load  
Do not deactivate Dynamic Stability Control  
DSC when driving with roof load, e.g. roof-  
mounted luggage rack.  
ABS is operational every time you start the en‐  
gine.  
Otherwise, driving safety is not given in driv‐  
ing-critical situation due to the elevated center  
of gravity.◀  
Brake assistant  
When you apply the brakes rapidly, this system  
automatically produces the greatest possible  
braking force boost. It reduces the braking dis‐  
tance to a minimum during emergency stop.  
This system utilizes all of the benefits provided  
by ABS.  
Overview  
Button in the vehicle  
Do not reduce the pressure on the brake pedal  
for the duration of the emergency stop.  
DSC Dynamic Stability  
Control  
The concept  
DSC prevents traction loss in the power  
wheels when driving off and accelerating.  
DSC OFF button  
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Controls  
Driving stability control systems  
The system ensures maximum headway on  
special road conditions or loose road surfaces,  
e.g., unplowed snowy roads, but with some‐  
what limited driving stability.  
Indicator/warning lights  
The indicator lamp flashes: DSC con‐  
trols the drive and braking forces.  
The indicator lamp lights up: DSC has  
Activating the Dynamic Traction Control DTC  
provides maximum traction. Driving stability is  
limited during acceleration and when driving in  
curves.  
failed.  
Deactivating DSC: DSC OFF  
When DSC is deactivated, driving stability is  
reduced during acceleration and when driving  
in curves.  
Therefore drive with appropriate caution.  
You may find it useful to briefly activate DTC  
under the following special circumstances:  
To increase vehicle stability, activate DSC  
again as soon as possible.  
When driving in slush or on uncleared,  
snow-covered roads.  
When freeing vehicle from deep snow or  
driving off from loose grounds.  
Deactivating DSC  
Press and hold this button but not lon‐  
ger than approx. 10 seconds, until the  
When driving with snow chains.  
indicator lamp for DSC OFF lights up in the in‐  
strument cluster and displays DSC OFF.  
Deactivating/activating DTC Dynamic  
Traction Control  
The DSC system is switched off.  
Activating DTC  
The steering and, depending on the equip‐  
ment, suspension are tuned for sporty driving.  
Press button.  
TRACTION is displayed in the instru‐  
ment cluster and the indicator lamp for DSC  
OFF lights up.  
Activating DSC  
Press button.  
DSC OFF and the DSC OFF indicator  
lamp go out.  
Deactivating DTC  
Press button again.  
Indicator/warning lights  
When DSC is deactivated, DSC OFF is dis‐  
played in the instrument cluster.  
TRACTION and the DSC OFF indica‐  
tor lamp go out.  
The indicator lamp lights up: DSC is  
deactivated.  
Performance Control  
Performance Control enhances the agility of  
the vehicle.  
DTC Dynamic Traction  
Control  
To increase maneuverability, with a corre‐  
spondingly sporty driving style, wheels are  
braked individually. The resulting braking  
power is simultaneously largely compensated  
by an engine intervention.  
The concept  
The DTC system is a version of the DSC where  
forward momentum is optimized.  
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Driving stability control systems  
Controls  
Increasing or decreasing vehicle  
speed  
Specify desired speed in the range from ap‐  
prox. 4 mph/6 km/h to approx. 15 mph/25 km/h  
using the rocker switch of the cruise control on  
the steering wheel. Vehicle speed can be  
changed by lightly accelerating.  
xDrive  
xDrive is the all-wheel-drive system of your ve‐  
hicle. Concerted action by the xDrive and DSC  
further optimize traction and driving dynamics.  
The xDrive all-wheel-drive system variably dis‐  
tributes the drive forces to the front and rear  
axles as demanded by the driving situation and  
road surface.  
Display on the Control Display  
Displaying xDrive view  
1. "Vehicle info"  
2. "xDrive status"  
The following information is displayed:  
With a navigation system: compass display  
for the driving direction  
Press the rocker switch up to the point of  
resistance: the speed increases gradually.  
Pitch attitude with degree and percentage  
Transverse gradient with degree indication  
Graphic display for the steering  
Press up the rocker switch past the point  
of resistance: the speed increases while  
the rocker switch is pressed.  
Press the rocker switch down to the point  
of resistance: the speed decreases gradu‐  
ally.  
HDC Hill Descent Control  
Press the rocker switch down past the  
point of resistance: when driving forward,  
the speed decreases to approx.  
6 mph/10 km/h; when reversing, the speed  
decreases to approx. 4 mph/6 km/h.  
The concept  
HDC is a downhill driving assistant that auto‐  
matically controls vehicle speed on steep  
downhill gradients. Without applying the  
brakes, the vehicle moves at slightly more than  
walking speed.  
Activating HDC  
Hill Descent Control can be activated at  
speeds below approx. 22 mph/35 km/h. When  
driving downhill, the vehicle reduces its speed  
to approx. walking speed and then keeps its  
speed constant.  
As long as there is active braking, the system  
is on standby. The system does not brake the  
vehicle during this time.  
Only use HDC in low gears or in selector lever  
position D or R.  
Press button; the LED above the button  
lights up.  
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Controls  
Driving stability control systems  
Deactivating HDC  
COMFORT/ECO PRO  
Balanced control of the vehicle.  
Press button again and the LED goes  
out. HDC is automatically deactivated  
above approx. 37 mph/60 km/h.  
Variable sport steering  
Display in the instrument cluster  
The variable sport steering increases the  
steering angle of the front wheels at large  
steering wheel angles, e.g., in tight curves or  
when parking. Steering becomes more direct.  
The selected speed is displayed  
in the speedometer.  
Green: the system is actively  
braking the vehicle.  
It also varies the force required to turn the  
wheels in accordance with the vehicle speed.  
Orange: the system is on  
standby.  
This results in a sporty steering response. In  
addition, it becomes easier to steer during  
parking and maneuvering.  
Malfunction  
A message is displayed in the instrument clus‐  
ter. HDC is not available, e.g., due to elevated  
brake temperatures.  
Servotronic  
The concept  
The Servotronic varies the steering force re‐  
quired to turn the wheels in accordance with  
the vehicle speed. At low speeds, the steering  
force is strongly supported, i. e. during steer‐  
ing, low force is required. As the speed in‐  
creases, the assistance of the steering force is  
reduced.  
Dynamic Damping Control  
The concept  
This system reduces undesirable vehicle mo‐  
tion when using a dynamic driving style or trav‐  
eling on uneven road surfaces.  
Furthermore, the steering force adapts accord‐  
ing to the driving program, so that a direct,  
sporty feel and/or comfortable steering is con‐  
veyed.  
The system enhances driving dynamics and  
comfort fitting road surface and driving style.  
Programs  
The system offers several different programs.  
Select the programs via the Driving Dynamics  
Control, refer to page 126.  
Driving Dynamics Control  
The concept  
SPORT  
The Driving Dynamics Control helps to fine-  
tune the vehicle's settings and features. Vari‐  
ous programs can be selected for this purpose.  
The Driving Dynamics Control and the DSC  
OFF buttons can each be used to activate a  
program.  
Consistently sporty control of the shock ab‐  
sorbers for greater driving agility.  
SPORT+  
Consistently sporty control of the shock ab‐  
sorbers for greater driving agility when driving  
with limited driving stabilization.  
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Driving stability control systems  
Controls  
activated. Driving stability is limited during ac‐  
celeration and when driving in curves.  
Overview  
Button in the vehicle  
SPORT+  
Sporty driving with optimized suspension and  
adapted engine control with limited driving sta‐  
bilization.  
Dynamic Traction Control is switched on.  
The driver handles several of the stabilization  
tasks.  
Activating SPORT+  
Press button repeatedly until SPORT+  
appears in the instrument cluster and  
the DSC OFF indicator lamp lights up.  
Operating the programs  
Press button  
Program  
DSC OFF  
Automatic program change  
When activating cruise control, the program  
automatically switches to SPORT mode.  
TRACTION  
SPORT+  
SPORT  
Indicator/warning lights  
SPORT+ is displayed in the instrument cluster.  
COMFORT  
ECO PRO  
The DSC OFF indicator lamp lights up:  
Dynamic Traction Control is activated.  
Automatic program change  
The system may automatically switch to COM‐  
FORT in the following situations:  
SPORT  
Consistently sporty tuning of the suspension  
and engine control for greater driving agility  
with maximum driving stabilization.  
Failure of Dynamic Damping Control.  
Failure of DSC Dynamic Stability Control.  
The vehicle has a flat tire.  
The program can be configured to individual  
specifications. The configuration is stored for  
the profile currently in use.  
When activating cruise control in TRAC‐  
TION or DSC OFF mode.  
DSC OFF  
Activating SPORT  
When DSC OFF, refer to page 124, is active,  
driving stability is limited during acceleration  
and when driving in curves.  
Press button repeatedly until SPORT  
is displayed in the instrument cluster.  
Configuring SPORT  
TRACTION  
When the display is activated on the Control  
Display, refer to page 128, the SPORT driving  
mode can be set to individual specifications.  
When TRACTION is active, the vehicle has  
maximum traction on loose road surfaces. DTC  
Dynamic Traction Control, refer to page 124, is  
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Controls  
Driving stability control systems  
Activating SPORT.  
2. "Configure ECO PRO"  
"Configure SPORT"  
Make the desired settings.  
Configuring the SPORT driving mode.  
Displays  
SPORT can also be configured before it is acti‐  
vated:  
Program selection  
1. "Settings"  
Pressing the button displays a  
2. "SPORT mode"  
3. Configure driving mode.  
list of the selectable programs.  
Depending on your vehicle's op‐  
tional features, the list in the in‐  
strument cluster can differ from  
This configuration is retrieved when the  
SPORT driving mode is activated.  
the illustration shown.  
COMFORT  
For a balanced tuning with maximum driving  
stabilization.  
Selected program  
The instrument cluster displays  
the selected program.  
Activating COMFORT  
Press button repeatedly until COM‐  
FORT is displayed in the instrument  
cluster.  
Display on the Control Display  
In certain situations, the system automatically  
changes to the NORMAL program, automatic  
program change, refer to page 127.  
Program changes can be displayed on the  
Control Display.  
1. "Settings"  
ECO PRO  
2. "Control display"  
3. "Driving mode info"  
ECO PRO, refer to page 182, provides consis‐  
tent tuning to minimize fuel consumption for  
maximum range with maximum driving stabili‐  
zation.  
Drive-off assistant  
This system supports driving off on inclines.  
The parking brake is not required.  
Comfort functions and the engine controller  
are adjusted.  
The program can be configured to individual  
specifications.  
1. Hold the vehicle in place with the foot  
brake.  
2. Release the foot brake and drive off with‐  
out delay.  
Activating ECO PRO  
Press button repeatedly until ECO  
PRO is displayed in the instrument  
cluster.  
After the foot brake is released, the vehicle is  
held in place for approx. 2 seconds.  
Depending on the vehicle load or when a trailer  
is used, the vehicle may roll back slightly.  
Configuring ECO PRO  
1. Activate ECO PRO.  
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Controls  
Driving off without delay  
After releasing the foot brake, start driv‐  
ing without delay, since the drive-off assistant  
will not hold the vehicle in place for more than  
approx. 2 seconds and the vehicle will begin to  
roll back.◀  
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