DSC Inactive Message on Start-Up

munchen2010 · 05-15-2014, 06:57 PM

I did some searching on the forum and could not find anything specific to this issue so I thought I would start a thread.

I have a 2008 M3 sedan and for the past 6 weeks or so, I have had a "DSC Inactive" message on my infotainment/nav screen when I start the car. I do not get anything on the dash, no MIL is on and the car seems to behave normally, although I have noticed that I can no longer disable the DSC. The console switch does not work and if I select the option for M-Mode it allows me to select "DSC Off" but DSC does not disable as I cannot get the car sideways at all before the electronic nannies kick in.

Not sure if this is related but... I had some trouble with my EDC button prior to this issue and thought that I had a bad fuse. The EDC now works fine but only through I-Drive. The console EDC button does not work any more. Checked all the fuses for EDC and DSC and they all looked good.

Anyone else run into this issue?

Thanks in advance for your help...

munchen2010 · 05-19-2014, 11:18 AM

No replies thus far. Has no one else come across this issue? Just wanted to make one more plea for any advice out there. thanks

Beemdog · 05-19-2014, 12:53 PM

Just guessing here but the word "inactive" may mean that the DSC controller is not seeing feedback from one of the shocks. A quick check of the fronts to see if the connectors are intact at the top of the strut tower would be the first thing I'd look at. These get messed with when they do alignments.

munchen2010 · 05-29-2014, 12:24 PM

Thanks for the suggestion. I will take a look at that. No recent alignments done, but perhaps it has wiggled itself loose after being improperly connected after the last alignment.

BPMSport · 05-29-2014, 05:44 PM

Usually it's a wheel speed sensor when you have DSC faults. It's strange that it says inactive.. Perhaps something spilled on the DSC switch and it's shorted out?

munchen2010 · 07-10-2014, 09:57 AM

Thanks again for the advice. Just curious if anyone knows whether a BT tool would tell me which sensor might be bad? There are no saved codes when I checked with a generic OBD II scanner, and no lights or warning on the dash after the initial warning at start up clears itself after 20 or so seconds. I probably should invest in a BT tool anyways but just wondered if it would be helpful for pulling wheel speed sensor faults.

munchen2010 · 08-04-2014, 09:13 AM

Just in case anyone was following this thread and looking for an update, it turns out that the DSC switch on the center console was the source of the error code. I am not sure how the switch went bad, but it appears to be an electrical short of some kind. That has me a little worried about other gear in the console, but perhaps it was just a random failure.

In any case, a very simple and cheap fix to the problem. A welcome discovery after my second throttle actuator failure last week.

05-15-2014, 06:57 PM	#1
munchen2010 New Member 1 Rep 5 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Southeast Georgia iTrader: (0)	DSC Inactive Message on Start-Up I did some searching on the forum and could not find anything specific to this issue so I thought I would start a thread. I have a 2008 M3 sedan and for the past 6 weeks or so, I have had a "DSC Inactive" message on my infotainment/nav screen when I start the car. I do not get anything on the dash, no MIL is on and the car seems to behave normally, although I have noticed that I can no longer disable the DSC. The console switch does not work and if I select the option for M-Mode it allows me to select "DSC Off" but DSC does not disable as I cannot get the car sideways at all before the electronic nannies kick in. Not sure if this is related but... I had some trouble with my EDC button prior to this issue and thought that I had a bad fuse. The EDC now works fine but only through I-Drive. The console EDC button does not work any more. Checked all the fuses for EDC and DSC and they all looked good. Anyone else run into this issue? Thanks in advance for your help...
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05-19-2014, 11:18 AM	#2
munchen2010 New Member 1 Rep 5 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Southeast Georgia iTrader: (0)	No replies thus far. Has no one else come across this issue? Just wanted to make one more plea for any advice out there. thanks
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05-19-2014, 12:53 PM	#3
Beemdog Woof! 352 Rep 1,323 Posts Drives: '11 M3 ZCP LeMans Blue Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Sonoma Cownty, CA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2005 Dodge Viper [9.00] 2011 BMW M3 E92 [9.50] 2009 Ducati Hypermo ... [10.00]	Just guessing here but the word "inactive" may mean that the DSC controller is not seeing feedback from one of the shocks. A quick check of the fronts to see if the connectors are intact at the top of the strut tower would be the first thing I'd look at. These get messed with when they do alignments.
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05-29-2014, 12:24 PM	#4
munchen2010 New Member 1 Rep 5 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Southeast Georgia iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the suggestion. I will take a look at that. No recent alignments done, but perhaps it has wiggled itself loose after being improperly connected after the last alignment.
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05-29-2014, 05:44 PM	#5
BPMSport BimmerPost Supporting Vendor 3387 Rep 7,542 Posts Drives: Harrop M3 / F10 M5 / F82 M4 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: SoCal iTrader: (9) Garage List 2000 BMW M5 [0.00] 1990 BMW 735i Turbo [0.00] 2008 BMW M3 [7.50] 2015 BMW M3 [0.00] 2015 BMW M5 [0.00]	Usually it's a wheel speed sensor when you have DSC faults. It's strange that it says inactive.. Perhaps something spilled on the DSC switch and it's shorted out? __________________ -----\| Like us on Facebook \| Instagram \|\| Tuning Information \| Remote Coding \|----- ----Visit us at www.BPMSport.com - Emotion. Driven. \| Toll Free: (888) 557-5133----
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07-10-2014, 09:57 AM	#6
munchen2010 New Member 1 Rep 5 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Southeast Georgia iTrader: (0)	Thanks again for the advice. Just curious if anyone knows whether a BT tool would tell me which sensor might be bad? There are no saved codes when I checked with a generic OBD II scanner, and no lights or warning on the dash after the initial warning at start up clears itself after 20 or so seconds. I probably should invest in a BT tool anyways but just wondered if it would be helpful for pulling wheel speed sensor faults.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-04-2014, 09:13 AM	#7
munchen2010 New Member 1 Rep 5 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Southeast Georgia iTrader: (0)	Just in case anyone was following this thread and looking for an update, it turns out that the DSC switch on the center console was the source of the error code. I am not sure how the switch went bad, but it appears to be an electrical short of some kind. That has me a little worried about other gear in the console, but perhaps it was just a random failure. In any case, a very simple and cheap fix to the problem. A welcome discovery after my second throttle actuator failure last week.
	Appreciate 0 Quote