Launch Control - Your Experience

[The Spectacle]

Originally Posted by M4BimmerChris

You have to drive the car 6 miles before it will turn on

This is not true. There might be limit to how often you can use it in a row (probably related to trans temp), but you definitely do not have to drive it 6 miles before it will activate again.

[G4BR13L]

Originally Posted by The Spectacle

This is not true. There might be limit to how often you can use it in a row (probably related to trans temp), but you definitely do not have to drive it 6 miles before it will activate again.

Actually in the docs it is stated that it can only be used when the engine is warmed up which is after interrupted driving for 6 miles / 10 kilometer. And you can not use it again unless driven a specific distance first. And transmission oil temp should also be below a defined treshold.

[itrocks4u]

Thanks for the feedback guys... I think most of the discussion is around DSC on/off lol instead of launch control experience....

[Kimeran]

I love my launch control!
I think I may have used it close to 100 times!

The only thing that seems to confuse me is that others have complained that using launch control just lights up their tyres from the beginning and it just keeps spinning.
I have tried my LC in almost all weather applications and it launches perfectly fine. Only thing I have noticed is that it sort of controls the throttle for you in first, once it goes into second then it's all you.

Remember, it will change to 2nd and 3rd for you. If you try to change up a gear from 1st to 2nd for example, it will double shift to 3rd.

[Rollrate]

Originally Posted by Kimeran

I love my launch control!
I think I may have used it close to 100 times!

The only thing that seems to confuse me is that others have complained that using launch control just lights up their tyres from the beginning and it just keeps spinning.
I have tried my LC in almost all weather applications and it launches perfectly fine. Only thing I have noticed is that it sort of controls the throttle for you in first, once it goes into second then it's all you.

Remember, it will change to 2nd and 3rd for you. If you try to change up a gear from 1st to 2nd for example, it will double shift to 3rd.

I've used LC just once so far, and it worked great. Put tranny in S1, DSC fully off, brake on, foot right to the floor and then release brakes. There was an audible clunk from the rear end just before I released the brakes. Even though the tranny is in S it shifts automatically and DSC is off but traction is clearly being controlled somehow as there was little to no wheelspin. If anyone is getting significant wheelspin I suspect it's because they haven't followed the correct LC engagement procedure.

[Srac]

Originally Posted by Kimeran

I love my launch control!
I think I may have used it close to 100 times!

The only thing that seems to confuse me is that others have complained that using launch control just lights up their tyres from the beginning and it just keeps spinning.
I have tried my LC in almost all weather applications and it launches perfectly fine. Only thing I have noticed is that it sort of controls the throttle for you in first, once it goes into second then it's all you.

Remember, it will change to 2nd and 3rd for you. If you try to change up a gear from 1st to 2nd for example, it will double shift to 3rd.

Originally Posted by Rollrate

I've used LC just once so far, and it worked great. Put tranny in S1, DSC fully off, brake on, foot right to the floor and then release brakes. There was an audible clunk from the rear end just before I released the brakes. Even though the tranny is in S it shifts automatically and DSC is off but traction is clearly being controlled somehow as there was little to no wheelspin. If anyone is getting significant wheelspin I suspect it's because they haven't followed the correct LC engagement procedure.

This is exactly my experience. Little to no wheel spin.

What I think happens to others is what happened to me the 1st time I tried it. So I put my foot down while holding the brake and the RPM was at 2.5k. I couldn't adjust it with the wheel knob in the steering wheel which I found weird since I had seen it on some YouTube videos. So I released the brake and it was a complete smoke show until it changed to 2nd gear which I then lost control for a bit. Obviously I did this in a very wide closed road so it was no problem. It was the equivalent of dumping the clutch on a manual gear box. So the Launch Control wasn't actually engaged because I forgot to put it into manual gear box. Was pretty fun though. After setting the required parameters for LC it went smoothly, never felt in danger of losing control.

It's also true that the car doesn't let you use LC more than once in a row. You have to drive a bit to be able to use it. It's definitely not 6 miles. It might be timed as I had to wait over 5 minutes to be able to use it again.

[kyrix1st]

Don't use it too much.

If you have to, lower the rpm as much as possible to minimize damage on pressure plates.

DCTs have two mechanical clutches for gears 1-3-5-7 and 2-4-6 and launching is basically dropping the first clutch which will slip and burn just like a manual transmission.

[F82///M]

Originally Posted by Humdizzle

I think what he means is that even with the DSC off... you still have ABS and the car sending different amounts of braking power to each wheel. So yes even with it off there are still electronic nannies at work.

and yes launch control is pointless. you're beating up your car for no reason to achieve a mediocre 0-60.

ABS with DSC off will intervene only when pressing brake pedal, nothing to do with acceleration or sliding.

Originally Posted by Kimeran

I love my launch control!
I think I may have used it close to 100 times!

The only thing that seems to confuse me is that others have complained that using launch control just lights up their tyres from the beginning and it just keeps spinning.
I have tried my LC in almost all weather applications and it launches perfectly fine. Only thing I have noticed is that it sort of controls the throttle for you in first, once it goes into second then it's all you.

Remember, it will change to 2nd and 3rd for you. If you try to change up a gear from 1st to 2nd for example, it will double shift to 3rd.

They're lighting up tires because they forget to keep kick down pressed upon take off or LC wasn't ready to be used. As long as it's active (kick down=launch control), display will show the message in cluster and car will shift all it's gears, not just 1-2-3. For manual shifts hold the full throttle without kick down but as soon as you lift off kick down LC is inactive so it's best to do this after the car shifts into 2nd gear on it's own to achieve minimum wheel spin.

[dezzracer]

I tried it twice in my M3 CS after proper break in and service. Both times the tires were roasting and car went sideways. The second time I let off right at me moment when the car was shifting into 2nd and it made an ugly loud clunk. Prolly won't try again. Not worth it.