[BanziBarn]

This is borderline dangerous....

I was in the slow lane on the motor way doing about 70 and I was approaching the car in front quite quickly so needed to overtake.

I had space and time to do it, so I dropped a couple of gears, floored it and pulled out.

Nothing, the power just wasn't there, the TC light was flashing like an Xmas tree and a car was coming up behind me really fast.

It's rubbish, I had more than enough power to make the manoeuvre safely and the roads were bone dry. Instead I had to make a car behind me brake fairly hard, which is potentially dangerous.

The problem seems to be a combination of throttle and steering input. If I accelerate in a straight line it's fine.

Does anyone else have this problem?

[a1reader]

I almost always overtake really hard... Never had this problem. My car is producing 375bhp and 415 Lbft of torque... Maybe your tires are loosing grip too soon

[Kongen71]

I drive my 335i pretty hard as well and have never had that problem. I got 383hp and 525nm. Otherwise press the DTC off.

[BanziBarn]

I also see the TC light when going over speed bumps too some times.

I think I'm going to get it checked out by the dealer.

RE: DCS, I'm slightly worried to press that at motorway speeds, just in case it goes pete tong!

[BGM]

try it without dropping gears..

if you are doing 70mph there is still loads more from the engine to overtake with

[BanziBarn]

It's an auto so it'll change down anyway if I give it beans!

[DrunkenMonkey]

Only happens to me when I have DSC on.

Turn on DTC, and get a feel for the throttle, as long as you dont drive like a lunatic and use some sense you'll be fine.

You dont need Jedi powers to drive a car without TC.

[chris330D]

Doesn't sound right, not had that with mine, though at 70 dropping 2 gears is a bit excessive. I would get it looked at. Have you checked the tread depth on your rears?

[HighlandPete]

This description of response, is not something I get, even kicking down and driving hard, I've only once in 39k miles, had my 330d back off power. And that was turning out of a junction, to the right, where the conditions were more slippy than I'd anticipated. Too fast, too hard, and too aggressive, was my conclusion. DSC probably saved me some embarrasment.

Are you sure it wasn't just too aggressive a manoeuvre? Signalled the electronics to back off fast. Tyre grip has a lot to say as well.

HighlandPete

[RagingKileak]

My 560 lbs/ft 335d never did anything like this even dropping two cogs!!

Your car is broken.

Matt

[toxicnerve]

Bazi,

Can't say I've had an issue on the motorway/overtaking but coming out of a junction the other day I did manage to light up the dash with traction control warnings.

I was pulling out of a side street onto a fairly busy dual carraigeway (the sort where you have to pick your gap and go for it otherwise you will never get out). I saw a gap, put my foot down and turned to the left (to join the flow of traffic). The car launched nice and smoothly then all of a sudden, nothing. I was in the middle of a dual carriageway and the car had stopped accelerating and was seemingly stood still!!

I almost needed a change of pants but thankfully the car regained traction and the power came back just in time!!

[willhollin]

Sounds like good old Bridgestone RFT are the problem.

[sniffer]

As other posters, what tread depth have you got on the rear tyres and what make are they?

My mate bought an E39 530d a few years ago which had some budget tyres on the rear, called "Clear" or something. They were terrible, shockingly dangerous.

[themetz]

I had the same problem in my 330d.

DTC on = problem solved*

*please read the associated safety data in the manual first though (and read this)

[V330d]

I've had exactly the same thing happen and it can be a bit embarassing so I always flick the auto across to sport before flooring and sometimes switch DTC on as well. (mine is a dec09 330d E91)

[MEGA]

With this weather, traction control should be fully disabled. Simple as.

No problem then

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by BanziBarn

This is borderline dangerous....

I dropped a couple of gears, floored it and pulled out.

Yep that sounds dangerous!!!

Surely you would never do this so brutally?

Pull out first with a bit of throttle to take up the slack and load the tyres etc, then as you're moving over you increase the throttle gradually with the manouvre so so that you have full throttle by the time you are right over and have a clear view?

Flooring it it a car as powerful as yours, whilst steering!!! is sure to put the ESP into meltdown.

If I drive the 335i like that then yes the ESP does a great job of saying what the f are you doing? and removing all power to save my embarassment.

Smooth out your throttle inputs and thre ESP will leave you much more well alone.

You say ESP flashes over speed bumps.... if you have your foot off the gas (as seems sensible over a speed bump) then it wouldn't flash... I know I wouldn't be accelerating over speedbumps.

[dxb335d]

The road surface was probably poor and your tyres not at their best.

What time of day was it?

[sapi]

Hi,
I have traction control problem with winter and softer(non RFT) tyres. Especially on the freeway when using cruise control(steady speed) and going uphill the traction control somehow intepretes a minor bump as wheel spin so TC light turns on and also the cruse controll turns off(I'm driving a 325iAT). This is very disturbing as the speed drops fast in uphill with cruise controll turned off (untill you get the foot on the gas pedal).
Have been following on the situation for a while and have not been able to figure out where the problem is. Summer tyres are RFT and there is no problem with them under.

Cheers
Pasi

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by BanziBarn

This is borderline dangerous....

I was in the slow lane on the motor way doing about 70 and I was approaching the car in front quite quickly so needed to overtake.

I had space and time to do it, so I dropped a couple of gears, floored it and pulled out.

Nothing, the power just wasn't there, the TC light was flashing like an Xmas tree and a car was coming up behind me really fast.

I agree that it's dangerous, but I'm not referring to the DTC. If you dropped two gears and floored it at 70, you probably engaged the RPM limiter.

[BanziBarn]

When I say I floored it, perhaps it does give the wrong impression.

I'm fully aware that best practice is to use gentle inputs and I certainly wasn't driving like a lune, the wife was in the car at the time and there would have been big trouble I if was!!

I was just trying to make a quick and safe overtake.

The tyres are only 4000 miles old, I think they are Bridgstones.

As far as I can remember, the road surface was ok, and it was about 10:30am, and quite warm, so defo no dampness on the road.

I tried to re-create the problem yesterday and I couldn't, it was as good as gold.

Actually, something I've just thought of is that I had visited a petrol station about 30 mins before. I wonder if some diesel could have been on the tyres?

I've actually experinced what can happen to grip when you get petrol/diesel on your tyres as a few years ago after leaving the forecourt in my punto the car was wheel spinning even under light throttle, and even in 4th gear! - I thought the clutch had gone until I pressed the break and realised they didn't work either!

Maybe this was the problem....

[Jon D]

You think they're Bridgestones? Here's a tip - nip out to the car and have a look at the wording on the tyres!