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      01-17-2018, 01:48 AM   #1
heli_ca
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Launch Control

Does anyone know when and how Launch Control on the M550i is available for use. Does this feature turn on automatically after a specific number of miles/kilometers?
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      01-17-2018, 02:15 AM   #2
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I had to look it up too, apparently sport plus doesn't turn off traction. Proper procedure is.

- First of all make sure you've driven at least 10km so the car is warm
- Put it in sport/sport plus
- Click the traction button to turn DTC off (key part which i missed)
- Gear lever to the left in DS mode
- Mash the brakes hard
- Simultaneously Full throttle and you should see the checkered flag appear. Leave it after about 3-5 seconds and enjoy your 0-60 in 3.9 seconds
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      01-17-2018, 02:49 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheharyar_rr View Post
I had to look it up too, apparently sport plus doesn't turn off traction. Proper procedure is.

- First of all make sure you've driven at least 10km so the car is warm
- Put it in sport/sport plus
- Click the traction button to turn DTC off (key part which i missed)
- Gear lever to the left in DS mode
- Mash the brakes hard
- Simultaneously Full throttle and you should see the checkered flag appear. Leave it after about 3-5 seconds and enjoy your 0-60 in 3.9 seconds
I am just under the 2000km/1200mile mark for break in. Just wanted to see if I could get the flag to show, it didn't thats why I was wondering if the feature became available after the break in mileage.
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      01-17-2018, 04:24 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by heli_ca View Post
I am just under the 2000km/1200mile mark for break in. Just wanted to see if I could get the flag to show, it didn't thats why I was wondering if the feature became available after the break in mileage.
I don't remember very clearly but I did try LC at around 1800km's and it did work, after I followed the procedure properly that is.
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      01-17-2018, 10:54 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheharyar_rr View Post
I had to look it up too, apparently sport plus doesn't turn off traction. Proper procedure is.

- First of all make sure you've driven at least 10km so the car is warm
- Put it in sport/sport plus
- Click the traction button to turn DTC off (key part which i missed)
- Gear lever to the left in DS mode
- Mash the brakes hard
- Simultaneously Full throttle and you should see the checkered flag appear. Leave it after about 3-5 seconds and enjoy your 0-60 in 3.9 seconds
Question. Step 4 and 5. Do you mean stepping on brake and gas/accelerator all the way down simultaneously? Also, it this done when gear in PARK or Drive?
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      01-17-2018, 12:25 PM   #6
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The only break in period BMW has is for pure M models, nothing for standard models or M performance. So features do not magically appear after some mileage milestone. I asked about this when I picked up my M550i and the response was go have as much fun as you want. That said, I think it's prudent to go easy for the first few weeks rather than trashing it out of the box.
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      01-17-2018, 02:00 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Canuck99 View Post
The only break in period BMW has is for pure M models, nothing for standard models or M performance. So features do not magically appear after some mileage milestone. I asked about this when I picked up my M550i and the response was go have as much fun as you want. That said, I think it's prudent to go easy for the first few weeks rather than trashing it out of the box.
Not sure who you asked, but in the M550i owner's manual it indicates the car should not go above 4500rpm or 140km/h before first 2000km. I probably didn't recall exact number right, but there is a break in period.
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      01-19-2018, 03:41 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clzhong View Post
Not sure who you asked, but in the M550i owner's manual it indicates the car should not go above 4500rpm or 140km/h before first 2000km. I probably didn't recall exact number right, but there is a break in period.
My trustworthy sales associate! LOL. another lie...
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      01-19-2018, 04:19 PM   #9
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There's a breaking in period for all cars whether they are M or not. That said it wouldn't stop you from going over those RPMs if you want to.
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      01-19-2018, 06:57 PM   #10
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Actually with modern engine designs, the "requirements" are less and less... My sales associate's response of you don't have to do anything didn't seem strange to me as I got the very same answer 3 years ago regarding my F-Type R....
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      01-20-2018, 09:29 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Canuck99 View Post
Actually with modern engine designs, the "requirements" are less and less... My sales associate's response of you don't have to do anything didn't seem strange to me as I got the very same answer 3 years ago regarding my F-Type R....
I followed these procedures for both my M550 and F80 M3.
- Take it easy for 100 mile to bed in brake rotors and pads
- Vary RPM for the first 300-400 mile.
- For us, 400 miles was about 2 weeks mark, I start to go higher and higher.
- There is no need to hit redline but I got way up there after 600 miles on engine.

I take it easy every morning for engine oil to warm up before take it higher up in RPM range. Beside, I have to wait for my brake pads and tires to warm up anyway before gunning the engine.

Cheers,
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      01-27-2018, 09:45 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sheharyar_rr View Post
I had to look it up too, apparently sport plus doesn't turn off traction. Proper procedure is.

- First of all make sure you've driven at least 10km so the car is warm
- Put it in sport/sport plus
- Click the traction button to turn DTC off (key part which i missed)
- Gear lever to the left in DS mode
- Mash the brakes hard
- Simultaneously Full throttle and you should see the checkered flag appear. Leave it after about 3-5 seconds and enjoy your 0-60 in 3.9 seconds
So you do see the checkered flag? I followed these steps and no flag. Used to get it in my f82 once I hit 1200 miles.
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      01-27-2018, 09:56 AM   #13
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I'm sure in my manual under the running in recommendations that it's stated advisable not to use launch control which would suggest that it is available from zero miles.
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      01-27-2018, 05:46 PM   #14
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Launch active

Hi, it is activating now, my kilometers is over 2000km now. All is fine!

Thanks!
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      01-28-2018, 02:27 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AP View Post
I'm sure in my manual under the running in recommendations that it's stated advisable not to use launch control which would suggest that it is available from zero miles.
You are right.
Here is a screen shot of the manual, it says do not use LC when running in. So, it is technically possible.
This is 540i though, M550i might be different.
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      01-31-2018, 11:05 AM   #16
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The guy from Youtube AutoVlog did the LC on his M550i test drive and said it is faster than what BMW claims, maybe around 3.4-3.5 sec
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      01-31-2018, 11:06 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by emre View Post
You are right.
Here is a screen shot of the manual, it says do not use LC when running it. So, it is technically possible.
This is 540i though, M550i might be different.
what does "running in" mean?
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      01-31-2018, 11:18 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yxc145 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by emre View Post
You are right.
Here is a screen shot of the manual, it says do not use LC when running it. So, it is technically possible.
This is 540i though, M550i might be different.
what does "running in" mean?
Manual is referring to the break in period
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      02-01-2018, 08:48 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by emre View Post
Manual is referring to the break in period
This is how I read it too, it appears that 1200 miles needed before it's activated. Very similar to how my F82 behaved.
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      02-01-2018, 02:32 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by forza1976 View Post
This is how I read it too, it appears that 1200 miles needed before it's activated. Very similar to how my F82 behaved.
I see. so I got 500 more miles to go.
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      05-18-2019, 10:50 PM   #21
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So this LC thing really freaks me out, but I’m interested in trying it at least once. Tonight I did try- I followed all the steps, but on the last part I pressed the brake hard with my left foot and started to press the accelerator... and I felt the engine lurch a bit as it struggled against the brake, just as you’d expect an engine to do in such a circumstance... I didn’t see any checkered flag, and I instantly backed off. Maybe I did it wrong? But it did lead me to wonder if it’s better to just mash the gas pedal all the way too?? And if you try this, is the idea that the car doesn’t engage the clutch (while the engine is at optimal RPM) until you release the brake? I think understanding what the car is actually doing would help ease my mind. Hopefully my little experiment didn’t damage my car at all!?? 🤣😬 Any ideas what I did wrong??

Last edited by HotSoss; 05-18-2019 at 11:04 PM.. Reason: Correcting for spelling errors
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      05-19-2019, 12:46 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HotSoss View Post
So this LC thing really freaks me out, but I’m interested in trying it at least once. Tonight I did try- I followed all the steps, but on the last part I pressed the brake hard with my left foot and started to press the accelerator... and I felt the engine lurch a bit as it struggled against the brake, just as you’d expect an engine to do in such a circumstance... I didn’t see any checkered flag, and I instantly backed off. Maybe I did it wrong? But it did lead me to wonder if it’s better to just mash the gas pedal all the way too?? And if you try this, is the idea that the car doesn’t engage the clutch (while the engine is at optimal RPM) until you release the brake? I think understanding what the car is actually doing would help ease my mind. Hopefully my little experiment didn’t damage my car at all!?? 🤣😬 Any ideas what I did wrong??
try going with your accelerator pedal all the way down (beyond point of resistance) ...there is a kick down switch....just try to feel it when the car is of.... i think this is what you are missing......
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