I remember reading once on this forum that a dealer blamed a CEL on the owner's disabling of TCS/DCS with the 'long-press'. Has anyone with a CAN/OBDII scanner been able to confirm whether the long-press is in fact recorded by the PCM?

 

Don't remember reading that, though I wouldn't be surprised if that was logged. On another note, why in the world would that be a cause for a CEL, the switch is there to be used.

 

I agree, and also the only way to turn it off IS with a long press...

 

I'd say the dealer was being a weasel... but it's interesting the way the manual describes the long-press, not as a way to completely disable TCS, but rather as an error condition. I just hate giving the dealer any excuses, although after almost 2,000 miles I've had no trouble with my 8 (knock on wood).

 

Yup, you have to watch the weasels but I would counter with your remark, why would Mazda put and describe the procedure in the owners manual to begin with.

 

It is recorded. The system thinks the switch has failed. According to the Service Highlights manual, code C1093 (DSC OFF switch system) is logged. The DSC hydraulic unit/control module has a non-volatile memory that cannot be cleared even if the cars battery is removed. It says to refer to the Workshop Manual for the fault code clearing proceedure. That probably means use the WDS....

Brothervoodoo, Mazda don't put the "long press" in the owners manual.....my manual actually tells me that if the switch is pressed for a second or more, then the system suspects a problem with the switch.

Gomez.

 

RevTo9K, it shouldn't have brought on a CEL though......

On a related issue, I recall eccles once posting that the DSC is not actually switched off when the button is pressed once. Rather, it is pushed into the background and activates at a much higher threshold of car instability. Just something else to add to the discussion....!

Gomez.

 

I've long-pressed for days at a time in the past and my car has never had a CEL, nor has the dealer ever said anything about stored errors during my service visits.

rx8cited

 

that was one of my posts where you read that.

the problem was traced- via another dealer- to a defective cat

I don't know so much as a code- but it's definately logged- each and everytime you press it. it's a way to reconstruct what happened before/during/ after an accident. It's also most likely a way for Mazda to refute any allegations that their system was responsible for the crash

 

I can assure you that this is incorrect. I have been drifting my car since I bought it and always use the quick method. I have used the long method and never seen the slightest difference. Trust me, if there is a way to wake up any stability control, it's drifting.

 

What I believe is the traction control is off for the "one press". I certainly have spun my car on track with "DSC off". The DSC totally off I believe also cut of the EBD so you can shift the weight to whatever you like with the middle paddle.

I am happy drifting with "DSC OFF". No problem there. But if you want dynamic drifting, not just power out, especially if you want to use the brake to do it, then you may want to shift it totally off.