MR launch control procedure

[doclin]

is this the proper sequence?

1. Set SST to S-Sport mode.
2. Fully shut off ASC.
3. Left feet on brake.
4. Right feet on gas and rev the engine.
5. Release brake


Thanks

[Warrtalon]

You don't have an 05 MR, it's an 08 MR. You are one of the first, so I don't think anyone knows the best procedure yet. Whatever you do, I doubt you put "feet" on any pedal.

[VincentX]

^You're a sarcastic ass.

[doclin]

Warrtalon

I should've updated my sig...the 05 MR has been sold. I purchased 08 WW Evolution X MR on 7-8-08.

Thanks for your helpful reply anyway.... My fault.....

[Warrtalon]

I assume that will be the method, but the key will be getting the revs up high enough - 5k or higher. I don't know if they have the same built-in limiter at 5k or not.

[doclin]

200 more miles until break-in is done....I'll try it and report back....

[Demon46]

Originally Posted by doclin

200 more miles until break-in is done....I'll try it and report back....

I just finished my break-in period on my X MR yesterday and tried the "launch control" last night. I tried the exact procedure you describe, doclin.

I tried the procedure as described by this Car & Driver YouTube video (which everyone's probably seen):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S5D6wA6ZJw

1. Left foot on the brake
2. Put the gearbox in 'Drive'
3. Toggle SST to 'S-Sport' (supersport)
4. Turn ASC OFF *
5. Right foot throttle (left foot still holding brake)
6. Let RPMs rev to about 5,000
7. Release the brake

A bunch of people have left comments on the video pointing out that "he didn't turn the stability control OFF completely" - which, from what I can see is accurate. He appears to just hit the "ASC" button and they show the yellow "ASC OFF" indicator on the dash.

So, the first time I attempted to use the procedure, I did turn the ASC completely OFF when I came to that step. In case you're not familiar (I wasn't - I had to check the owner's manual), to turn ASC completely off, you need to hold down the "ASC" button for 2-3 seconds. When you do this, the multi-function display changes from the default red to more of a yellow display and shows a little icon of a car with swervy lines behind the tires and a big exlamation mark next to it. A couple seconds later, it goes back to the normal/red display, but you'll see a small triangle with an exclamation point to the right of where it AYC setting (TARMAC/GRAVEL/SNOW).

So now, I figured, I should be all set. Let's see how quickly this baby'll launch!!

...not so fast (no pun intended).

The problem happened when I tried to rev the engine up to 5k RPMs while holding the brake with the car in "Drive". It barely made it past 2k RPMs when it started to bog down.

I thought that maybe I needed to punch the throttle quicker, so I let off, waited a couple seconds, then stomped the pedal to the floor. This time, the engine bogged around 2k again, but I kept the throttle to the floor for a bit longer, hoping that maybe the computer just didn't understand what I was trying to do. About a 1/2 second later, the SST went into it's "emergency shutdown" mode, disengaging the clutch completely as if I'd shifted it into neutral. And the multi-function display showed an icon that looks like a gear with a great big "SLOW DOWN!" warning under it (the SST's "overheating" warning, according to the manual - which I had read previously so I knew what it meant ). Okay, so this obviously wasn't working.

Sooo... just in case this elusive "launch control" the MR's supposedly equipped with actually won't work with ASC turned completely off, I decided to try one more time, but this time, I turned ASC back ON, then just hit the button again to turn it OFF (or "mostly OFF"?), exactly as the dude from the C&D video did. I'll make this long story short - The results were exactly the same. Engine bogged at around 2k RPMs, half a second later the SST triggered its "WTF ARE YOU TRYING TO DO DO ME?!?" mode, disengaging the clutch and allowing the engine to scream as if I'd dumped it into neutral.

I didn't do any other "experimentation" after that - I figured I'd abused my clutch enough for one night and just went out driving around some back roads (enjoying my newly-activated "S-Sport" mode to celebrate the end of my break-in period )

Suffice it to say, I don't yet have an answer for "what's the best way to lauch the X MR/SST". Based on my experience, though, I can say that the "launch control" as described in the Car & Driver video on YouTube does not work (for me, at least ) I'm very interested to hear about other MR/SST owners' experiences.

doclin? Anyone? Bueller?

[doclin]

I had the same scary/failure experience with ASC setting at "totally off".

please only push the ASC button once. and be sure to hold the brake hard...NO Creep at all... the result...No error message, just a smooth launch.

Just remenber S. A .D

S-sport
ASC off once
Drive

[triso]

Can you launch the car in manual mode or does it have to be in "D"?

[Slov]

I guess the case is how hard you press the brake pedal. I heard already that SST will desingage clutch if you press brake hard enough even when driving to protect itself. Seems like this protection system is used as a backdoor for launching SST vehicle. So all other steps are not generally required during every day driving. You only need to pres brake hard enough to trigger protection mode and then release it swiftly to launch.
Will check it out within few days.

[Slov]

OK, just tried it in several modes and no, it is not only about brakes. In normal and sport mode it will not let you to rev engine. In S-Sport mode both ASC OFF and Full ASC Off will do it's job. So the algorythm is follows:

- drive;
- S-Sport mode
- ASC Off (or full off, no difference)
- push brake hard
- rev engine by pressing acc firmly
- release brake swiftly to launch

I can feel quite noticeably how clutch goes into tention at about 2000rpm, but within 0.5 second it is released again and engine revs further.

[Jeremycafe]

nt