ASC/Traction Control Issue

[97_ti]

I just recently bought a '97 ti with manual trans.

The last few times out, the dash light indicating that ASC is off will come on at some point 5 or 10 minutes into my drive. Pressing the button does not reactivate ASC and the light stays on until I kill the engine. On restart, the light will be off again, but after another 5 or 10 minutes of driving it will come back on.

I don't know if this is a faulty/dirty sensor or what, but it's an annoying issue. I don't even know where the sensor(s) are for this. Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

[cooljess76]

Hey Dave, the ASC valve is just downsteam of the MAF, plumbed into the air intake system. It kinda looks like a throttle body, but it's not. Anyway, check to see that the cable is sitting in it's guide. Sometimes people play with this thing as if trying to rev the engine from under the hood (which doesn't work anyway) and the cable slips out of it's guide. If you follow that cable, it goes back to a solenoid mounted on the strut tower. That solenoid controls the ASC valve. Check the wires going to that as well. Good Luck, Let us know what you find.

Jess

[97_ti]

Thanks, Jess.

Question though...if that cable were out of its' guide, wouldn't the light be on constantly as opposed to coming on after a short period of driving?

Anyway, thanks for the tip. I'll check that cable out tonight and see if everything is seated properly.

[bullmand]

It could also be the ABS sensors in the rear wheels. Those are what tell the ASC system if the wheels are slipping.

[97_ti]

Unfortunately, that's not it, Jess. The cable is securely in the guide and the electrical connection to the solenoid is intact.

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

Hey Dave, the ASC valve is just downsteam of the MAF, plumbed into the air intake system. It kinda looks like a throttle body, but it's not. Anyway, check to see that the cable is sitting in it's guide. Sometimes people play with this thing as if trying to rev the engine from under the hood (which doesn't work anyway) and the cable slips out of it's guide. If you follow that cable, it goes back to a solenoid mounted on the strut tower. That solenoid controls the ASC valve. Check the wires going to that as well. Good Luck, Let us know what you find.

Jess

[97_ti]

If these sensors are the cause, wouldn't it also trigger the ABS light?

More importantly, why does the car not light up the ASC until a few minutes into my drive? I would think that any of these problems would cause the light to be lit all the time. Very strange.

I guess I'll pull the rear wheels this weekend and blow out the sensors and see if that clears it up. Any additional suggestions are welcome.

It could also be the ABS sensors in the rear wheels. Those are what tell the ASC system if the wheels are slipping.

[bullmand]

That's a good point about the ABS light. That was just off the top of my head. Do you have any way to check for codes? That might help guide you in the right direction.

[marko]

HELP fellow ti owners! Driving around today I noticed the same thing. ASC light came on and stayed so until I shut the car off. When I started it back up, drove Ok for like 5-10 min, then BUM, it came back on!

I tried looking for the ASC valve (or anything else that may seem disconected, but no dice - as it all seems tight).. Further, I'm not really even sure that I know exactly which one is the ASC valve, so I took a few photos.. Can someone tell me which one is the valve & cable I should be checking??

Ps- the car is blown, so some of the stuff has been relocated in the engine bay..

THANKS!



I just recently bought a '97 ti with manual trans.

The last few times out, the dash light indicating that ASC is off will come on at some point 5 or 10 minutes into my drive. Pressing the button does not reactivate ASC and the light stays on until I kill the engine. On restart, the light will be off again, but after another 5 or 10 minutes of driving it will come back on.

I don't know if this is a faulty/dirty sensor or what, but it's an annoying issue. I don't even know where the sensor(s) are for this. Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

[PilotTi]

My '97 ti also had this problem when my mom used to drive it a lot. Never happened after me or my dad had been driving it for a while. Since I've had it at college it's just completely stopped happening! It was the exact same thing you guys described too. Can't really wrap my head around it..

[marko]

yeah, its weird.. at first, it would only happen when cold - but after it warmed up & I'd restart it - it would go away. Now, though, it is on all the time... sucks!
I yet have to really sit down with the bentley manual and try to figure it out.

My '97 ti also had this problem when my mom used to drive it a lot. Never happened after me or my dad had been driving it for a while. Since I've had it at college it's just completely stopped happening! It was the exact same thing you guys described too. Can't really wrap my head around it..

[Jean H.318TI]

i have the same problem but both lights keep on all the time plus the check engine light is on too, first the code was the speed sensor y get a new one but the problem still there, and now say that is the O2 sensor #1 plus the car only rev to 5500rpm thats sucks, and i dont have abs and traction control hate that car.

[elchicano]

I think i had the same problem but my ABS lite was on to but lik wat u guys said mine just came on and then went off i took a pic check it out.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb309/elchicano411/bmw3.jpg
My bad for it being all blurry but i took it with the camera on my phone.:biggrin:

[PilotTi]

Yeah I've never seen my abs light on, just the traction control light. Hasn't come on in some time though (except when the system is active, like in the rain, and then it just flashes).

[2ndBimmer]

Im having the same issue.

When it happened before, I believe, it was an issue of the throttle cables being improperly tightened thus when ASC is cycling thru a system check and cant properly throttle back the engine to reduce power the light comes on.

Tightening the cables helped last time. This time it doesnt matter how tight or lose they are... :frown:

[PilotTi]

Yeah mine just stopped one day. Hasn't come on unless the asc is actually active since then. I did have a situation where the abs light came on after getting a smog check but that resolved itself after driving for a few miles.

[marko]

I got the sam prob... finally a mechanic figured it out for me. It is not the cables, but the 'throttle actuator' (the piece from which the cable goes out, & into the throttle body). replace that (try getting a used one) and you should be fine.
I just got one from this site & will replace it as it arrives...

[adrnln]

it could also be the secondary throttle position sensor (happened to me), opposite of the actuator.

S

[2cam16]

Hey Dave, the ASC valve is just downsteam of the MAF, plumbed into the air intake system. It kinda looks like a throttle body, but it's not. Anyway, check to see that the cable is sitting in it's guide. Sometimes people play with this thing as if trying to rev the engine from under the hood (which doesn't work anyway) and the cable slips out of it's guide. If you follow that cable, it goes back to a solenoid mounted on the strut tower. That solenoid controls the ASC valve. Check the wires going to that as well. Good Luck, Let us know what you find.

Jess
Reviving from the dead.
This is exactly what I touched the other day and I was wondering why it didn't rev !
Then my ASC light started coming on ( not that I really like ASC.). I'll check this tomorrow.

[bobbob1015]

if its on all the time no matter what is that just a sensor?

[classicronnie]

I have this same ish goin on wtf?

[elchicano]

Hey guys i just noticed today that my ASC-Traction light doesn't come on anymore. What could be wrong?

[Jean H.318TI]

maybe the bulb

[elchicano]

I was trying to turn it off to see how it would feel like in the snow. But the little green light didnt light up and the light on the cluster didn't come on either? I don't think both of them would burn out at the same time.

[elchicano]

So i checked the bulb it isn't burned out. Is there another thing that would cause my ASC+T light not to turn on? Could it be a fuse or something? It just keeps bugging me whenever i drive. Is it save to drive without the ASC+T working?

[Jean H.318TI]

well i dont know but i drive all the time w/o the asc+t is more funnnn, and if the light is not on that mean the asc+t is working so u dont have to worry

[elchicano]

yea i know that its on when the light isn't on, its just one of those things that sticks in the back of my head. I wanna know whats wrong and how i could fix it. I'm not losing sleep over it, it just sometimes i do think about it:rolleyes: But yea if anyone has any ideas let me know, it aint nothing serious but i would wanna fix it.

[Jean H.318TI]

check everything in the back of the car, speed sensor and the abs sensors

[elchicano]

Yea i'll check that out, i don't think its my ABS sensor had it checked out not to long ago, it was good. I'll check the speed sensor.

[Jean H.318TI]

yeah try that the 3 sensors work together and check the wires and everything.

[yeehawbob]

Can anyone post pic's please??

My Speed sensor light came on and it goes off when i hit the brakes.:confused:

Cheers!!
Bob