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[JCampea]

Put my snows on (all 4, brand new, no name China Sailum 225-40-18's) on stock rims with sensors et all.

Whenever I breath on the throttle the traction control light comes on...nail the gas and the car goes slower as the traction control retards the fun.

Sounds like the car is breaking loose right?

I shut the traction control off, and no problems accelerating. Yes if I mat it the tires will spin, but no where as easily as the TC makes it seem.

WTF? Once it actually snows I think I'll have to drive with the TC off to get anywhere.

Anyone have a similar problem? I have to drive like a granny 100% of the time...sport mode or paddleshift is now totally out of the question...

2009 135i Cab + BMW flash

[doublevanosrc]

Originally Posted by JCampea

no name China Sailum 225-40-18's

Chinese tires, really?? That might be your problem right there.

[cvandenhaute]

Originally Posted by doublevanosrc

Chinese tires, really?? That might be your problem right there.

+1 get rid of them quickly and buy yourself a decent set of Blizzaks or Dunlop SP 3D, your car (and maybe your life) will thank you

[KingOfJericho]

It's the only part of the car that touches the road... why go cheap?

[JCampea]

LOL...the tires are brand new...I know others that run them on lesser cars with no probs...with the traction control off they are fine...but somehow they have made the TC hyper sensitive...does anyone with snow tires and experience have a similar issue, or no issue? I've always had snows on my cars...but this is my first automatic and snows

I can't explain this well enough...lets say I'm driving at 60 kph (I'm in Canada)...and I press the gas 40-50% the TC comes on...if I put it in sport mode and downshift, the TC comes on...any aggressiveness at all and the TC comes on....if I shut the TC off, the and give it 40-50% throttle I have zero issue...with the TC off it seems fine. The TC makes it seem like the tires are covered in oil (they grip fine with the TC off) or the TC makes it seem like I have 800hp...lol on that one...

The best way to explain it is that the snow tires have made my traction control hyper sensitive... oh well at least my fuel economy has improved now as I can't use more than 20% throttle now...

[VMRWheels]

While those tires may get you around town, I'd definitely invest in a higher quality tire. I'm thinking that your traction control came on for a reason haha.

[vanbmw]

I run a set of Blizzaks and have no problems with my traction control. Very little electric interference and when it does intervene it does a good job. I can do a full throttle start with little drama. The traction control light comes on showing it is doing something but you can barely feel it in the seat of your pants. In second gear I have 100% grip and no wheelspin issues ever...traction control on or not.
In the snow I usually run with my traction control on and it does a good job. You feel it doing it job but it works well. Hit the DTC button once and it works better...allows more wheelspin but not too much. Turn it off and you can have some fun. With it off you can easily (and quickly) get yourself into some trouble!

[KingOfJericho]

The tires are probably so soft that the computer thinks you're slipping...

[chowbox]

From the sound of it those tires are hard. hard rubber & cold weather don't mix. the tires may have a decent tread pattern for snow but are made with crap rubber that is not good in the cold weather. inferior production material is common with Chinese knock offs. You need to get some normal winter tires that will actually not get hard with cold weather.

[doublevanosrc]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

It's the only part of the car that touches the road... why go cheap?

+1

[BimmerEnthusiast99]

Originally Posted by JCampea

all 4, brand new, no name China Sailum 225-40-18's

[Guildenstern]

Originally Posted by JCampea

...I know others that run them on lesser cars with no probs...

This.

You own a 300HP, 300F/LB@2000RPM, 3,700 pound Rear wheel drive car.

You put cheap hard commie tires on it. They already slip when it isn't snowing out.

I predict next winter you will be shopping for some real snow tires. Or still paying off the body shop.

[doublevanosrc]

Originally Posted by Guildenstern

Or still paying off the body shop.

[Xios135]

Originally Posted by KingOfJericho

The tires are probably so soft that the computer thinks you're slipping...

You are correct sir. My Continental WinterExtremes do the same thing. Hit the DSC button once and you're good to go. Confirmed this with Gill (TireRack). It's because the tires are soft and tread blocks are tall.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by xiosmx5

You are correct sir. My Continental WinterExtremes do the same thing. Hit the DSC button once and you're good to go. Confirmed this with Gill (TireRack). It's because the tires are soft and tread blocks are tall.

Good to know! I've got the same Contis on 17s and the traction light comes on whenever I tap the gas.

[cvandenhaute]

There are HUGE differences from one good winter tire to another, even withing the top brands. I would definitely NOT try my luck with Chinese tires (heck I don't even want to try Korean tires even if Kumho made progress over the last few years). What is critical for a summer or all season tire becomes even more critical with a winter tire that is supposed to be able to get you out of trouble in critical conditions.
I paid less than $160 per tire at the tirerack for my Dunlop SP 3D!!!!!

[JCampea]

Hmm...went out and checked...tires are very soft (and its near 0 out now), and the tread blocks are tall...I think some of you guys (KingOfJericho) are on the money...

Soft rubber, tall squirmy treadblocks and traction control is fooled...I hit DTC once and its perfect.

BTW pushing DTC once is just traction control, and holding it down shuts off stability too correct? On my previous Benz I couldn't shut stability off at all (just make it a little more lax).

Thanks for all the responses...

[Adam135i]

I put winters on for the first time. Gisleved Nord Frost 5's which are excellent snows. Sometimes under hard acceleration the traction control light will come on. Just depends on the tire.

[tzsgti]

i just put on Blizzaks LM60s and had the same problem. I called tire rack and they said first of all it is a little to warm to run snow tires at this time of the year. The last week or so we had temps pretty much stayed above freezing. Second thing they told me was that you have to give the car a few hundred miles to break in. In the begging they are very slippery.

I hope it goes away when it gets cold

Stability control now comes on at highway speeds and no matter what gear i am in. I can hit in 7th gear and the light will come on.

[AntonV]

One word. Blizzak

[ronster]

u need to drive a few hundred km/mi to break them in... it happened to my gislaved when they were brand new.. they were ok after the break in period

[JimD]

One tap of the DTC allows more wheel slip before the computer intervenes and starts applying brakes and limiting the gas. Roughly equivalent to putting a M car into M mode without the more sensitive throttle. Traction control versus stability control is just logic in the computer. Stability adds a yaw sensor looking at whether you are going sideways and then applies brakes to stop it. Traction control just looks for wheels that are spinning faster than the others. Neither electronic nanny will intervene as quickly if you tap the DTC. If you hold the DTC down for several seconds you can turn them off. But most of us shouldn't do that unless it's for donuts in the parking lot or something similar.

The reason your traction control is kicking in might be the softness of the tires but I suspect it is because they are slipping a little. Snow tires do not mean you have anything like the traction you normally have on dry pavement. It should be a reminder not to count on cornering fast or stopping quickly either. Snow is slippery and you have to back off. Those who think their tires are better still need to slow down on snow. 300 ft lbs near idle available means you are going to be able to spin your tires on snow whenever you want regardless of your tire. If you don't want to spin your tires, you need to drive "like a granny". No tire can give you traction to drive like you are on dry pavement.

I got a M3 (or maybe a M6) sideways on the PC track in M mode. I didn't spin because it helped me. If you switch the DTC to the middle mode, you still need to be careful or you may end up sideways too.

Jim