# e90 question - Brake Standby?



## MicahO (Apr 19, 2004)

Just reading about the e90 - they talk about improvements in the DSC, including "Brake Standby." The descriptions I can find on the web include "readying the brakes for application," "pre-aligning the brake linings," and "pre-tensions the brakes."

So what's at play here - an increase in system pressure to take any slack out before you hit the pedal? But little enough that you don't really start to decelerate?

And if your brakes are in good shape, shouldn't that 'foreplay' in the pedal be minimal to begin with? What's this really meant to address - poor maintenance?

I get the whole Brake Drying thing - makes sense. As does the Starting Assistant - though I've always loved those movies of people trying to parallel park in SF. I guess those days of watching clueless-clutchers are numbered.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

MicahO said:


> Just reading about the e90 - they talk about improvements in the DSC, including "Brake Standby." The descriptions I can find on the web include "readying the brakes for application," "pre-aligning the brake linings," and "pre-tensions the brakes."
> 
> So what's at play here - an increase in system pressure to take any slack out before you hit the pedal? But little enough that you don't really start to decelerate?
> 
> ...


I hate it when BMW designers impose on me something I don't want or find necessary.
1. In the wet, the pads are slightly on the rotors to remove standing water.
2. Pending an emergency, when you release the accelerator, the pads are on the rotor before you brake.
3. Upon a hill, brakes are automatically applied to prevent roll back. (I like the ability to roll back a bit in the manual shift car. Apparently, you cannot do that now. Driving in SF seven hills would be easy for less experienced manual drivers).


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## MysticBlue (Jun 20, 2003)

Dave 330i said:


> I hate it when BMW designers impose on me something I don't want or find necessary.
> 1. In the wet, the pads are slightly on the rotors to remove standing water.
> 2. Pending an emergency, when you release the accelerator, the pads are on the pad before you brake.
> 3. Upon a hill, brakes are alutomatically applied to prevent roll back. (I like the ability to roll back a bit in the manual shift car. Apparently, you cannot do that now. Driving in SF seven hills would be easy for less experienced manual drivers).


You get used to start assist pretty quick. It releases the brake as soon as you begin to engage the clutch, so if you don't like it or want to roll back, just let the clutch out momentarily just to the beginning of the engagement point and it's out of the picture.
As far as the other two, assuming BMW applies the technology properly, I'm sure it would be totally transparent...you should never know or feel the difference. And it may seem like a small thing...taking the slack out of the system...like it may only save a few hundredths of a second, but at highway speed, that may equate to a stopping distance of several feet less. Small improvement, but there is not room left for much improvement.
My only concern would be increased wear.


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