Question about PSM

On Saturday, on a absolutely clear and wide intersection, I took a turn very hard to see what PSM would do. To my surprise, the car just went into an all wheel slide, recovered and that was it. I didn't see the PSM light flicker, nor did I feel any interupption on the power delivery. Shouldn't PSM have prevented a slide like that? I come from BMW land where the DSC would have cut in immediately as soon as a slide was imminent. What gives?

Hi Chicago996, Porsche is a sport car not a usual street car. PSM allows more degree of slide than any other traction control system. However, I do not konw how bad you slide. I probability should not common on that. Remember I was in Porsche Driving Experimence (PDE) in Sebring. PSM did work very very well on skidpad. We had PSM on all the time when we were tracking on the track. Two of the participents of our PDE are from Porsche. They do the training for new hires, sales people, dealerships, and so on. BTW, we try to get some info about Cayenne from them, but no luck. They told us a lot more about the PSM which your sales do not know, and your manual does not mention. Following are what I have learned. Let me know if I am wrong. 1) If you turn off PSM, the data of your driving and your car are still sent to the computer. PSM just does not respone. 2) If you lose control of your car with PSM off and step on break. PSM will come up itself. 3) If the DSC on you BMW allows 1 degree of slide, the PSM of your Porsche allows 7 degree of slide. 4) If you drive in very high speed on a bumby road (for example Sebring) with PSM on, PSM might be activated by itself. For example, you are on the track about 80mph and one of your wheel just off air for very short period of time. PSM may think you lost control of a wheel then the car. 5) All the participents of our PDE agreed PSM is the must have option. Some of them even decided to sell their non-PSM 996 and get new 996 with PSM. 6) I was in the fasest group, I did not have my PSM activated. When I was riding with instructor in the hot lap seciton, he had PSM on and still very fast to me. The instructor told me that He was driving on the limit of PSM being activated. 7) I am happy that I have PSM on my C4S and I will leave it on all the time even on track. Until I am profectional racing car driver! Maybe not! F-1 cars also have traction control!! Maybe just put a PSM on-off switch on steering wheel

I know the feeling. I've done a few all-wheel slides, too...kind of a "drifing feeling" with no PSM help. I guess the computer gives us just the right amount of "fun factor" still

Agree with all above. PSM is definitely NOT intrusive. If you seem to know what you are doing, such as a controlled power slide, it will not intervene. Funny thing is, it seems to know exactly what it is you are purposely trying to do. It might seem stupid to you, but if you are purposely doing it, it will let you. Weird, huh? On the track, I've done all sorts of manuevers expecting PSM to kick in, but nada. OTOH, when I do something really stupid and the "OH,S##T!!" limit is reached, and the pucker factor threatens to become a let loose factor, it saves my butt.

[No author-written text remains after quoted material was removed.]

[quote]when I do something really stupid and the "OH,S##T!!" limit is reached, <hr></blockquote> <img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" /> I hear you man and am amazed that the car can figure this out