I have had it go off 3 times since I got the car. All 3 times I didn’t feel like the car was anywhere near the edge of its performance or mine. It happen the 2nd weekend I had the car and actually scared me more then the corner did. Then this weekend I got to do a little fun run and was behind a F430 Spider. I was doing pretty good considering I’ve only had it since ROctober and I’m still learning to drive such a sophisticated car.
I kept up w/ him till it went off and that made me very nervous. It went off 2 Xs total and by the 2nd time the F430 had lost me. When we parked he was asking me about my car and how much experience I had w/ it. I told him and then mentioned the PSM ( Please Save Me as he called it ) and he was really surprised to hear that. He said he didn't understand it and thought the car should have handled the drive w/ out the help of PSM.
I was surprised to hear he expected my car to beat him. He has a RUF 911 and has had a few other 911s and says the drive we just did the Porsche is a better car.

So w/ the background and some useless info added for spice, how sensitive is the PSM? Will a worn suspension or older tires set it off? My car has over 71,000 miles on the original suspension and the front tires have just below 50% of tread left. Could it be me touching the brake or accelerator ( unconsciously ) at the wrong time and the car thinking I am about to do something it doesn't want to do?

How much would any of this play into the PSM going off if any? I am not a pro driver, as in a race car driver but I have been a professional driver w/ a CDL and have logged well into the 100’s of 1,000s of miles in all kinds of conditions. As I said, I didn’t feel in any way the car was near its limits when the PSM went off. I am now wondering what you all have to say.

 

From your profile pictures it looks like you've changed to 19" rims. Find a website where you can check the rolling diameter of the tyres fitted to your car and make sure the fronts and the rears are pretty close (compare against the standard tyre size difference front to back). If there is a larger difference then the PSM will incorrectly think that wheels spin is occurring and cut the power.

 

I have read this same thing from other guys but can't say I have experienced it except at the track and that was when pushing it. Only thing I feel is the partial engine power cut when coming out of some corners at high speed. You can always turn it off.

 

I never had it kick in...even when taking a corner preparing to boost hard

 

Thanks, it is actually worse then you think. The car came w/ 20” wheels on it. I like the look but would prefer 18”s. I will look into that for sure. It was a brake to at lease 1 wheel in the front for just a second. It was the same in all 3 instances. I honestly felt that it was something the car was misreading more then my driving. But I do not want to find my driving limits in the ditch.

As for turning it off, see the last part of the post above or as Dirty Harry says, “ A man’s got to know his limitations. “ Magnum Force 1973

 

Now that you mention it I have felt the brake pedal resistance while cornering on occasion, but that was at the track too. That was a bit unsettling until I realized what it was and that it was helping me avoid a possible bad outcome.

 

I manage to engage PSM almost every day...You have to drive to Greek streets...

 

I don't recall a time when I've driven my car and it HASN'T come on? I turn it off for any performance type driving (dragstrip, 60-130's, etc...). It stays on all other times until it pisses me off...

 

Everybody drives differently......but my experience has been that the car has to be out of sorts or loosing disproportunate traction on one of the patches....for PSM to engage...but no doubt it will.
PMS of course uses ABS wheel spin info along with other inputs so your 20s can be a factor.
The 'other inputs' are RPMs, e-gas throttle position, gear selection, lateral acceleration, yaw, and steering wheel position. The net of this is PSM is trying to detect oversteer & understeer......it's figuring the slip angle of the front/rear tires (over 7%)....i.e. when the car is (significantly) not going where it is pointed.....computing the severity based on the other info.
PMS off and the car will continue to slide......but if you touch the brakes (while the car is out of sorts) PSM will engage.

 

So, I need a big, flat, paved area to get out on and slide around to see just where the car loses traction and what that feels like. Both w/ PSM on and off to really understand the dynamics of the system.
I like straight line acceleration but hanging corners is the thrill to me.

 

Yup. and being AWD will make it less dramatic. Then, once you figure out how to drive it, make it RWD and start over!

 

Not too sensitive I've found, I had it come on once at the track (first time out at a PCar day) when I was a bit deep into a downhill tight turn.

Never came on once here at Bathurst, I run stock hollow spokes with R888s

(Note, not me!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fpMgM6Ag8w

 

Other then paying for gas & tires it sounds like fun!

 

Great video man.

 

Mine has activated a few times in the local twisties as the roads aren't the best. I've had it activate going over the center line bumps as well. (stock 18s with new tires)- Go figure.