Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
General Information: Notes
When driven vigorously or on an uneven road surface, a vehicle tends to respond with undesirable body movements. BMW first developed Vertical Dynamics Control for the E70 and was able to effectively reduce such body motion as a result.
VDC improves the following driver-perception related vehicle characteristics according to road surface conditions:
- Body-related ride comfort (primary ride comfort)
- Roadwheel-related ride comfort (secondary ride comfort)
- Dynamic handling (transitional response, agility) even with more comfortable suspension setting.
BMW is the first manufacturer to offer a damper adjustment system that is continuously controllable independently of damper compression/extension as is the case with the VDC (2) on the F01/F02.
The essential improvements compared with VDC (1) are:
- 1 EDC control valve for damper extension control
- 1 EDC control valve for damper compression control
- "Pre-opening adjustment" for improved body stabilization (has adjustment effect even at low damper rates)
- Driver-perceptible broad spread in conjunction with the handling setting switch (difference between soft and hard characteristics)
- Separately adjustable characteristic for roadwheel-related ride comfort (extension characteristic independent of compression characteristic)
| Index | Explanation |
|---|---|
| 1 | Front damper, VDC 2 |
| 2 | Front damper, VDC 1 |
| VDC 1 | VDC 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | On E70/E71 included in Adaptive Drive Equipment package | Standard equipment in F01/F02 |
| Program selection | Sport button next to gear selector | Handling setting switch next to gear selector |
| Program type | Sport/Comfort | Coordinated integration in all dynamic handling control functions |
| Control unit | VDM control module, right rear of luggage compartment 4 EDC satellite control modules directly on damper units |
VDM control module, front right A-pillar 4 EDC satellite control modules directly on damper units |
| Damper | Twin tube, gas filled shock absorbers | Twin tube, gas filled shock absorbers |
| Fault diagnosis | VDM and EDC satellite control modules fully diagnosable | VDM and EDC satellite control modules fully diagnosable |
| Programming | VDM and EDC satellite control modules flash-programmable | VDM and EDC satellite control modules flash-programmable |
| Coding | VDM and EDC satellite control modules codable | VDM and EDC satellite control modules codable |
| Malfunction display | Messages in the Control Display or instrument cluster | Messages in the Control Display or instrument cluster |
| Testing | BMW diagnostic systems | BMW diagnostic systems |
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.
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