# The MY17 ASE thread... (Active Sound Enhancement)



## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

Morning all,

I spent yesterday with a MY17, handling, steering, suspension, performance all seemed pretty much the same as the MY16. The new interior is very nice to live with, but not so much the flappy paddles, I went for the downshift paddle a few times and it wasn't there, I just swiped air haha, mainly at slow speed mini-roundabouts on nearly half lock. Not a fan of fixed paddles.

The exhaust tone is slightly more throaty than the MY16. With the valve closed the left tail pipes are restricted and most of the flow is through the right pipes. With the valve open it's equal. Will probably sound nice with a Y pipe.

But the most surprising thing was something that I haven't even heard anyone mention - ASE or Active Sound Enhancement.

If you are not a fan of engine sounds being played through the speakers, the MY17 may not be for you. I'm guessing the sounds are pre recorded and triggered with throttle position, rpm, load etc, does anyone know?

The ASE is triggered as soon as one of the 3 switches is put into R mode. It doesn't cancel when put back into N, the only way to cancel it is to switch off the engine and re-start.

The cabin sound is quite good to be fair, similar to a titanium after market system, but the fact that it's all coming from the speakers does make it feel fake in some way. 

I took a friend out, and we noticed that if you sit in the back of the car it actually sounds fantasic, like a jet taking off, but sitting in the front it's not so good as you can't hear the nosie coming from the back over the volume of the front speakers. All you hear is like a trumpet noise which brought to mind a raging elephant. 

There's a great difference in noise between ASE on or off, and unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any way to adjust it to your own needs, or even a switch to turn it on or off, if you engage R mode it will be on until you switch the car off (although apparently there may be a way to access the computer to switch it off, will check this out tomorrow).

So I'm very curious, what do the MY17 owners here think about it?


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

Thanks for this.

I hadn't been informed on the test drive and didn't put it in R at all.

Are you saying the sound is pumped out of the rear speakers only? If so, can it be controlled using the fader?

Surely careful study of the infotainment system will result in a way of altering it? 

Maybe it's in the hidden menu. Wonder if anyone knows how to access that yet.


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## Trev (Nov 1, 2003)

Ghey!!!

Does it have one of these too? :chuckle:


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## jimbo095 (Jul 29, 2011)

It appears a similar system to the M5/M6 and my current golf R. Personally I am not a fan but it wasn't too difficult to alter. It was a case of accessing the relevant menu (courtesy of VW forum) via VCDS and the sound enhancement can be altered to anywhere between 0-100% effect. Default was high, I put it down to 20 or so, job done. I sincerely hope this will be the case with the MY17 too. I have every faith that by the time mine arrives in Jan someone clever so and so will have come good!


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## Trev (Nov 1, 2003)

jimbo095 said:


> It appears a similar system to the M5/M6 and my current golf R. Personally I am not a fan but it wasn't too difficult to alter. It was a case of accessing the relevant menu (courtesy of VW forum) via VCDS and the sound enhancement can be altered to anywhere between 0-100% effect. Default was high, I put it down to 20 or so, job done. I sincerely hope this will be the case with the MY17 too. I have every faith that by the time mine arrives in Jan someone clever so and so will have come good!


Maybe Litchfield can map it out?


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## Stealth69 (Jan 6, 2005)

Don't get it, they've gone through all the agro of plushing it up to be some like Nazi tank VAG group shitter with all the niceties, comfort and refinement, sound proof the car (by comparison of the older cars) and then plumb sound In to the cabin........ Seems logical


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## charles charlie (May 3, 2008)

My missus's M4 which will be here in a few weeks has the same. Fortunately you can unplug the module in the boot to get rid of it.

There'll be a way on the MY17 to remove it. If I was looking to do it myself I'd start by interfering with the RPM input to the infotainment system.


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## jimbo095 (Jul 29, 2011)

Trev said:


> Maybe Litchfield can map it out?


Good thinking, hopefully Nissan may have been sensible and made it adjustable without going through all the nonsense, like the aforementioned hidden menu? Dream on I hear you say!


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

Maybe it can be programmed to sound like a V8?

It might be fake but the stock noise is souless.


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## WSM (Oct 17, 2016)

My M4 had this and honestly you don't really notice it much. I had a full Akra Evo and DPs though so that's maybe why.....

I don't believe they were pre-recorded sounds in the M4 so I hope they're not in the GTR!


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## Stealth69 (Jan 6, 2005)

Adamantium said:


> Maybe it can be programmed to sound like a V8?
> 
> It might be fake but the stock noise is souless.


Like the latest iteration of the clio sport LOL


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## rs300dave (Mar 1, 2014)

Its a horrible noise I would rather hear nothing than listen to that droning racket. Only thing good about it was we found a way of shutting it up.


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## Will64 (Jan 30, 2012)

Trevgtr said:


> Morning all,
> 
> I spent yesterday with a MY17, handling, steering, suspension, performance all seemed pretty much the same as the MY16. The new interior is very nice to live with, but not so much the flappy paddles, I went for the downshift paddle a few times and it wasn't there, I just swiped air haha, mainly at slow speed mini-roundabouts on nearly half lock. Not a fan of fixed paddles.
> 
> ...



So Trev, you say the suspension is much the same as your current car. Reports have been saying it's softer and more comfortable, more Gt than Gtr, which is not necessarily a good thing for the Gtr in my opinion. Is it really that similar?


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## DocT (Dec 17, 2014)

I generally thought the sound through speakers was annoying and really fake. It would probably please passengers but within 15 minutes I noticed how fake it was with varying engine loads in different gears. The anticipated sound was far different from the actual (fake) sound.

The moving paddles really is the biggest issue for me though, I found giving it a bit of throttle coming out of junctions and waiting for the steering to straighten before changing gears very frustrating a huge step back for a road car.

Why did they think this is a good idea? Imagine any other control that moves with the steering wheel? Indicators, lights, wipers etc? I don't know if I'm doing something wrong but I don't keep my hands in a fixed position (9 and 3 position as per shift paddles) on the wheel all the time so if I moved my hands and applied half a turn or 1 1/2 turn lock on the steering then what was the left downshift paddle is now on the other side and I need to look down to see which paddle is near which hand before changing gear!! In the dark I imagine it's a complete nightmare like my M3 used to be. 

Paddles attached to the steering wheels on race cars work because they have such limited turning circle i.e 1 1/4 turn lock to lock and you never do any full lock manoeuvres during it's intended use.


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## charles charlie (May 3, 2008)

Sorry folks but the name is wrong.

It's called Active Realism Sound Enhancement

*ARSE*


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## nick the tubman (Jun 28, 2006)

agree on the paddles 100%. I love the fixed ones in my GTR, but I absolutely HATE the ones on my BMW. 
so confusing and fiddly to use. its an utter shit design... Nissan just copied the germans - again ! should have left them bloody alone.
rant over.


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

I don't have a problem with the rotating paddles at all.


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## rs300dave (Mar 1, 2014)

nick the tubman said:


> its an utter shit design...


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## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

Adamantium said:


> Are you saying the sound is pumped out of the rear speakers only? If so, can it be controlled using the fader?


No I'm not saying that. When sat in the front seats all you can hear is the sound from the door speakers, a kind of elephant wail/trumpet noise, if you put your hand over the speaker you can feel it, and as a passenger lean your ear toward the speaker and get a better measure of the noise. The rear speakers play a different more jet like noise which can't be distinguished when sat in the front seats. The fader made no difference.



Adamantium said:


> Surely careful study of the infotainment system will result in a way of altering it?
> 
> Maybe it's in the hidden menu. Wonder if anyone knows how to access that yet.


There was no menu for it that we could find, but after searching I found some information that explained how to access the hidden menu to turn the ANC (active noise cancelling) on or off, and I suspect it will allow access to the ASE too. 

Basically you can apparently access the hidden menu by holding in the Menu button (top left) whilst continuously rotating the on/off knob (bottom left). Don't hold me to that, I forgot to try it before taking the car back.


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## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

Will64 said:


> So Trev, you say the suspension is much the same as your current car. Reports have been saying it's softer and more comfortable, more Gt than Gtr, which is not necessarily a good thing for the Gtr in my opinion. Is it really that similar?


Yep, felt the same to me, my current car is a MY16.

I also checked the boost gauge and as suspected it boosts exactly the same too at 14psi, more or less 1 bar.


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## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

rs300dave said:


> its an utter shit design...


Do you still want to buy my Royal Doulton David?


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## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

Adamantium said:


> I don't have a problem with the rotating paddles at all.


They're not practical for every day driving, I swiped the air several times expecting them to be there. I bet you will quickly grow to dislike them, not only in operation but in feel too, my fingers naturally slide between wheel/paddle a lot of the time, now that's not possible, you just stub your finger tips.


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## Trev (Nov 1, 2003)

Trevgtr said:


> Do you still want to buy my Royal Doulton David?


I've got some for sale if you're interested :nervous:


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

Trevgtr said:


> They're not practical for every day driving, I swiped the air several times expecting them to be there. I bet you will quickly grow to dislike them, not only in operation but in feel too, my fingers naturally slide between wheel/paddle a lot of the time, now that's not possible, you just stub your finger tips.


So basically, what you are saying is that you are used to driving a car with fixed paddles.

Get used to moving paddles and you'll be fine.

My Audi has moving so I'm not worried.

Nissan just bringing it in to line with Porsche Ferrari mclaren lamborghini Audi BMW etc.

I don't think it's a bad thing, it's just habit/muscle memory for you.


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## DocT (Dec 17, 2014)

Adamantium said:


> So basically, what you are saying is that you are used to driving a car with fixed paddles.
> 
> Get used to moving paddles and you'll be fine.
> 
> ...


This isn't true. Lamborghini, Ferrari and Mclaren have fixed paddles. This should say something. Manufactures that build bespoke super/sportcars prefer fixed paddles and those that make mainstream cars morphed into super cruisers build moving paddles (Porsche being the anomaly.)

It's definitely not a muscle memory issue either. When you're driving on some switchbacks in Wales or in Europe the ability to short shift or shift prior to shifting at anything over half a turn is hugely difficult with moving paddles. With the power of the GTR and it's rear bias I often find short shifting mid corner on the road. On flowing tracks like the Nurburgring the moving paddles can work as you can brake later and shift down later while keeping your hands fixed on the wheels but I have never found this an issue with fixed paddles. Ferrari have forever had fixed paddles, (we had a F355 F1 which I think was the first F1 gearbox in a Ferrari road car.)

On BMW's and Audi's I often find myself using the gear lever to upshift when steering lock is on (especially in the lower speed corners in the lower gears where rev limit approaches quickly) which completely negates having paddle shifters altogether as my one hand is now on the centre console.


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

Well I got that totally wrong.

So it is just the germans.


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## Stealth69 (Jan 6, 2005)

moving paddles are bent, end of!!! Nissan should have just made their STD paddles bigger...... I hated my old M3 and it's moving bloody paddles, stupidity at its finest.... 

muscle memory is pulling the left paddle to drop a gear but you have turned the steering wheels through 180 degrees and now you've shifted up by accident. shit shit shit!!


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## Trev (Nov 1, 2003)

Unless you have a race car steering rack of lock to lock with your hands still attached to the steering wheel, "fixed" to the wheel paddles are stupid for road driving conditions.


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## WSM (Oct 17, 2016)

Good to see we have a forum full of Nigel Mansells


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

Nigel who?


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## DocT (Dec 17, 2014)

WSM said:


> Good to see we have a forum full of Nigel Mansells


I doubt Nigel Mansell could get a gearshift right every time with a moving target and arms crossed up. Octopus or a Hindu god with multiple arms would easily show Nigel Mansell up in that particular situation. 

I was speaking about this issue with a friend who has just got a 488 GTB. He says he signals far less in his Ferrari than he would like as the indicator button are on the steering wheel hence he either can't reach with his thumbs while turning the wheel or when the wheel is upside down he gets the wrong signal anyway. He admits that if the gear paddles moved as well he might as well get a passenger to do the indicators while he attempts to change the gears. 

Must be one of the most ridiculous ideas that has come to fruition.


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## Trev (Nov 1, 2003)

WSM said:


> Good to see we have a forum full of Nigel Mansells


Not quite, Formula Renault and Formula 3 back in the day though.

Maybe if I'd made F1 I would've been more qualified to talk about a road car in your eyes then?

:nervous:


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

DocT said:


> This isn't true. Lamborghini, Ferrari and Mclaren have fixed paddles. This should say something. Manufactures that build bespoke super/sportcars prefer fixed paddles and those that make mainstream cars morphed into super cruisers build moving paddles (Porsche being the anomaly.)


Mclaren 650S belonging to my friend has moving paddles. Believe ferrari are fixed but are you sure about Lamborghini?


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## DocT (Dec 17, 2014)

Adamantium said:


> Mclaren 650S belonging to my friend has moving paddles. Believe ferrari are fixed but are you sure about Lamborghini?


Lamborghini are definitely fixed. I remember talking to Mclaren when the 12C was testing and they were considering offering the steering wheel mounted as an option. Didn't realise that was their default setup now.

I stand by what I said earlier, for a road car where you end up in situation where you're putting multiple turns on the steering wheel and shifting gear at all sorts of steering angles it doesn't make sense to put them on the steering wheel. Porsche, Audi and BMW get around this by allowing the centre console mounted shifter lever to be used to upshift and downshift. I can't recall if the MY17 GTR allows this? 

How would it be to drive on the road with traffic, inclement weather etc where you're not 100% sure where any of the other vital controls are? Lights, indicators, wipers etc?

For track driving where you have your hands on the 9 and 3 positions the majority of the time then it does makes sense to have them on the steering wheel.


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

If uncomfortable in inclement weather, I'd revert to auto.


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## Trev (Nov 1, 2003)

McLaren have ALWAYS had (F1 road car aside of course) paddles fixed to the steering wheel.


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## DocT (Dec 17, 2014)

Trev said:


> McLaren have ALWAYS had (F1 road car aside of course) paddles fixed to the steering wheel.


Unlike the new GTR, VW etc the paddles on the McLaren aren't fixed directly to the steering wheel. They're mounted to a rocker that sits on the steering column behind the steering wheel. 

I met a test mule 12C in West Wales and was chatting to the driver a few years ago. He said they had designed it with the ring system so drivers had the opportunity to have it either fixed or moving with the steering. Unsure why they dropped this design as it sounds perfect.


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## james_barker (Nov 17, 2016)

Had this in my new Golf R and although I turned it off I can see why some may see a need for it in a 2l 4pot. I can't see the need for it in a car like the GTR... 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk


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## Trev (Nov 1, 2003)

DocT said:


> Unlike the new GTR, VW etc the paddles on the McLaren aren't fixed directly to the steering wheel. They're mounted to a rocker that sits on the steering column behind the steering wheel.
> 
> I met a test mule 12C in West Wales and was chatting to the driver a few years ago. He said they had designed it with the ring system so drivers had the opportunity to have it either fixed or moving with the steering. Unsure why they dropped this design as it sounds perfect.


Er, think you're find they are mounted to the steering wheel.

Either that or I've been dreaming about holding a different steering wheel for the last 6+ years.....

Both paddles on each side can change up/down too btw.


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

Trev said:


> Er, think you're find they are mounted to the steering wheel.
> 
> Either that or I've been dreaming about holding a different steering wheel for the last 6+ years.....
> 
> Both paddles on each side can change up/down too btw.


Same as confirmed by my friend on his 650s.


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## DocT (Dec 17, 2014)

Trev said:


> Er, think you're find they are mounted to the steering wheel.
> 
> Either that or I've been dreaming about holding a different steering wheel for the last 6+ years.....
> 
> Both paddles on each side can change up/down too btw.












Above Mclaren steering wheel, as you can see the paddles are clearly a rocker on the back of the wheel i.e F1 steering wheel. The gear change switches aren't integrated inside the steering wheel like Porsche, BMW etc.










Above Ferrari use a similar system but have the rocker system mounted on the steering column. McLaren could have easily mounted the rocker on the column like Ferrari but for whatever reason decided not to.









Above a BMW M5 steering wheel. This is what I call the steering paddles mounted on the steering wheel. Designed from the outset to be integrated to the steering wheel, the switches and electronic are fully integrated inside the wheel.


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## TAZZMAXX (Mar 9, 2010)

Are people getting confused with paddles that move with the steering wheel and those that don't? It looks that way to me.


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

Why is DocT talking about a rocker?

We know that each paddle on the mclaren can be used for up and downshifting depending on which way it moves. This section of debate relates to paddles rotating with the steering wheel or not. The mclaren paddles do turn with the wheel rocker or not.


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## DocT (Dec 17, 2014)

I was mentioning it because from speaking to the McLaren test driver/engineer they had initially thought of a solution by being able to have it move with steering or stay fixed, a rocker setup would be the only possible one where they could have it fixed and moving. 

Would be interested to know why they chose to have it mobile and Ferrari have it fixed.


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

How is it fixed and moving?

It moves with the steering wheel, where does the fixed bit come in to it?


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## TAZZMAXX (Mar 9, 2010)

How did this thread end up going on about paddles when it's actually about synthesised engine sounds?

As I said earlier, seems to be a lot of confusion. Let's just go back to the original topic shall we?


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## DocT (Dec 17, 2014)

Adamantium said:


> How is it fixed and moving?
> 
> It moves with the steering wheel, where does the fixed bit come in to it?


If you refer to one my earlier posts I spoke with a McLaren engineer when I spotted a 12C test mule parked up in West Wales. Amongst other things I mentioned to him about how I disliked my M3 steering paddle setup as it turned with the wheel, he mentioned how McLaren planned to develop a system where it could be fixed and moving.

The only preceding rocker system was by Ferrari who have always had a fixed paddle setup. The fact that McLaren have a rocker system rather than a BMW style integrated paddle into the steering wheel shows to an extent they may have chosen to have the paddles moving may have been an afterthought and I for one would be interested to hear their reasoning behind it.

Yes lets get back to speaker sounds. Epitome of driver involvement.


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

I see what you are commenting on now, thanks for the explanation. Don't quite understand why we have to artificially steer the thread in a different direction from its natural course.


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## JMacca1975 (Feb 2, 2016)

Has anyone found out how to access the menu and turn ASE off yet in the My17? Also, on the MFD all I want is 2 small dials showing engine temp and trans temp, with one large dial showing mph....yet for some reason it doesn't appear possible - any ideas anyone?!


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## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

JMacca, try this, you may be able to access the hidden menu by holding in the Menu button (top left) whilst continuously rotating the on/off knob (bottom left). Don't hold me to that, I forgot to try it before taking the car back. 

I looked at bringing up a large MPH dial on my MY16 car, but it's not possible either, looks like you can only have it on a small dial.


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## charles charlie (May 3, 2008)

I think this thread is now up the proverbial creek without any paddles....

I'll get me coat


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## borat52 (Jan 29, 2006)

charles charlie said:


> I think this thread is now up the proverbial creek without any paddles....
> 
> I'll get me coat


If the cloak room's sound proofed then remember you'll have to ask for it over the PA system :chuckle:


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## JMacca1975 (Feb 2, 2016)

Trevgtr said:


> JMacca, try this, you may be able to access the hidden menu by holding in the Menu button (top left) whilst continuously rotating the on/off knob (bottom left). Don't hold me to that, I forgot to try it before taking the car back.
> 
> I looked at bringing up a large MPH dial on my MY16 car, but it's not possible either, looks like you can only have it on a small dial.


Trev, I did as you said and it does get you in to a hidden menu but then I couldn't find the ASE? May need to tinker with it and find it by trial and error 

Yes, the display gauges were like that in my old my15 but I was hoping that there may be a cheat menu for that too...oh well. Thanks for the info.


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## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

JMacca1975 said:


> Trev, I did as you said and it does get you in to a hidden menu but then I couldn't find the ASE? May need to tinker with it and find it by trial and error
> 
> Yes, the display gauges were like that in my old my15 but I was hoping that there may be a cheat menu for that too...oh well. Thanks for the info.


Ah, I was gonna try this, you have to do a connection diagnosis first, then hopefully it will come up with an on/off option. In the video he disables the ANC, but maybe there will also be an option for ASE too. Give it a go mate.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTei0LkALtE


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