A method for dissipating power of an automotive electric drive system that includes a traction battery, and an inverter, wherein the inverter includes a DC bus between, and a dissipation circuit between the traction battery and DC bus, wherein the dissipation circuit includes a plurality of resistors connected in series between positive and negative terminals of the DC bus and a dissipation resistor and switch connected in series between the positive and negative terminals, the method includes responsive to a voltage across one of the plurality of resistors being less than a threshold value, deactivating the switch to prevent current flow from the positive terminal to the negative terminal through the dissipation resistor, and responsive to the voltage exceeding the threshold value, activating the switch to permit current flow from the positive terminal to the negative terminal through the dissipation resistor.