Is My Vsc On?

jokerdanny · October 14, 2014

I bought a used 2007 ES 350. Great car, but the front wheels hop under medium accelaration on rainy days, even if it's just a drizzle. So, how can I tell if VSC is on? There's lot's of discussions about a pedal dance to turn it off, but how do I turn it on. And how do I know if it's on once I follow whatever procedure I need to do. The light comes on at start up for a few seconds like it's supposed to, then it goes out like it supposed to. And when I accelerate I get wheel hop instead of traction resulting in quite a shudder in the front end, but the VSC light doesn't light up. Also, not sure if this is related or not, but I had the car into the body shop to repair a scratch on the front driver's fender. When I got the car back the AFS (headlight aiming) light was on. I brought it back and they said they forgot to connect something. So they fixed that. But is there something else near/under that fender that they could have messed with that would cause my traction/stability control to be messed up?

1990LS400 · October 15, 2014

VSC has nothing to do with "wheels hop" or spin - that's TRACtion control. The newer versions of Toyota's traction control seem to allow far more wheel slip and hop than earlier versions - I have no idea why but I've noticed this on several newer Toyota and Lexus vehicles. It sounds like TRAC on your ES is working properly.

The "pedal dance" does not seem to work to turn TRAC and VSC off on a number of vehicles made by Toyota that do not have an Off switch. I have no idea why some vehicles made by Toyota get a VSC/TRAC off switch and others do not. I could turn off TRAC in the RWD 2000 LS400 I drove for 10 years and really needed to turn it off to get it moving in deep snow. The 98 Camry my wife drove for 14 years had a TRAC-off button. Neither VSC nor TRAC can be turned off in our FWD 2012 Toyota Prius. Oddly, both VSC and TRAC can be turned off in our FWD 2014 Toyota Sienna van.

This has seemed to have been a hotter issue in Canada where a "pedal dance" could used to turn TRAC off on some Lexus models while the same models sold in the U.S. had VSC/TRAC Off buttons.

If you are new to VSC, take your ES to a big empty parking lot on a rainy/icy day and drive it in a tight circle until you start to spin out and VSC intervenes which is indicated by a beeping alarm. VSC is a wonderful technology.

jokerdanny · October 15, 2014

1990LS400, thanks for the info. It seems the Toyota folks shot themselves in the foot on this one. I have a 2001 Solara with regular traction control, no VSC, and it easily out-performs my Lexus in rain and snow. I was expecting something better with the Lexus, not worse. Oh well, I did get the great ride and quite I was looking for.

LEX-SV · February 19, 2015

Tires are a key factor with rain and snow performance.

VBdenny · February 19, 2015

Good point on that traction control does not work in deep snow. Will not allow the car to move.

pj8708 · February 20, 2015

1990LS400, thanks for the info. It seems the Toyota folks shot themselves in the foot on this one. I have a 2001 Solara with regular traction control, no VSC, and it easily out-performs my Lexus in rain and snow. I was expecting something better with the Lexus, not worse. Oh well, I did get the great ride and quite I was looking for.

Just a note to emphasize the strange life of tires.

When spring comes to the Midwest I have my dealer take off my snow tires and remount my all season Michelin Primacies. From that point on, through out the summer and fall, my front tires will "bark" when flooring it from a dead start. The snow tires do not do this. In rain or snow or ice, each set of tires give a different response. Since you live in the land of 10,000 lakes, I would urge you to use snow tires regardless of VSC or Trac. Control. (my snow tires are Michelin's as well.