VSC - Is it a problem?
03-20-2004, 02:32 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Martha's Vineyard Island, MA
Posts: 840
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
VSC - Is it a problem?
On my '02 automatic with an open differential and 4wd I absolutely hate the Vehicle Skid Control feature. When not in 4WD but on a slippery surface, even on level ground, the damn car just stops and refuses to move, just like an old mule. I complained to my dealer and he is looking into it because I personally would be glad to disconnect it all together. I know I can disengage it but that only works up to a certain MPH. It is dangerous in my opinion. Anyone else feel the same way?
03-20-2004, 05:37 PM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Avondale, AZ
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry Peter, but you aren't gonna get an agreement from me. VSC saved my kiester on a slippery, snow-covered, forest road, back behind Silverton, Colorado. If I didn't have it, I probably would have been in the creek that ran next to the road after a nasty trip down the embankment.
As long as I can disable it when I really want to go 4-wheeling, I don't have a problem with it. And considering that it has already saved my butt once, I'll continue to be a "VSC-supporter".
Steve
As long as I can disable it when I really want to go 4-wheeling, I don't have a problem with it. And considering that it has already saved my butt once, I'll continue to be a "VSC-supporter".
Steve
03-20-2004, 06:06 PM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Virginia
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I love the feature, hate the fact that there isn't an off switch. Nanny controls are fine as long as they aren't forced on us with no option. I know it can be disabled in 4WD but that's not how I drive 99% of the time. Seems so simple to add the off switch but ....
03-20-2004, 06:07 PM
#4
Registered User
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Lynnwood, WA
Posts: 1,184
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i agree with manymods. Sometimes i want to spin my tires and have fun which is impossible to do with VSC on. I would really be interested in disabling it when i want to.
03-20-2004, 08:45 PM
#5
Contributing Member
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: boston, ma
Posts: 6,729
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
what i dont get is why after the slipping has stopped you have to release the gas in order to have it start moving again.... thats just annoying.
i can decide what the gas pedal should do, thanks.
i can decide what the gas pedal should do, thanks.
03-20-2004, 08:45 PM
#6
Contributing Member
Originally Posted by 2001Millrunner
i agree with manymods. Sometimes i want to spin my tires and have fun which is impossible to do with VSC on. I would really be interested in disabling it when i want to.
03-21-2004, 06:08 AM
#7
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Martha's Vineyard Island, MA
Posts: 840
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Thank you all. Steve, I am glad it helped deter a serious accident and understand your position.
As Lee said, it is really annoying that when it kicks in, not matter what you do, you are not going to move unless you let up on the accelerator for a few seconds. Once the wheels start to spin, the truck will not move unless you put it into 4wd. I am seriously thinking about installing the Eaton LS differential to help cure that problem. There absolutely should be a cut off switch for the VSC.
Another thing is that I was brought up on the old 4WD vehicles and am not used to riding in 4WD on dry clean surfaces, but according to Toyota that will not hurt the 4wd system within certain speed limitations? I suppose if I get used to doing that the VSC won't be as annoying, but I still wonder about the mechanical consequences.
Jamie, do you have the will to find a way?
As Lee said, it is really annoying that when it kicks in, not matter what you do, you are not going to move unless you let up on the accelerator for a few seconds. Once the wheels start to spin, the truck will not move unless you put it into 4wd. I am seriously thinking about installing the Eaton LS differential to help cure that problem. There absolutely should be a cut off switch for the VSC.
Another thing is that I was brought up on the old 4WD vehicles and am not used to riding in 4WD on dry clean surfaces, but according to Toyota that will not hurt the 4wd system within certain speed limitations? I suppose if I get used to doing that the VSC won't be as annoying, but I still wonder about the mechanical consequences.
Jamie, do you have the will to find a way?
Trending Topics
03-21-2004, 06:24 AM
#8
Contributing Member
Originally Posted by ManyMods
Jamie, do you have the will to find a way?
Only problem I can see is if they made it part of the eprom in the ECU or ABS module. :pat:
If there is any external circuitry, we can disable it for sure.
Might be nice to set it up on a diff locker type switch.
I can see how that would be very annoying.
03-21-2004, 07:26 AM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Martha's Vineyard Island, MA
Posts: 840
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
[QUOTE=MTL_4runner]No problemo!.....get me a wiring diagram and I will disable that puppy in a hurry.
Only problem I can see is if they made it part of the eprom in the ECU or ABS module. :pat:
[QUOTE]
I've got the wiring diagrams, how do I get them to you? Scan and e-mail?
Only problem I can see is if they made it part of the eprom in the ECU or ABS module. :pat:
[QUOTE]
I've got the wiring diagrams, how do I get them to you? Scan and e-mail?
03-21-2004, 12:14 PM
#10
Contributing Member
Originally Posted by ManyMods
I've got the wiring diagrams, how do I get them to you? Scan and e-mail?
All I could see was beautifully colored wires going everywhere.
Last edited by MTL_4runner; 03-21-2004 at 12:15 PM.
03-21-2004, 05:02 PM
#13
Away
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 1,588
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
VSC = The Ghey
I would hate that crap. I'm really glad I don't have it. Good luck trying to find a way to get rid of it. I'll tell you what though, if there is anyone in the Portland, OR area that has VSC and wants to get rid of it, I would be glad to take a look at things to see if I can help.
Peace.
G
I would hate that crap. I'm really glad I don't have it. Good luck trying to find a way to get rid of it. I'll tell you what though, if there is anyone in the Portland, OR area that has VSC and wants to get rid of it, I would be glad to take a look at things to see if I can help.
Peace.
G
03-21-2004, 05:30 PM
#14
Contributing Member
Interesting little piece of equipment it is.
Vehicle Skid Control(VSC)
Yaw sensors keep track of the direction in which the car is moving relative to which way the driver is turning the steering wheel. When the sensors detect understeer or oversteer -- conditions in which the car is not going in the direction the front wheels are pointed -- a computer takes over and applies brakes or controls power to one or both of the drive wheels, so that the car comes under control.
The system is programmed to respond to a wide variety of scenarios and is so selective that it can apply only the brake on one specific wheel if that's what is needed to regain control.
To one degree or another, the anti-skid systems used on other cars operate in much the same way. They have two or four yaw sensors, central processing computers that monitor steering input and work in conjunction with the brakes and throttle.
Guess it was only available in 2002 and later (lucky guys! ).
Seems like if you disconnect the yaw sensor, it is disabled.
I am looking at the schematics to find where to put a switch so it is on demand.
Vehicle Skid Control(VSC)
Yaw sensors keep track of the direction in which the car is moving relative to which way the driver is turning the steering wheel. When the sensors detect understeer or oversteer -- conditions in which the car is not going in the direction the front wheels are pointed -- a computer takes over and applies brakes or controls power to one or both of the drive wheels, so that the car comes under control.
The system is programmed to respond to a wide variety of scenarios and is so selective that it can apply only the brake on one specific wheel if that's what is needed to regain control.
To one degree or another, the anti-skid systems used on other cars operate in much the same way. They have two or four yaw sensors, central processing computers that monitor steering input and work in conjunction with the brakes and throttle.
Guess it was only available in 2002 and later (lucky guys!
).Seems like if you disconnect the yaw sensor, it is disabled.
I am looking at the schematics to find where to put a switch so it is on demand.
Last edited by MTL_4runner; 03-21-2004 at 05:35 PM.
03-21-2004, 06:44 PM
#16
Contributing Member
Here is info straight from Toyota:
Toyota responded with,
Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
We apologize, we do not recommend modifying our vehicles from their original factory specifications. Modifications could affect the vehicle’s performance, safety or durability, and may violate government regulations. In addition, damage or performance problems resulting from the modification may not be covered under warranty. The vsc will disable if the center differential lock button is engaged and the vehicle is the 4WD low mode.
We'll ignore the first part of their answer.
Toyota responded with,
Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
We apologize, we do not recommend modifying our vehicles from their original factory specifications. Modifications could affect the vehicle’s performance, safety or durability, and may violate government regulations. In addition, damage or performance problems resulting from the modification may not be covered under warranty. The vsc will disable if the center differential lock button is engaged and the vehicle is the 4WD low mode.
We'll ignore the first part of their answer.
03-21-2004, 06:44 PM
#17
Contributing Member
This was a helpful little tidbit too!
"Quick Summary:
vsc = stability control AND dethrottling
ATRAC = limits wheelspin to transfer torque to wheel with traction
Locking the center diff (in EITHER 4-Hi or 4-LO) will turn OFF vsc.
ATRAC is just as effective as a good Limited-slip differential. In fact, it is probably slightly superior to Torsen diff because it can still function when one wheel is completely in the air.
It is inferior to LOCKERS. It is NOT meant to replace lockers.
Tundra does NOT have ATRAC. It has a conventional part-time 4wd system (that cannot be used on dry land).
In 2wd 4Runners, the reason it has TRAC OFF button is because there is no center diff to lock...therefore, you cannot turn off vsc any other way.
Hope this clears up some confusion."
"Quick Summary:
vsc = stability control AND dethrottling
ATRAC = limits wheelspin to transfer torque to wheel with traction
Locking the center diff (in EITHER 4-Hi or 4-LO) will turn OFF vsc.
ATRAC is just as effective as a good Limited-slip differential. In fact, it is probably slightly superior to Torsen diff because it can still function when one wheel is completely in the air.
It is inferior to LOCKERS. It is NOT meant to replace lockers.
Tundra does NOT have ATRAC. It has a conventional part-time 4wd system (that cannot be used on dry land).
In 2wd 4Runners, the reason it has TRAC OFF button is because there is no center diff to lock...therefore, you cannot turn off vsc any other way.
Hope this clears up some confusion."
Last edited by MTL_4runner; 03-21-2004 at 07:24 PM.
03-21-2004, 06:53 PM
#18
Contributing Member
Found someone who posted all the diagrams too!!!
http://community.webshots.com/album/67333305UapMuK
http://community.webshots.com/album/67333305UapMuK
03-21-2004, 07:10 PM
#19
Contributing Member
Here's another good thread to read:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...s=&threadid=12
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showth...s=&threadid=12
03-21-2004, 07:23 PM
#20
Contributing Member
This seems to be the concensus for disableing it so far.
"There is a separate switch...CENTER DIFF LOCK. I think when you off-road, you should lock the center diff most of the time anyway. Putting another switch will just be more confusing.
Guys, it is not that hard to understand how ATRAC works! You CAN turn off the "dethrottle" function by locking the center diff. This is EASILY done by pushing a button. "
"There is a separate switch...CENTER DIFF LOCK. I think when you off-road, you should lock the center diff most of the time anyway. Putting another switch will just be more confusing.
Guys, it is not that hard to understand how ATRAC works! You CAN turn off the "dethrottle" function by locking the center diff. This is EASILY done by pushing a button. "
