Dustin

I read through a ton of postings about this POS VSC system is but not for this particular question. I have a 2003 V8 4runner SR5. Do you think that (before I bring the truck to the stealorship) this problem will be covered under the warranty?

I was on a gravel parking lot, and decided to do a donut in the 4runner. The rig's ABS and VSC went crazy on me. I stomped my foot on the brake to stop and the pedal was vibrating like mad. I was finally able to get the rig to stop even though it seemed like it was trying to prohibit me from pressing the pedal..? So, I drive the truck away and everything seems fine.
The next time I start the car, the VSC and VSC track lights are on. The check engine light is not on.

I am assuming that something, somehow, broke. I will be bummed and pissed if I have to pay for it too. Has anyone had any experience with the dealorship looking into this, and repairing it? Did it cost you anything?

What a fragile piece of junk! I gotta say, I am kinda sorry I ever spent the cash on this mall runner...

thanks!
-Dustin

bulldog-yota

Take it to the dealer if anythin is wrong they sould fix it under warranty. Do you have a 4x4 or 2wd?

Well VSC is exactly supposed to do that, prevent wheels from spining and loosing traction. Guess you didn't read the owners manual. Did you lock the center diff (if 4x4)? Not sure how to disable it on the 2wd.

Like any piece of equipment, understand how it works and how to operate it before getting pissed at it. I suspect you either left the center diff locked or if 2wd pussed the button that disables the VSC. Take your manual and check that all the buttons are off for these systems. ALso check the trouble shooting section. I doubt that you broke anything. Lots of people here have put theirs through much worse, myself included and no probs.

Dustin

Its a V8, with all time 4wheel drive.
I didn't have the diff locked when I did the burnout (turned into donut). I understand the ABS kicking in is normal in this situation, but preventing the driver from trying to lock up the brakes seems odd to me. What does Toyota expect a driver to do? Just pull my feet off the pedals entirely and hope the truck does the "right" thing? I was going probably 15 mph at the most, though the wheels were spinning (obviously) much faster. Rig starts beeping like mad, brakes chattering like mad. So I put my foot on the break. Oh well..
My annoyance is at what a mall runner Toyota has made this rig. So much of one that the driver can't do a simple and fun donut without breaking something on it. Now I have to go to the dealer or some mechanic and find out what doing a donut broke. So, I hope they dont ding me for this.
I have had my Fj40 LandCruiser for 10 years now and wheel the piss out of it. I wheel with tons of people with gen 2 and some gen 3 4runners and they're super capable rigs. We got the 4runner for light duty wheeling and camping, but I am almost afraid to take it off road at all if I cant even spin the tires without breaking the VSC.

-Dustin

bulldog-yota

You can push the brake the ABS will just push back. I dont see how something just broke??

Did you check the diff lock button? If the ABS and VSC ligh stays on I would take it back to the dealer, it should not cost you a penny as it is still under warranty. Obviously I would not tell them I was trying to do donuts in the parking lot.

Dont expect the 4R to be a FJ40, nothing else is But it should do just fine. I have done donuts on the dunes at Pismo with no problem apart from sand coming in through an open window

Dustin

cool. thanks for the reply. I have checked all the driveline stuff- 4hi/ 4low, downhill assist, and the diff lock. Nothing seems to get the lights to go off. Hopefully the codes just need to be reset. But even still- come awn' Mr.Toyoda! I'll have to keep a scanner under the seat if this stuff keeps up!

thanks!
Dustin

Duc Hunter

Dustin, you also need some experience with AWD vehicles. Yes AWD! The 4th Gen 4Runner V-8 has a torsens center diff, the same kind that Audi pioneered in their Group B Rally cars, the same kind that a Quaiffe is, the same kind that is Subaru's, and the same kind I put into my 400+HP Galant VR-4. Electronics aside, if you try to do a doughnut it will be tough. As the rear begins to step out the diff will sense the rear tires spinning and send power forward. At some point the fronts will slip and power will go backwards. In a car like my Galant this means the tail does not come out, the car just wiggles a little and power slides sideways. So, if I want to do a doughnut in my car I must side step the clutch, jerk the wheel sideways hard, and keep turning it in. From a stand still it won’t work too well but if moving the cornering load and quick turn in will pitch the tail out, even with neutral throttle. Once all 4 tires are spinning because my turbo has spooled (this means lots of power!) the "doughnut" is on. In a 4 runner the hard turn in would probably result in a roll over so do not try it.

In a 4Runner though it is even tougher. The VSC will use the ABS to keep the car going in the direction you want it based on your steering input and it will back off the power (electronic throttle) to prevent the tires from spinning altogether. It recognizes that you have totally over powered the available traction. I assure you it is a good thing. I have driven in the ice and snow where I tried to negotiate a normal turn and the car started to push wide. The VSC kicked in and the car almost held the line I wanted. I did this in a BMW where you could disable their version of VSC. Trying the same corner with their VSC disabled I was in a snow bank. Now, as said above by others, you can lock the center diff (second button from the left by your left knee). This means power is not going to move back and forth as wheels spin AND the VSC should be off, as noted on your dash display when the diff lock is engaged. You still have 50% of the power going forward and 50% going back though, so the doughnut won’t be like a rear wheel drive car. It will still be more like an AWD car.

In the beginning I thought my Galant was "boring" to drive in bad weather. I discovered, coming from front and rear drive cars including a very nice leaf very 1970 FJ-40 that I built, that AWD cars won’t go sideways, won’t spin the tires off the line…nothing, when compared to 2wd cars. I did not like it at first as I wanted to screw around and look like rally cars do, sideways all the time. I discovered that to do this you needed ALLOT more speed than in a 2wd car and allot more experience. I have done several rally schools and a few RallyCross races since then and now I get it. Be glad your car is stable, remember it is not a car, but a tall center of gravity truck, and enjoy it. I would hate to see you roll it or slide it into something trying to make it do what 2wd cars do when it is an AWD car.

Dustin

guys-
Cool with what its supposed to do. I do appreciate the feedback. Good for Toyota for making it such a wonderous piece of machinery.
I think that what is getting glazed over here is that- after I tried to do the doughnut- the VSC and VSC traction lights wont turn off. At all. Period. And now I have to take it to a dealor to find out what has broken (lame). The center diff lock was not engaged, etc.
So maybe there are a few questions besides "why did the car beep or the ABS kick in (which werent my questions. ):
1. What could have broken and why? (I am hoping that the ABS just kinda overloaded and turned off the VSC functionality to prevent any damage to the system- that nothing is broken. )
2. Is it likely the dealor pay for it? (seems to be yes)

-Dustin

aowRS

Dustin,
How about disconnecting the battery for a few minutes? People do this all the time to get rid of stubborn warning lights, etc. It may or may not work - why not give it a try.

Andreas

Dustin

BINGO!
That is so obvious and easy a fix I would have never thought to do it. I'll check that tonight.

thanks!
Dustin

Citykid

The VSC keeps you from skidding. ABS keeps you from locking up the brakes. They work independently from each other. But can work at the same time depending on what is happening. You can not lock up the brakes with ABS. The break pedal is supposed to vibrate like crazy.

ABS & VSC take the fun out of donuts, controlled skids, fishtails, etc. but that is what you get to have a very safe truck.

Dustin

Man, this is such a novice forum... Seems many of the self declared experts don't read the actual post. And why feel the need to iterate over and over what someone else posted already?

If you had read the post, you would see that I didnt ask what was happening with the ABS, VSC while I was doing doughnuts... I asked- what could have "BROKEN" in the VSC from doing them since the VSC and VSC Track lights wont turn off now.

bulldog-yota and aowRS thankfully offered some helpful advice. Many thanks for that. To the others- please people- lets stay focused!


-Dustin

lee

yea, how dare they respond to your post on a forum!

Dustin

heh. yeah... I mean no! I mean... the post was about- what the heck is up with the warning lights, not- "please tell me what ABS and VSC do".

-Dustin

lee

this is the part that bugs me. you've posted TEN TIMES.

this forum is so dense with knowledge, expertise and advice that no one person could possibly read it all in one lifetime.

WATRD

I guess you will fit right in then...

With comments like; It makes you sound like you have no idea of even the basics of what ABS does. Maybe they are repeating themselves because the way you are presenting yourself is making you come off like you don't get it.

Maybe this forum is just too novice for the kind of expert who "breaks" stuff doing "donuts", pleads for help, flames the manufacturer of the vehicle, then flames those who try to assist.

If you are such an expert, figure it out on your own. Who cares if the dealer covers it, YOU "broke" it intentionally.

Dustin

WTF? Who are you? Did you bother to atleast read my first post to this thread before commenting? Never was it a question about what the ABS or VSC was doing. Someone else turned it into that thread. Are you saying doing doughnuts always breaks the ABS and VCS.? Bull ˟˟˟˟. Or are you just some kind of wanna be post padding hall monitor? Go to the top of this thread and you'll see what my question was, and why its annoying that both people like yourself and some of the others bother posting when they have nothing helpful to contribute about the actual topic. Maybe we should start another thread so everyone can go write about what ABS does... lame.

-Dustin

WATRD

Actually, I have read all of your whiney posts quite carefully.

Did you bother to read mine? From your attitude, I suspect you are too caught up in trying to make yourself sound superior to do so.

What you don't seem to be getting through your head is that when you are begging for help, flaming blindly is no way for a noob to start out. I am willing to bet that you have turned off far more people who might have helped you with your attitude than you have motivated.

Face it, you did something stupid and instead of coming on here and asking for help correcting your mistake, you came in ready to place blame with everyone but the real cause of the problem.

I must thank you for the new tag line though, I will be quoting you in my signature.

"just some kind of wanna be post padding hall monitor" - Dustin


BTW, use the ignore feature in your control panel to get rid of those of us you feel are not worthy of being in the same thread with you. That should make the board REALLY quiet for you.

Citykid

Eleven post, all on the same subject, and already you are giving s**t to the members. Go to the dealership, you are all set seeing how practiced you are in telling others how we are wrong, get it right, you don't listen,etc.

Who is this guy? Goodbye.

Dustin

Go polish your chrome exhaust tips and get a life. I would guess that 99% of the people on this forum can only discuss what cute floor mats to get and what kind of air freshner to use. They don't even own a set of tools, and can't fab up a single thing on their own. Have to take their truck to a shop to do a simple solid axle swap. Nice ride Rob. Did you do any of the work yourself?

I only went to this forum because the two that I usually go to wont touch a gen 4 runner with a long stick. If youre not wheeling it and doing the work yourlself, then you don't belong there.

Gen 4 runners are a piece of crap and waist of money. My 33 year old Land Cruiser will never die. I'll see you on the trail, but not in the mall runner. That flimsy POS cant be further than a stones throw from the stealorship.

-Dustin

lee

wow, can you leave this site already? talk about not being a team player.