The vehicle stability control system is implemented in most of the Toyota and Lexus cars manufactured today, and it is designed to prevent the car from slipping and sliding due to rough weather conditions.
When precipitation becomes too severe for long periods, roads become slippery and pose a challenge to the tires attempting to gain traction. The system that is meant to control the sliding of your vehicle on the road is called the vehicle stability control system, or VSC.
The VSC system is designed to prevent skidding and slipping by applying the brakes to the vehicle’s wheels.
What Is a VSC System?
The VSC or Vehicle Stability Control system is designed to prevent loss or control and skidding of the vehicle and increase stability in scenarios where the car is driven dangerously. It is one of the features that you will find in Toyota and Lexus cars.
The vehicle stability control system ensures that if the car is starting to lose grip, it will take actions to avoid any accidents by reducing the power that is sent to some of the wheels. This helps steer the vehicle back to a smooth driving track.
The Vehicle Stability Control helps to avoid accidents on foggy, rainy, and snowy days. Also, if you notice the light with the VSC sign on your dashboard turning on, it is necessary to take your vehicle into the shop and check what the problems are with the VSC system.
There has been a federal law in the US since 2012 that states all new vehicles should have VSC/ESC as part of the car’s standard features. Otherwise, the system has existed since the 1980s.
How Does The VSC System Work?
The VSC supervises traction control for each particular Lexus vehicle. The VSC controls the traction control within the car. When driving on unstable and slippery roads, there’s a loss of traction leading to the car slipping.
The system activates and provides control of the steering to maneuver the vehicle on the complicated roads. Your vehicle’s wheels have sensors that communicate directly with the powertrain control module of your Lexus.
The powertrain control module, also referred to as PCM, is a control unit integrated within the Lexus cars. It is an integrated control unit which comprises an engine control unit and a transmission control unit, otherwise known as ECU and TCU.
As the name suggests, the ECU controls the actuators for the internal combustion engines. Commonly found in modern automobiles, the Transmission Control Unit(TCU) is in charge of automatic transmission.
By utilizing the vehicle’s internal sensors, the unit determines the optimal switching intervals for gears to achieve the best performance. Essential to the vehicle stability control system, the Power Control Module works.
In case there is a problem with steering control, VSC will reduce the speed of the engine as a control for excessive physical movement.
Furthermore, the VSC will allocate greater braking force to the wheels that are most in need of friction and braking power.
The sensors on the wheels are used to track the movement and rotation of the wheels to identify which wheels require braking power. Noticing the VSC light coming on indicates that there is likely a problem with the sensors or the steering system.
What Does the VSC Light Mean?
If you see “VSC light” or the message “check VSC system” on your dashboard, this denotes a problem with the traction of your vehicle. It is usually reliable that whenever the light is on, there is an issue with the VSC or the ABS.
In case the VSC light on the dashboard of your Toyota or Lexus vehicle is blinking momentarily, that is an indication that your VSC system is functioning properly. The light remaining on as other warning lights appear on the dashboard signifies the need for professional intervention.
The ABS, alongside other control modules, functions together with the VSC system. If you notice the warning “VSC OFF,” the traction control on the system is completely disabled. At this point, the system will not enact if there is a loss of control.
In case you own a recent model of a Toyota or a Lexus, there might be a notification on your dashboard saying “check VSC system” instead of the conventional VSC light. If you mistakenly toggle the VSC button on the dashboard, the light will come on. This implies that the VSC system has been disengaged. However, the TRAC off light may turn on as well.
What causes the VSC light to come on?
As part of the car’s engine management system, the brakes and the VSC system interact to manage the VSC light. Problems regarding these systems can lead to the light turning on or being activated, including:
#1. System Failure.
The light is turned on when the stability system of the car fails. The VSC light is also present in the car dashboard. It serves as a warning in case the VSC system has a problem. If the indicator lights up, or if it comes on briefly after starting the car, it means the VSC system is functioning optimally.
#2. Anti-lock Brake Malfunction.
Both the VSC and the anti-lock brake (ABS) system are integrated into the vehicle. They can have problems if one or the other has issues. One problem can arise from a break in one of the wheel ABS sensors.
Both VSC and Traction Control may display warning lights simultaneously. These two safety functions utilize several interrelated systems like the vehicle’s ABS. By observing VSC lights together with TRAC OFF lights, you ascertain a fault in the system’s circuitry that these subsystems utilize.
#3. Wheel Misalignment.
Out-of-wheel alignment is a fairly common cause of the VSC light being activated. Suspending or not decelerating at a speed bump can cause a car’s wheel or wheels to go out of alignment, which in turn can trigger the VSC system.
As part of the recommended vehicle servicing, regular wheel alignment check-ups are performed.
If the VSC is activated and you believe it to be related to the alignment of the car’s wheels, monitor how the vehicle behaves.
Symptoms of misaligned wheels include not straightening the steering wheel and going in a straight line, one-sided pulling, asymmetric tire rolling resistance, and differences between front and back tire tread thickness.
#4. Faulty Steering Angle Sensor.
The steering angle sensor is equipped to measure the angle of the wheel turn by the vehicle’s wheels. Since the VSC system relies on the tire angle to ascertain if the vehicle is moving in tandem with the direction the driver is attempting to steer, any impact to this sensor can trigger the light.
While driving, if the steering feels particularly light and unresponsive, that may indicate that there is something wrong with the steering angle sensor.
Problems with the steering angle sensor may also lead to illumination of the check engine light or the traction control light.
A malfunctioning sensor can also result in the vehicle becoming unresponsive, causing it to drift towards one of the sides.
#5. Faulty Wiring.
Information flow between the car’s computer and the sensors is relayed through wires. The VSC light may suddenly turn on if any of the wires are cut. If the wires are incorrectly installed or there are some blown fuses, then warning lights may come on.
Unless an individual has worked with the electrical components of a vehicle on numerous occasions, tracking down a wiring problem is extremely difficult.
While removing all other possible causes, consider taking your vehicle to the mechanic to rule out if there’s faulty wiring in the system.
Note: A blown symptom is generally always caused by something noteworthy that’s attempting to overpower the fuse.
#6. Engine Issues.
If you encounter any problems with the engine, such as misfiring or other mechanical issues, these could result in the VSC light coming on too.
An Engine misfire could lead to the entire engine shaking, which makes the VSC light go on. If you notice the Check Engine and VSC lights illuminating at the same time, you are probably dealing with some form of an engine issue.
If your engine happens to misfire, you will likely experience sluggish acceleration coupled with violent shaking during acceleration. Furthermore, the vehicle may also experience rough idling.
Among the many reasons why misfiring can occur are clogged fuel injectors, malfunctioning oxygen sensors, and even defective spark plugs.
#7. Accidentally Pressing the VSC Button.
Most cars come equipped with a button that instantly disables the VSC system. Assuming you lightly bump the button while driving, it will turn off, thus causing the light to come on.
Should this be the case, you have the option of turning the system back on by simply pressing the button again to switch it back on.
Check the owner’s manual on where the VSC reset button is located. Should the light return after you have restarted the system, attempt to eliminate other potential reasons or take your vehicle to a professional.
How to Reset or Fix the VSC Light
Here are concise instructions you can follow to deactivate or fix the VSC light on your Toyota or Lexus:
- Ensure that the area where you will be checking the vehicle is safe for parking the vehicle before doing anything.
- Locate the VSC button. It is generally located in one of the following two places: the knee level of the driver’s seat or the vicinity of the gear shift.
- Inactivate the VSC by pressing the VSC button for some seconds.
- The TRAC OFF and VSC OFF indicators will light up as both functions turn off.
- Push the VSC button again. Both systems will reengage and both indicators will go out.
If you follow these steps correctly, the VSC light should turn off. If it’s not working, then the vehicle has some deep issues which should be professionally diagnosed.
VSC Light and TRAC OFF
These two lights illuminate on the dashboard simultaneously. The logic behind this is that they show that the vehicle’s stability control system, together with the traction control system, is activated or deactivated.
VSC Light: When you see this light on the dashboard, it indicates a problem with the vehicle’s Component System.”
The purpose of this system is to manage stability and prevent skids or loss of control while turning and on slippery surfaces.
If the VSC light is on, it indicates that there might be an issue with the VSC system. This could be a problem with a sensor or some other related damage. This problem should be fixed so that the VSC system can function properly.
TRAC OFF Light: The TRAC OFF light indicates that the Traction Control system has been switched off manually. Traction Control minimizes slippage of the wheels during acceleration by controlling the power sent to the wheels.
Some vehicles are equipped with a switch/button that enables the driver to turn off the Traction Control system. This feature can be advantageous in some scenarios, like driving on loose sand or deep snow.
That said, it is recommended to keep the Traction Control system active during normal driving conditions.
Both VSC and Traction Control systems are interrelated and designed to work together, but they do different things.
VSC system is mainly concerned with the level of the vehicle’s stability, whereas the Traction Control system focuses on the slippage of the wheels to allow better traction.
When the VSC light and the TRAC OFF light are ON simultaneously, it may suggest failure of the VSC and the Traction Control’s integrated components or systems.
A certified expert should be consulted to resolve the problem within these systems as indicated.