sabre

It drives me nuts too. When I leave my neighborhood and pull onto the main road there is a bit of an incline. When its slippery out the VSC kicks in when Im trying to pull out and BAMM, im stuck half way into the lane and not able to go any further. I let off the gas and hit it again, and it starts beeping again and im not moving. Its very dangerous to have no power when you need it.

MTL_4runner

We'll see what we can do about that!
If Peter and I figure it out we will be sure to post for all.

Spectre

I have had mine come on...where the light blinks..and I hear a clicking noise...and others where it beeps at me...but mine has never stopped my car...If it had..I would freak out and get an older 1999-2000 model runner..that would piss me off.

Ducky

Ahh... The Ye Olde Discussion of VSC =)

Heh... Anyways... Im always looking to have a button to turn on and off VSC...

I was thinking of looking into this:

http://www.sleeoffroad.com/technical/tz_cdl_pin7mod.htm

but the LC's are fulltime 4x4, no clue *Even* if we had the same box... what that would do to throw on the center lock on in 2wd... Might screw up alot =)

sabre

Its not that it stops the car..its just cuts off the ability to accelerate. When you are trying to pull out into traffic it can be dangerous and it is very annoying.

Spectre

mine might be broken then..I was still able to accelerate with it clicking and the light flashing...then it gave up and stopped clicking..but I never let off the gas..I have a truck behind me.

lee

by my experience i can say that sometimes what herkengineer says is entirely correct. ive had my music on loud and not even noticed it came on till the light flashed the last couple times. i never let up and it shut off and was letting me accelerate.

mustve been that i wasnt skidding all THAT much i assume?

MTL_4runner

Ducky, what year are they working on in that tech article....looks much older?
I want to figure out how to rig it up to a push button like the 2WD Tacos have.

Spectre

Isn't that for a TLC?

MTL_4runner

Herk, I think you are right.
The footwell is not a 96-02 4runner I can tell you that.

Duc Hunter

Recently in the snow I pulled out in front of some traffic and my VSC came on, the dash board lit up like a Christmas tree etc. While the car did not accelerate as fast as I would have expected it to had I been on dry land it did continue to accelerate (my foot just stayed planted on the ground). After the car got up to about 30mph I got onto clean black top. Al the lights went out and the car took off.

I decided to try a little experiment, having been an old autocrosser. In some torrential rains I went to a large, open parking lot with some friend who have Subaru's and Misti Evo's. We ran an autocross in the rain. My 4Runner felt slower every time I let the computer do the driving (I have an 04 V8 2004). Every time I tried with the diff locked the car felt faster, was slipping around a bit and was more fun for sure. The stopwatch though showed the computer MUCH faster! I am a reasonably good driver on loose surfaces (my Mitsi and I have done a few rally crosses etc) so this surprised me. In my Mitsi I can out brake the ABS on that car (not too sophisticated and ABS systems but still).

IMHO I would leave it alone. While it may be more fun to have it turned off if it is kicking in it needs to. At least in my 4Runner it does turn off when traction improves. Let us remember our friend on the board who flipped his pickup doing a J-Turn in front of his house? That guy would still have a truck if he had this system. I am keeping mine as is and spending my hard earned duckets on mods to make my truck more fun, wheel better etc.

BT17R

VSC was first introduced on the '00 Land Cruiser. After owning a '98 and '99 FJ, I was apprehensive about the new electronic controls interrupting the fun or worse, getting in the way during defensive maneuvers. My worst fears were well-founded, although not by VSC, but by TRAC. I'll take a Torsen or locker over TRAC any day. At least you'll have full power when you need it. That's why I hold '99 and older mechanical driveline FJ's in such high regard. TRAC on the '00+ L/C and '01+ 4R 4WD can't be disabled in any mode, I think.

There's some confusion in this thread. From what I've read, almost everyone experiencing de-throttle ran into the TRAC wall that's much more likely to engage than VSC. It takes some fairly abrupt control inputs to activate VSC, where it only takes WOT on a low-grip surface to activate TRAC. In both cases the blinking skid car light comes on, but VSC also triggers an intermittent chime. Listen closely next time and I'd guess most of you won't hear the chime. Then go try some autocross moves in an empty lot and you'll hear the difference.

Speaking of autocross, a friend in his new Audi S6 did an experiment. He ran the course with and w/o computer aids. He was 2 sec quicker (on a 60 sec course) with aids, an eternity in auto-x. Interestingly, he too said that he felt much quicker w/o the aids.

lee

oh, so the light coming on with no sound is TRAC and the light coming on with sound (ive heard that beep before) is VSC?

ManyMods

That is exactly what I am talking about.

sabre

I hear the beeping nearly everytime the light flashes. Then there is a clicking sound. I dont know what is kicking in (VSC or TRAC) but I know I lose power a lot. It can be real annoying. Would better tires cause this to kick in less?

BT17R

Yeah, I'm almost certain that's the way it works. Still, both TRAC and VSC will de-throttle and apply differential braking "as required" by computer algorithms that are much more intrusive than what I like and in some cases (something big bearing down on you or bringing you to a stop on a slick uphill surface resulting in having to back down and try again) dangerous, IMHO.

lee

yea ive heard the click as trac/vsc kicks in, then the click as it turns off... weird.

its like theres a little gnome flipping a switch..

Spectre

Its the same Penguin that is in the fridge that turns on and off the light.

MTL_4runner

I need to see wiring diagrams for TRAC too, but VSC I can tell you for sure CAN and WILL dethrottle you if you set it off. There is a direct input to the ECU which does all the engine management and will reduce fuel and spark when it senses it needs to.

Peter, can you scan me the TRAC stuff too so I can see that too?

Duc Hunter

BT17R makes the point perfectly. If his friend in dry conditions was faster on the clock with the aids then I would leave them in. You wont go any faster without them, you may feel like you are but you wont be.

Better tires for the surface you are on will help because TRAC and VSC only kick in when the tires loose traction. The more traction you have because your tires are better suited to the surface you are on the faster you can go before the aids kick in.