ABS/TRAC OFF/ VSC OFF lights--BACK AGAIN!!!!

Brad Mackey · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:00 am

ABS/TRAC OFF/VSC OFF. These lights are on in my 2004 Toyota 4Runner SR5.
They came on a couple of weeks ago, then went out on a re-start. Few days later, the lights came on again, and have stayed on.
ABS is definitely disabled, and I assume the stability control and traction control are as well. The 4-Runner Forum guru suggested that the battery was ready to shit the bed, and if I replaced it, the lights "might" go off after a few re-starts.
I had been meaning to change out the battery anyway, so new battery was installed (WAL-MART Ever-Start!!!! Highly-rated by Consumer Reports-$79.00).

Lights have remained on, despite many restarts. NO CODES thrown!!

Any suggestions short of the dreaded "take it to the dealer"??? :whoknows:

Todd Breakey · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:03 am

Brad,

I have a 2004 Toyota Sienna and when the battery was dying last month, it started doing some wacky shit. The passenger door wouldn't lock/unlock with the remote, the auto down window function didn't work, random lights would come on on the dash, etc.

EDIT-apparently I need to read the whole post before posting.

Apparently Toyotas are wacky that way. It took mine about a week for everything to work normally again.

Kevin Butler · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:21 am

Check your alternator to make sure you don't have a problem there also.

Frank Catena · **Joined:** Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:08 pm **Posts:** 418

Hey Brad,

What Kevin said ... make sure you have "charging voltage" across the battery terminals with the engine running.

Frank

Brad Mackey · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:43 pm

Frank Catena wrote:

Hey Brad,

What Kevin said ... make sure you have "charging voltage" across the battery terminals with the engine running.

Frank

OK, that would be what, 14.1VDC or so?

Aaron Buckley · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2009 2:46 pm

Brad Mackey wrote:

OK, that would be what, 14.1VDC or so?

Yup. I would think anything 14 volts or higher means the altenator is functioning properly. - AB

Michael Westerfield · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:27 pm

I'm not sure how Toyota does it,but some manufacturers have different computers or modules for the ABS/traction control. When you check the normal ECU no codes would show, but often there is another diagnostic port to get at those codes. Since all those lights are going off on that system I'm thinking something like a wheel sensor would be used in common by all those systems. I'm wondering if a wheel sensor has gone bad?

Looking at general stuff like others mentioned maybe a ground point could have come loose for the ABS/traction control brain?

Brad Mackey · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2009 6:44 pm

Michael Westerfield wrote:

I'm not sure how Toyota does it,but some manufacturers have different computers or modules for the ABS/traction control. When you check the normal ECU no codes would show, but often there is another diagnostic port to get at those codes. Since all those lights are going off on that system I'm thinking something like a wheel sensor would be used in common by all those systems. I'm wondering if a wheel sensor has gone bad?

Looking at general stuff like others mentioned maybe a ground point could have come loose for the ABS/traction control brain?

Very keen observation. Sounds like a plausible scenario. Probably need to go the the dealer for that check, eh?

Michael Westerfield · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:09 pm

Brad Mackey wrote:

Michael Westerfield wrote:

I'm not sure how Toyota does it,but some manufacturers have different computers or modules for the ABS/traction control. When you check the normal ECU no codes would show, but often there is another diagnostic port to get at those codes. Since all those lights are going off on that system I'm thinking something like a wheel sensor would be used in common by all those systems. I'm wondering if a wheel sensor has gone bad?

Looking at general stuff like others mentioned maybe a ground point could have come loose for the ABS/traction control brain?

Very keen observation. Sounds like a plausible scenario. Probably need to go the the dealer for that check, eh?

Not sure. I'm mostly familiar with Honda, were you can short a jumper for the ABS computer, just like the Engine ECU to give trouble codes. Maybe some Toyota folks could chime in on this one.

Michael Westerfield · **Posted:** Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:10 pm

Done a brake job lately? Could you have bent, damaged, or unplugged a wheel sensor in the process?

Brad Mackey · **Posted:** Sun Aug 16, 2009 2:21 pm

Michael Westerfield wrote:

Done a brake job lately? Could you have bent, damaged, or unplugged a wheel sensor in the process?

Nope. Haven't done the brakes yet, Michael, but getting close. Could use some help on that when you have a free Saturday morning

.

So... I'm figuring this has to be something simple, right? I have disconnected the battery for 15 minutes, as was suggested on the 4Runner Forum. No change. Lights still on.
I see that the damn ABS system has fuses and relays up the arse all over the relay panel in the engine compartment. So I meticulously pull and re-plug all the relays and in-line connectors. Then I checked all the wheel sensors. They all look OK. The wires are as new, it appears. I mess with them, but don't disassemble any of them.

Climb in and fire the car up. Shazzam!! No lights!!!!
If it's a wheel sensor, it will prob'ly show up again soon. If it was one of the relay connections, I may never see this problem again. Old school poking and proddin' saved me a $400 trip to Johnson Toyota. For now...

Brad Mackey · **Posted:** Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:31 pm

Brad Mackey wrote:

If it's a wheel sensor, it will prob'ly show up again soon.

Lights came on again today... SH*T!!!!! :evil:

Back to the drawing board...

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

Cash for Clunkers stops on Monday, I'm just sayin'. :wink:

David Teague · **Posted:** Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:23 pm

Brad Mackey wrote:

Lights came on again today... SH*T!!!!! :evil:

Back to the drawing board...

You sure thats not a VW you have there???

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Sat Aug 22, 2009 6:44 pm

Brad Mackey wrote:

If it's a wheel sensor, it will prob'ly show up again soon.

Lights came on again today... SH*T!!!!! :evil:

Back to the drawing board...

Brad,

I had a problem under warranty with my 2001 Mustang in 2003. The ABS pump sprung a leak (always wondered if the Motul I used for the one track day it ran had anything to do with it). After the dealer replaced the ABS pump it still had an intermittent warning . . . especially in rain. Dealer tried a different new pump. Same problem. Replaced the right front sensor/bearing. Problem gone. Before he replaced the sensor I looked for crud, etc. My guess is that the sensor was borderline in some parameter and the new pump was less forgiving.

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ABS/TRAC OFF/ VSC OFF lights--BACK AGAIN!!!!

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