VCS OFF light on WHY? (1 Viewer)

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Maglight

Maglight

Joined
Jul 31, 2008
Threads
22
Messages
221
Location
Iwakuni Japan
So I ruined the front Differential after wheeling in GA clay and driving home for 4 hours. I also ruined the brakes. I am about to do a brake replacement in the drive way, but on the way to the store to get the parts I noticed my VSC OFF light was on, it wasn't yesterday. If I need to change my brakes would this light come on? Or is something else wrong? I will also be consulting the manual, but though you all might have some helpful insights.
 
the traction control works from ABS...so maybe one of your abs sensors is not working, the wire was damaged, or it is a function of the brakes needing work.

damn sorry to hear you ruined your diff...was it covered by warranty or just your wallet? I would give Glenn a call on Monday to ask him...or Jamie at SPARKS for his opinion.
 
My wallet had the Diff and my kids won't eat for awhile. Changed the brakes today and left the positive terminal off the battery for about an hour and still the light comes on. I don't want to spend anymore cash.
 
at least you can give them MREs....:D

give glenn a call or do a post on blue forum to see what it could be....am guessing it is one of the wires loose or sensors that are caked in mud
 
chances are its one of the ABS sensors in the front. Pull the hub apart and it's likely that you'll find the hub full of dirt. If the wire is broken, then just splice it with new wire. If the sensor itself is damaged, then it's not a cheap replacement. Call Ralph Hayes or Sparks and get the best price you can. I think you can replace the ABS sensor without separating the hub bearing.

So its just a matter of removing the wheel, brake caliper and checking the condition of the wire going into the hub. If the wire looks ok, then unplug the ABS sensor from the hub and go to the next step.

Remove the hub cover with chisel and hammer. And remove the safety cotter and retainer cap.

Use a 35mm socket and a breaker bar to remove the axle nut. This will be the tightest nut on your truck, so use a cheater bar or several friends.

Loosen the 4 bolts that hold the hub onto the steering spindle assembly. These are captured bolts so they won't come completely out of the hub assembly. You should be able to remove the hub assembly after all four bolts are out (whack it with a rubber mallet to break it free).

Now you should be able to see all the gunk inside the hub where the ABS sensor is sticking through. Clean it out and plug it back in to the wiring connector. Turn on the ignition and see if the VSC light is on.

If it still comes on after checking both front wheels then you got a bad ABS sensor and its likely that its one of the front ones. Since you've gone this far, you could take the hub assemblies to Sparks or RHT and let them test them or replace them. I'd certainly call ahead and make arrangements with someone before tearing into it though.
 
If they already replaced the diff up front then they had to tear down the front hubs, or at least take the axle nuts off to remove the CV axles. Did they not check all that stuff out then? Did they damage a wire when they removed all that stuff?

...Just some questions for you to ask whoever did the diff replacement.
 
Was going to give in and take it to the dealer after PT this morning, but when I headed back to the office after the run I noticed no light. I think the truck is self aware and healing itself.
 
Maglight said:
Was going to give in and take it to the dealer after PT this morning, but when I headed back to the office after the run I noticed no light. I think the truck is self aware and healing itself.
Click to expand...

It will sometimes reset after turning the vehicle off. I went through this for a couple weeks before finally taking it to the dealer (under warranty). It would come on and my ABS would act up, then I'd turn it off and the lights would go out. Then I'd hit a rough spot in the road and the ABS would freak out and light comes back on. It will eventually annoy you enough to take it in and I suspect that the ABS system is hobbled when VSC light is on.
 
Maglight said:
Was going to give in and take it to the dealer after PT this morning, but when I headed back to the office after the run I noticed no light. I think the truck is self aware and healing itself.
Click to expand...

Wow so sorry to hear about your misfortune. David was telling me about it today. But if indeed your FJ is self healing i may want to look into newer models with a different attitude. Doc!!!;)
 
So the day after I posted about the light going off I start the truck to go to work and there that light is. So it came back on until Friday morning I was driving on the PT field to see if the track was too muddy for the recruits to run on and because I was off the road I put it into 4h drove to the track and got off the grass put the truck back in 2wd and poof the light went off again. Now it was off again yesterday morning when I went to work and when i drove home but we will see on Monday since I probably just jinxed it.
 
I hate electronic stuff sometimes.

How much is expensive?
 
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thanks!
 
Well it is confirmed that I do not know how to wire. I wired up the lights as stated prior and I have had three lights on the dash, the VSC off VSC Trac and the car with squiggled lines. Since I had all three lights on prior to finishing my lights I thought something else was wrong. Well the toyota tech tested the truck and said I had a bad switch, which he changed for lots of money. The lights didn't turn off on the dash. They ran more tests and found the computer was fried. Lucky for me that was covered under warranty and bad for me because till the lights stayed on in the dash. so toyota kept the truck for a couple of hours, 90 bucks an hour to trace the problem, and still nothing. I can't really afford much more than the 2 hours I let them look at the truck so I took it home. I did as they told me and took off all of the lighting I had done. I went a step further and removed my dual hella horns and I reversed my "no cut A-TRAC RR Lock" hack. I left the neg side of the battery undone to reset the system for about 2 hours. Put the truck back together and started it up. Those lights were still there. Got out put up my tools and went to put the truck back into the garage and there you go the lights stayed off. I also hadn't had 4wd with the lights and when I tried this time it activated. WOO HOO!!!! I took the truck for a spin to set the compass and see if the lights would stay off. they did down the road and everything up until I thought to hit the brakes hard to see if they would come on. First time nothing second time they lit up. I will take the truck back to toyota, but wait til the next pay day so I can eat this month. Lesson of the story, if you are Maglight don't do electricity. The Service manager talked to me when I went to get the truck and he told me that there is a body computer which was getting mixed signals due to the grounding to the chassis. My scan gauge did show 13.5 volts rather than the 14.9 I am used to seeing, before I put on the roof lights. Now with everything off the scan gauge shows 14.0 volts so something changed. ANyone know about this body computer.
If anyone knows any tricks or has ideas to fix it please chime in.
 
Glenn?????
 
Took it to auto zone and no codes popped up. I guess the dealer will get more of my money.
 
I hope this won't put an end to your wheeling.
We just need to stay away from so much MUD!!!
 
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