Kim2002

Help. I went to make a left hand turn into traffic...and my car went in a stall like mode with no acceleration! Very dangerous as im 1 mph going into traffic. Already cleaned maf and filter and seafoamed gas tank. Wtf is going on? I see no engine lights at all....but have heard a beep that comes and goes with NO engine lights...almost sounds like seat belt beep...but my belt is on. Im sooooooo confused. What is wrong????

Coleroad

Again that beep is the traction control

Bon

I routinely push the VSC button on the center console to turn it off. With it on, a little wheel slip will leave you stuck in a dangerous situation as you described. I built a small electronic gadget to push the button automatically every time I start the car. A little over the top but I've always disliked the VSC system on my SC as well as my LS. I'm a much better driver than that #@$*@$&* computer.

Caflashbob

what system engaged to cause a stall? Hard to imagine a correctly operating system that would kill power in the apex of a turn.

I would not drive a car I can stall turning from a stop regardless of how much throttle is applied.

unheard of.

something major is wrong I would assume.

I,would not think any traction control can override the entire throttle.

normslly they apply a brake at least in the stability part?

educate me. Please

Bon

The vehicle stability system can do all of that. Lexus/Toyota is not alone in this. There are numerous cars with this "technology" built into them. There are many driving test reports of cars, some are 4-wheel drive, cars that the VSC can leave you on the side of the road and incaple of driving because of wheel slippage in icy conditions. The engine is not stalling but rather the ECU is refusing to let the engine respond to the drivers gas pedal commands - for your own safety of course! This is a fly-by-wire system. I never take my SC out in bad weather but I have taken the LS430. If you're on ice at a standstill and have little to no traction the VSC will refuse to accelerate the engine at all. In slimy/icy situations I've been driving along thinking that everything is under control and suddenly the VSC system that was working to keep things stable suddenly gives up and begins beeping and flashing its VSC light and instantly quits. The back end of the LS immediately began swinging out and the car was instantly way out-of-shape. The VSC hides what is going on until it can't deal with it any longer and gives no warning until it gives up. Without the VSC I can feel the road conditions better and feel safer than with the VSC interfering.

In my SC I've been at intersections where I punch it a bit to get out into traffic and the VSC detects a little slip. It instantly throttles back and might apply some brake to the slipping wheel. The result feels like a stall but it's really not. It's just the VSC doing its thing. And I feel like it's going to get me killed some day so I keep it off.

Matthias

This sounds very familiar. I had suspension work done and it took a long time to find out that a single sensor in the front for the VSC wasn't installed correctly. It wasn't inserted all the way and caused that intermittent problem . The symptoms were the same make a turn and try to accelerate not even hardly and the VSC was triggered. Let all sensors checked but in detail, not just look over. The shops looked over them but didn't realized the sensor was not inserted all the way.

sideswipe

Any way to have the VSC set to off without having to manually have to do it every time you start the car?

Bon

It's not a CBEST selection so the dealer can't do it. I programmed a parallax Basic Stamp 1 device to pulse the VSC off ever on every start up. It's true that a defect in the VSC system can cause bad behavior but I classify the normal behavior as bad. My SC, LS and LX all have it and exhibit the same behaviors. The '03 LX is a bit different though as it will rev the engine hard but it also clamps on the brakes keeping you from going anywhere in icy conditions. I usually have to get the manual out to defeat all the VSC properties of the LX just to get out of my driveway when it's icy.

Caflashbob

Thanks guys learned something new today.

i forgot which button is which on our 2008 as I am not in the sc now so maybe someone can refresh my memory.

as I drive this new to us car I think some things electronically and mechanically may have changed from the early models.

the large throttle delay a lot have posted about seems to not be as bad in this car. I bought a blitz throttle controller for the car but it seems unneeded if anyone wants it let me know? What I have noticed is the trans does not downshift under medium throttle applications in the upper gears much and the power increases are fairly gentle with light throttle applications . Torque converter seems unlocked also in the upper gears under low loads allowing coasting. Noticeable in traffic as the brakes are needed a bit when closing on cars in front.

with the ECT switch on the throttle response is higher and the coast mode is lesssened and the trans downshifts at the same medium throttle settings. May just be the additional power that the same throttle application that signals the downshift or a combination of the trans programming and the fly by wire throttle.

the gas mileage drops slightly under steady throttle conditions with the ECT button on I think.

no coast. Better in traffic as less braking is needed.

no slippage around here normally. But mountain driving is a possibility and for the first time recently I had summer tires installed. Will watch out for the condition.

hard to spin the Michelin pilot super sport tires in good traction, dry conditions.