VVT System Malfunction
 

so i had a check engine light for 2 o2 sensors and vvt malfunction P1349.
I just changed both sensors and now i still have the p1349. How can I fix this because it is not safe not having traction control.

p1349 VVT System Malfunction

It is safe without traction control. People have been driving for years without it. As for the code, did you reset it with the scanner? Is it a 300 or 400? I had vvt problems on my wifes 400, PITA.

i have the same code on my gs400 as we speak, i have been researching and found what i think is the culprit. a small filter located in the head by the vvti gear known as the ocv (oil control valve) and if it gets clogged due to sludge it will not read the correct oil pressure and will give a code as well as rough idle. im trying to find the exact location and as soon as i do ill let you all know.

ok thanks i hope its not something big. and my car doesn't even idle weird. also its a 300. hopefully we can fix this. i also read it could be a filter that goes on the drain oil plug.

lol Confusing your acronyms there Lude....

VVT = Variable Valve Timing. Hence it being an oil control issue or such as it is an engine issue with valve timing system.

VSC = vehicle stability control or 'traction control'.

and seriously, the GS is no steam train, im pretty sure if your VSC broke you should be able to handle it haha

I don't know about the 300's but on the 400's the screens are easy to clean just a pain to get too. You can do it with out removing the cam sprockets (I did it when I did the timing belt) but you will have to loosen the bolts and slide them forward to get the front camshaft bearing cap off. If you want, shoot me a PM with your email addy and I can send you a pdf of the fsm with the cylinder head component breakdown.

I think he is referring to the fact that when the vvt code is thrown, the vsc light comes on too.

ah right fair enough, havent had it myself. does it actually disable VSC tho? prob not?

yea thats what I am referring to. I CAN drive with VSC off but with winter coming real soon and me living in NY and this car as my daily I need every little bit of traction I can get. When i clear the CEL the VSC light goes off then when the CEL comes back on the VSC comes on at the same time.

wow this seems like a very common problem with GS's because my 98 gs400 is doing the same thing. its weird because the lights went off the other day by itself and then just came back on again, its kinda fustrating because the car will idle weird when i stop and sometimes it acts normal. funny car lol

yea thats weird but I don't understand my car doesn't idle weird at all. Or do anything different, drives great.

Mine threw the code with vsc light atleast 20 times before I got around to doing the belt and vvt screens. I never noticed a difference in the way it ran. I just hated having the check and vsc lights on. Mine would come on during a drive. The memoscan scaners will tell you when the code occurred. I checked one time and it was steady state cruise around 2000 rpms. If the vvt sensor pics up that the cam isn't where it should be when it should be it will through the code. The vvt may work fine after the code or just is too slow to return to where it should be.

Oil control valve and front bearing cap
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8489/cimg5534.jpg

Oil control valve screen
https://img62.imageshack.us/img62/785/cimg5535.jpg

Clifton, I'm assuming we have one on each side of our 400's? I'm wondering how time consuming it is to change each one, and do we need to remove the cams for this install?

It took about 5 hours to do the timing belt, new plugs, and screens. I don't know how long for just the screens. You don't need to remove the cams, just the front bearing caps. if you do it make sure you are at TDC just in case you drop the sprocket and belt. The cam sprockets needs to be loosened and moved forward to clear the bearing cover. Just don't remove the bolts all the way when doing it. There wasn't much planning on there oil screen. I've seen other Toyota engines where there is a plug that is easily accessible but not on these. If someone wants more pdf pics I can send them.