I have a 2013 GS350 F-Sport. Every so often (maybe once every other week), I'll observe the VSC indicator appear after I slow down to a complete stop, such as at a traffic light. The indicator light remains on while I'm stopped. Once the traffic light turns green and I take my foot from the brake pedal to the accelerator, the car hesitates for a moment, as if trying to figure out how to gain traction, but I then get going, and the VSC light disappears and that's the end of it (usually until it happens again a few days or a couple weeks later). Whenever this happens, the road is flat and dry, so traction should be normal and no problem.

The only other piece of information that might be relevant is that I now believe I can reproduce similar behavior: if I'm at a traffic light, or even just parked, and I simply step down hard on the brake pedal, I observe that the VSC indicator light appears. Perhaps this is simply what is happening in the instances I have observed this when stopping at a traffic light. Still, I don't understand why pressing down on the brake pedal with a little extra pressure when parked would cause the VSC light to appear. Is this normal behavior? Only the VSC light appears in these instances, no other indicators or warnings appear. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

That's the hill hold feature. Nothing to worry about.

 

I think it's only for the 2013 cause my 2014 doesn't do that. If I'm on a hill it just holds the car in place until I accelerate, no lights.

 

Gotta apply some good force to the brake pedal. It's there. Once activated, it only holds for 3 seconds or or until you accelerate. Your car not rolling back is due to the positive forward movement of the engine at idle and the transmission in drive. Given a decent incline on a road you'll surely roll back.

 

That's what I thought, but not on mine. I pushed the brake all the way in and hold it and no light comes on and when I'm on a steep incline, the car just hold the position when I release the brakes and wait until I accelerate, it does not roll back.

 

Let off the brake, does it not move, and then after a few seconds beep twice and start rolling forward? If yes, you should be hearing one beep when VSC starts to flash. While stopped, give the brake a quick push down to the floor and it should beep twice to deactivate and the light will stop flashing.

-Joe

 

Thanks all, and yes Joe, I get the same behavior as you've described, audible beeps and all. I'm guessing that at the times I've observed this while stopped at a light, I've unwittingly pressed down on the brake with enough force to engage this feature.

 

Turns out that mine does have it, I just wasn't pushing it hard enough and holding it long enough to trigger it.