Yes there are plenty here that will say that they bought a $40k car and have no intention of seeing what it's capabilities are and shudder at the thought that anyone would want to turn off such a marvelous feat of engineering as the VSC/TRAC/VDIM,. Howver, for those of us who actually have an inkling about what it's like to drive a car above 90%, this thread's for you.

Most of you know that the VSC can be defeated with the pedal dance, though inconvenient, a fortunate feature saving a truly disasterous choice by Lexus in my view. So I have finally managed to design and build a small circuit board that simplifies the process.

It is currently in testing and works quite simply. Start the car as always, release the brakes, push the button until the VSC lights in a few seconds, and then drive as you choose not as Lexus does.

At some point I hope to make a few available to some of the enthusiasts here. It will probably void something on your warranty but such is the way of choice.

 

Very nice, where would you have to wire it into?

 

i'm guessing you could remove the traction control function and use the trac button? Otherwise you could get an oem switch by the sunshade button.

 

good job, I knew it was only a matter of time. I had the idea in my head, just didn't have the knowledge to make it happen.

So let me take stab at this.

One side goes to the parking brake microswitch.
The other side goes to the brake microswitch.

Press the button on the "gadget" and it does the "dance" for you.

awesome.

I want one!

 

Man, you just out of this world. A true Lexus entusiasenthusiast.

 

DIBS!! Simply amazing.

 

I'm in - if it's reversible.

 

Nice job. Your project should be a boon to those who want to bring their car to the track, to an autocross course, or to a drag strip and silence the electronic nannies.

Unless your goal is to make money selling these, why not post a parts list, schematic, and if you have the time, a construction write-up?

 

Awsome! Please keep us updated! I would love one!!!

 

Thanks guys (and gals?) It gets tapped into a few wires under the dash. For several reasons I would have liked to get the matching automotive connectors instead of using wire taps. The taps are minimally destructive in that they simply pierce the insulation on the wire to make a connection. Therefore they can be removed if need be.

Tonyxcom is basically right about the function of it. After several hours of debugging under the dash and many hours of laying out the schematic, I think it will finally work. The test unit on the breadboard worked in the car and the PCB version works on the bench, I just haven't had a chance to put it back in the car.

Using the existing TracOff button is possible. It has two leads for illumination and two for the switch action. Without a matching connector the only choice is to cut wires to abandon the existing switch leads and connect in my VSC defeat ones. I'm waffling on doing that. It will look cleaner but involve soldering to reconnect it back to stock.

Has anyone tried going to the Dealer and asking them to reprogram the TRACOFF for all speeds? Maybe it's possible. I only have 1800 miles on the ticker HAHA so I haven't been back to the Dealer.

Bichon, I don't think it will be a big money maker. I have a pretty good job and it's more of a labor of love but I don't want to be a slave to it either. At this point I'm considering many options. The design first has to be completely proven. I used to build specialty offroad parts and sell them in small quantities as a hobby and I don't want to put something out there that won't work. Posting up the parts list is in the list of options too. With the exception of the large chip, the components are available at Radio Shack. The nasty part is the backside of the PCB. It has a lot of connections. I worry that the average joe will not succeed in putting one together properly. Though there is little chance of doing electrical damage to the vehicle, that possibility is there too.

In any case we all will have an option to turn off the VSC easier. With luck the '07's won't have this issue.

 

Sounds good. Personally I would prefer to not tap into the existing TRAC button - my preference is for a button that is hidden from view but still easily accessible...behind the bottom edge of the steering column knee bolster for instance. You never know when some idiot at the dealer will decide to press your TRAC button while doing a post-service drive around the block and the last thing I want to do is make it easier for him to wrap it around a tree.

I'll buy one if you make them available.

 

07 will have a defeat button.

 

HaveBlue...that's pretty awesome.

richcrackr above is correct for the 07.

 

From my understanding, it will not defeat VDIM after you have driven the car, ie: at the stop lights, right?

regards, Bart.

 

There is really no real VDIM defeat w/the pedal dance. As for the switch on the 07, pressing the button will basically bypass the pedal dance to get the same result. But after you turn off the car and turn it back on, the system will start at the default.