VSC and VSC Off Lights - Limp Mode
Anyone know if we can still get the car fixed by dealership under the Toyota Dconomic Loss Settlement? My 98 GS400 had the CEL, VSC, and VSC OFF lights come up today while I was driving home. 150k miles. First time these lights have ever come on. They came on as I was exiting the freeway and ss I was slowing down to a stop I felt the car vibrate a few times and then it stopped. Drove a few more streets, but no more vibrations. Lights were still on. Will be getting the CEL checked out tomorrow.
Last edited by LexusK; Sep 8, 2017 at 08:55 AM.
if you have a gs300 make sure you get the screen assembly, the V8's are internal
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/per...ve-filter.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/per...ve-filter.html
if you have a gs300 make sure you get the screen assembly, the V8's are internal
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/per...ve-filter.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/per...ve-filter.html
So I was able to get the plug off fine, but that was because the retaining clip basically broke right off. That thing was brittle! I just plugged it back in once I got the OCV valve back in. Hoping that it doesn't slide up and disconnect itself...
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Joined: Nov 2019
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From: Ca
Help
The Main ECU and all the wires to and from it...thats all thats left...UNLESS you got a used TB with the exact same problem as your old one....but I thought you said you also tried replacing the TPS and Lever Assembly as well ???
Im thinking youve got a wire/harness problem...unless for some reason Bad signals from the MAS Sensor or O2 Sensors are somehow throwing the TPS/ACC PED codes...
honestly, as much as I hate to say this: Its time to take to a Lexus dealer, tell them youve replaced the entire TB, the ABS/VSC module, the Yaw sensor, and pay them $135 to diagnose the problem.
When they know youve already done so much, it will be difficult for them to say "Oh, its the TPS Sensor"...
BTW: Where was the Yaw sensor?
Im thinking youve got a wire/harness problem...unless for some reason Bad signals from the MAS Sensor or O2 Sensors are somehow throwing the TPS/ACC PED codes...
honestly, as much as I hate to say this: Its time to take to a Lexus dealer, tell them youve replaced the entire TB, the ABS/VSC module, the Yaw sensor, and pay them $135 to diagnose the problem.
When they know youve already done so much, it will be difficult for them to say "Oh, its the TPS Sensor"...
BTW: Where was the Yaw sensor?
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 1
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From: washington
174k
Hey guys I have a 98 gs300 I got a month ago from auction. It was running fine until last week and check engine, vsc and vsc off came on then flashing CEL. We didn’t drive more than a mile to get the codes read once it was flashing. Really hard time accelerating, misfiring, and before we made it home it lost power.
we were getting code po302, we changed all spark plugs and then it wouldn’t stay powered on more than a minute, got a throttle body sensor code, sprayed it with some cleaner and the code went away but still wouldn’t stay on, added some gas and now it will stay on and no codes so far but still misfiring and chugging at idle.
we are doing the coil today for the original 302 code, but just curious if anyone as any suggestions sense this thread seems to have a lot of info.
ive read through most of it but I am feeling overwhelmed with info lol
also when we changed the spark plugs there was A LOT of oil in the chambers of the middle and back ones (first set didn’t have any). After we got it back running again there was some “white smoke” (more like steam) coming from right around the throttle body. It wasn’t very much at all, but worth mentioning. No overheating in the car.
we were getting code po302, we changed all spark plugs and then it wouldn’t stay powered on more than a minute, got a throttle body sensor code, sprayed it with some cleaner and the code went away but still wouldn’t stay on, added some gas and now it will stay on and no codes so far but still misfiring and chugging at idle.
we are doing the coil today for the original 302 code, but just curious if anyone as any suggestions sense this thread seems to have a lot of info.
ive read through most of it but I am feeling overwhelmed with info lol
also when we changed the spark plugs there was A LOT of oil in the chambers of the middle and back ones (first set didn’t have any). After we got it back running again there was some “white smoke” (more like steam) coming from right around the throttle body. It wasn’t very much at all, but worth mentioning. No overheating in the car.
Last edited by Amandabr4; Dec 1, 2019 at 09:11 AM.
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Limp mode in Lexus Gs300 Year 2000
I have read most of the comments and replies in this post , seems like there is no one right answer of this problem. I bought my lexus GS300 model year 2000 . It has 250K miles on it. It ran smooth for a month , then suddenly one fine morning i got VSC & Check Engine Lights and i cant simply accelerate car. Used my OBD2 scanner , and found code 1121 . went online and came to know that its related to TPS Sensor. I moved forward to remove full throttle body. Car went smooth for another month and later same thing happened. Now i m removing my battery cable wires each time i get this problems and car goes fine for a week or so. But this is getting a permanent problem. I ran another detailed computer test from one mechanic and got a code of C1201 , related to ABS System. Mechanic told me that car is not going to limp mode because of this code and Replacing full ABS System is not cost Worthy. Any Suggestions.
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From: DE
im getting p1125 code. I was told to try to run the tps and the aps parallel to each othe to fool the ecm. DO you think this may work until I can get a replacement? What is the website yall are using to get a throttle body replacement??
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Joined: Sep 2014
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From: Maryland
wow very very common issue. my 2000 GS300 is doing the same thing got the car from someone who gave up on the issue after 3 months. have code P1125 checked the wiring following the service manual. All ok. swapped entire throttle body from my 98 GS300 onto my 2000. Cleared codes. fired up soon as it got warm same issue. cleaned MAF gonna re check engine harness it looks funny since the engine was replaced at some point.
1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2025
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I wanted to start a thread specifically about failures within the throttle body concerning the GS300 (1998 in my case)
My symptons were:
VSC, VSC OFF, and ENGINE Lights would come on, followed by my car going into "Limp" Mode, where only that last 25% (if that) of the throttle would respond (basically have to floor the pedal to even move at all).
During the mornings, or when the engine was COLD, the throttle operated normal...then once the car warmed up, usually at about 10 mins, the problem would start...it happened intermitantly at first...1 or 2 days over the course of a week, then it became more consitent, until last week it became a daily problem.
The first part I tried was the Throttle Position sensor, which is on the front side of the throttle body, and the easiest thing to replace...this didnt help at all. $300 part from Lexus, $80 part from RockAuto.com (exacly same part toyota OEM)
THE PART THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM:
===========================================
"THROTTLE CONTROL Motor", which is the long-larger electrical object next to the TPS on a 98 GS300. Problem is solved.
Lexus Part: The Lexus OEM Part NUmber:89672-30020 = $293.54 from Lexus Dealer (Confirmed Arrowhead Lexus of Arizona, Aug 28, 2009)
The Codes I got were P1120 and P1121 - Accelerator Sensor problem. However it wasnt really the Accelerator Sensor, it was the electrical Motor that controls the opening of the Butterfly valve inside the Throttle body.
I found the problem by good old trouble shooting, and using an ohm meter to see if the throttle electric motor was getting voltage, I found that the elec motor just to the left of the TPS was basically freaking out and shutting down. The Accelerator Pedal Sensor is on the Back-side of the throttle body where the throttle cable connects to, and has a spring on it. It was fine.
GS300's are indeed "drive by wire" concerning the throttle...the cable triggers the Accel Pedal Sensor, which sends a signal to the ECU, the ECU then sends power to the Idel Valve Elec Motor (next to the TPS), which opens and closes the mechanical butterfly valve, then thru a set of internal gears, the TPS sensor detects how far the elec motor is actually opening the butterfly valve...its a closed-loop feed-back system, meaning any failure in any sensor will cause the entire systm to fail.
The throttle cable apparently is ONLY there to allow the fail-safe of having that last 10-25% throttle when the electronic system fails...there is a gearbox inside the throtle body which allows the tail end of the throttle to manually engage the butterfly valve...the rest of the time, the butterfly valve is 100% opened and closed via the idle control motor.
My symptons were:
VSC, VSC OFF, and ENGINE Lights would come on, followed by my car going into "Limp" Mode, where only that last 25% (if that) of the throttle would respond (basically have to floor the pedal to even move at all).
During the mornings, or when the engine was COLD, the throttle operated normal...then once the car warmed up, usually at about 10 mins, the problem would start...it happened intermitantly at first...1 or 2 days over the course of a week, then it became more consitent, until last week it became a daily problem.
The first part I tried was the Throttle Position sensor, which is on the front side of the throttle body, and the easiest thing to replace...this didnt help at all. $300 part from Lexus, $80 part from RockAuto.com (exacly same part toyota OEM)
THE PART THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM:
===========================================
"THROTTLE CONTROL Motor", which is the long-larger electrical object next to the TPS on a 98 GS300. Problem is solved.
Lexus Part: The Lexus OEM Part NUmber:89672-30020 = $293.54 from Lexus Dealer (Confirmed Arrowhead Lexus of Arizona, Aug 28, 2009)
The Codes I got were P1120 and P1121 - Accelerator Sensor problem. However it wasnt really the Accelerator Sensor, it was the electrical Motor that controls the opening of the Butterfly valve inside the Throttle body.
I found the problem by good old trouble shooting, and using an ohm meter to see if the throttle electric motor was getting voltage, I found that the elec motor just to the left of the TPS was basically freaking out and shutting down. The Accelerator Pedal Sensor is on the Back-side of the throttle body where the throttle cable connects to, and has a spring on it. It was fine.
GS300's are indeed "drive by wire" concerning the throttle...the cable triggers the Accel Pedal Sensor, which sends a signal to the ECU, the ECU then sends power to the Idel Valve Elec Motor (next to the TPS), which opens and closes the mechanical butterfly valve, then thru a set of internal gears, the TPS sensor detects how far the elec motor is actually opening the butterfly valve...its a closed-loop feed-back system, meaning any failure in any sensor will cause the entire systm to fail.
The throttle cable apparently is ONLY there to allow the fail-safe of having that last 10-25% throttle when the electronic system fails...there is a gearbox inside the throtle body which allows the tail end of the throttle to manually engage the butterfly valve...the rest of the time, the butterfly valve is 100% opened and closed via the idle control motor.
it ended up being I swapped idle air control valve tps got a used throttle lever from junk yard new o2s new ignition coils spark plugs and wires. ended up being corroded ignition coil wires check those wires people
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