So I have an intermittent issue happening to my 2008 4Runner V8 SR5. About every tenth or fifteenth time I start the car, the dash lights up with the VSC Off, ABS and the vehicle with skid marks, as seen in the photo below. The vehicle does not show any codes when this happens, again, as seen in photo below. If anyone has any ideas for me on this, I would love to hear them. I am a bit stumped with no error codes. If I turn the car off and start it again, they go away, only to surface ten to fifteen starts later.

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It could be that the O-ring on the gas cap is not sealing, I know that those lights come on when that happens but can't remember if there's a check engine light as well, one thing you can try before buying a new cap is putting a little Vaseline on the O-rind so it will seal and see if that solve the issue for a while, if so then buy a new cap.

If that doesn't change anything you can try the Zero Point Calibration.

Some possibilities include reset computer (disconnect battery) and zero point calibration. Cause may have been initially connecting OBD2 scanner.
Some say their gas cap, but check engine is usually on also, and some say the third brake light bulb was out. The stop lamp brake switch is also a cause for these lights, it is located near the brake pedal, as you push the brake it causes a switch to acitvate and put the brake lights on, as well as tell the computer you have. It is fairly easy to replace and fairly cheap.

brake stop lamp switch

This is part of the post by fellow T4R member MicaBlue03

The specific behavior: On startup, the "VSC TRAC" and "VSC OFF" lights come on and stay on. The ABS light may or may not come on. On subsequent starts the lights will come on temporarily as usual (as a bulb check) and then go off. They come on again and stay on as soon as the 4Runner is moved. The "check engine" light does not come on. This behavior begins after the vehicle has been hooked to some sort of OBDII code reader or engine tester or data logger, etc. Though the lights are on, no standard OBDII problem codes are detected by a regular code reader.

The vehicle with skid marks is the "slip indicator light".

Read all of this;

One cause & fix for "VSC TRAC" & "VSC OFF" lights, Zero Point Calibration


And this;

VSC Trac ABS Slip Indicator Lights On
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Attached Files

Zero point calibration.txt (1.5 KB, 75 views)

My first thought was zero point calibration but it’s weird it goes off and comes back on fifteen starts later

Zero point calibration would come back on the second you start rolling again in my experience

I have had some “cheaper” obdII scanners set off some light on the dash for no reason (An older MAC reader mostly)

These suggestions are great and I would add in having a look at your ABS connectors at the hub. I accidentally ripped mine out a while again messing with the axle shaft and soldered it back together, works great until it gets wet, then the lights come up.

Good luck, let us know what you find

It doesn't show codes because there are no OBD errors. You'd need one of the fancier scanners to read from all the modules.

I am not an OBD2 reader expert but I did give his 3030 model a look and it appears as though it is supposed to give ABS codes. It does however seem the more expensive scanners give more info, but I don't know to what extent. So @sonicc , I guess that was stupid of me, it was basically what you said.

P.S. The 3030 model is called the Innova 3030 with ABS


So here is a question, Which came first, purchased the code reader because of the lights, or purchased a new code reader and had the lights after using it ???
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I already had the code reader, and after the lights came on, used it to try to diagnose the problem.

Thanks all for the suggestions! I will get to work and report back with my findings!

This happened to me. I did a 0 point calibration and it never came back.

Well, I have read through everything and attempted to do the zero point calibration, but can not get it to work. I read some info. that seemed to suggest that it needed to be in pin 12 and 4 on the newer models (mine is a 2008), instead of 14 and 4. I tried both, and can't get even the initial step to work.

The lights came on a few days ago, and remained on, even after turning the car off and restarting it again. After it sat over night, they have not come on again, after several short drives, including a two half hour trips yesterday.

I disconnected the battery today for an hour or so, and will see what happens next. If they come back on, I guess I will replace the gas cap first, then move on to the brake pedal sensor, since I cant get the ZPC to work.

Not trying to be a pain, just double checking some things.


You used the zero point method I posted above correct ?

the t4r is level?

It is in park, key on but not started ?

There are no check engine lights on ?

you are not shaking the car during the attempt ?

double checked the pin #'s ??

if your trying to short the two pins together using just a paperclip it is difficult, use the wire method to bring them out and give yourself some room.

Thanks!

Thought I would follow up on this. Didn't want to jinx it, but with as much as I have driven the truck, I think I am good now.

I could not get the ZPC to work, but with the lights coming on more and more, I wasn't sure that was the fix anyways.

Got the new brake position sensor and installed that, and lights are gone!

Love this forum! Thanks all!

^ this