Need some help with traction control on 03 4runner

[2003Can4runner]

My dad has a 2003 Limited 4runner. my dad has had 4runners for as long as i can remember...they are fantastic trucks. He's always loved them because of their off road capability, but this truck doesnt' seem to be as capable mostly due to the traction control. Is it possible to turn it off? there is 4H and 4L and the center diff lock button beside the steering wheel. If you lock the center diff the VSC turns off, but the limited slip stays on. There was an instance where my dad was driving in a back lane after a snowfall and got stuck because he couldnt' spin the tires! it just sat there and clicked and the engine kept stalling. since then, i took it out and have tried all combos to see if the limited slip can turn off and there is no way...its always on! how can you turn it off?

 

[JB.]

My dad has a 2003 Limited 4runner. my dad has had 4runners for as long as i can remember...they are fantastic trucks. He's always loved them because of their off road capability, but this truck doesnt' seem to be as capable mostly due to the traction control. Is it possible to turn it off? there is 4H and 4L and the center diff lock button beside the steering wheel. If you lock the center diff the VSC turns off, but the limited slip stays on. There was an instance where my dad was driving in a back lane after a snowfall and got stuck because he couldnt' spin the tires! it just sat there and clicked and the engine kept stalling. since then, i took it out and have tried all combos to see if the limited slip can turn off and there is no way...its always on! how can you turn it off?

You're right, TRAC, what you're calling limited slip, is always on. VSC, which can affect engine output, can be disabled with the center diff locked.

TRAC - traction control - is not always the same in its operation. It will act a little differently depending on power output from the engine. Off road, if gentle engine power is used, there is very little spinning of wheels with loose traction before TRAC corrects for it. With more engine power, it should not be hard to spin the wheels in the situation you described provided the center diff is locked. I can only attest to this behavior in 4-low, but it must be similar in 4-hi.