Traction Control on 2007 4Runner SR5

[smackitsakic]

Greetings!

This is my first post - glad to be here.

My wife and I recently purchased a 2007 Toyota 4Runner and, living in Canada, are needing to use the 4HI quite often. When we're not using it but are driving in town when the roads are slick, and when we're using it on slick roads, the traction control continually kicks in and essentially kills the power to the wheels and limits your ability to control the vehicle.

My concern with this is if you're ever in an intersection and this occurs, leaving you slow to get out of the intersection, leaving you vulnerable to be side-swiped.

Is there ANY way to turn this off in 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive modes?

Thanks so much!

 

[chayos00]

Greetings!

This is my first post - glad to be here.

My wife and I recently purchased a 2007 Toyota 4Runner and, living in Canada, are needing to use the 4HI quite often. When we're not using it but are driving in town when the roads are slick, and when we're using it on slick roads, the traction control continually kicks in and essentially kills the power to the wheels and limits your ability to control the vehicle.

My concern with this is if you're ever in an intersection and this occurs, leaving you slow to get out of the intersection, leaving you vulnerable to be side-swiped.

Is there ANY way to turn this off in 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive modes?

Thanks so much!

If your 07 is like my 08 I have a button on the left side of the steering wheel on the dash, it shows a vehicle with squiggly lines behind it. If memory serves me right I believe it's a press and hold thing, then u should get the same picture in the dash lit up.

 

[smackitsakic]

I don't believe I have that?

The only button that I have (that I know of) to the left of the steering wheel is the differential lock button. Is it near there?

 

[morphius909]

There is no killswitch for the 2007 4runner and the VSC/Trac.

I believe the 2008 came with one though.

A lot of folks on here have tapped in and made it a kill switch.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Link in my sig... VSC off mod explains the VSC 'kill switch' more.

The other work around for your issue is to lock the center diff momentarily. When it's locked the VSC is off. As Morphious said the factory didn't offer a VSC defeat switch on the 4wd model until '08. It kinda stinks:bash: My switch mod works very well but it's not as 'factory' as the '08. To upgrade to full '08 spec isn't financially practical as you'd need to buy some '08 computers...

:cheers:

 

[chayos00]

As Morphious said the factory didn't offer a VSC defeat switch on the 4wd model until '08.

Well I always wondered why you guys had to mod your vehicle for the VSC off mod. I never looked at to why, since mine had the switch.

 

[Will_4R]

Be careful about "needing" Awd or 4wd. If conditions are so bad you actually need it, you also need something to help with breaking, like chains or studs or better tire. Awd/4wd helps you get going and that is all. This can be wrose because you inadvertantly end up driving faster than you should for the conditions. Your acceration traction should be proportional to your stopping traction.

If you really are in bad enough conditions for Awd, lock the centre diff putting you in 4wd. This will disable the VSC. 4wd is not as ideal for general driving, especially on pavement. Save it for deep snow and/or steep hills and stuff.

In general, Awd (4hi centre diff unlocked) should be better for slippery roads than 4wd (centre diff locked) the VSC is there to help in situations where you lose control, and reportedly works well. The problem of cutting the throttle, in general, is more of a concern in situation where you want to floor it to get going or keep going (off road, deep snow, mud etc.). Although this might be a problem in some emergency road situations, overall, you are probably better with VSC than without it. If the you are in deep snow and conditions are truely aweful, just lock the centre diff to disable it. In situations where you don't want VSC, you probably want the centre diff locked anyway.

How bad is the throttle cutting anyway? I have tried in deep snow and mud to spin the tires and get it to work, but I have not, or it cuts it so little I don't really notice. It seems to me you would really have to spin the tires like crazy to get it cutting throttle. I wouldn't think crazy tire spinning is something you should be doing on road, even to avoid a crash. More controlled throttle is probably better.

 

[SSt4r]

The throttle cutting can be bad for the situations he described. I've had it happen. Trying to pull out from intersection and a slight slip kicks in VSC and I've lost all power to get out of the way of an oncomming car that probably can't stop (because its slippery). Not that I need to drive FAST, but there are times I need to ACCELERATE quickly. That's why I'm doing the mod.

That said, I agree VSC is better to have on MOST of the time. It saved my but once: On a snowy (but plowed) narrow road, I caught the right front tire in the plowed bank of snow on the right shoulder. This began to set me up to put me in a spin. VSC kicked in and almost over corrected (began to fishtail other direction) but continued working and straightened me out. I'm convinced I couldn't have saved it myself that time. It really worked. So......... great to have it but there are times you need to cancel it.

 

[4runnerforum]

i agree , sometimes i like to control situations by "drifting" a slipprey corner , or throwing the rear end ............ in the right snow covered conditions .. i , as well , find limitation with the traction control ... but made for average everyday drivers it is beneficial , if you truly know advanced technique .. you MAY be limited in your options , i have experienced the throttle cut/anti-lock when I was actually fully aware of the situation but my response was looking for extra quick power to correct ....
Also , completely disagree with the post above re: 4-lock on the road ... that will put most people in far more trouble than 4-free diff. the guy makes a valid point about certain situations needing more throttle than governance regardless if his "middle of the intersection" example holds true (yes controlled throttle in that application). A professionaly trained driver of advanced techniques on and off road will find situations where his / her instinct is contrary to the computer. Alter your driving style or alter the computer system. Similar stories presentd themselves first when anti-lock brakes came about andthe computer clearly won that debate .... drivers adapted ... well the one's know how to drive anyway .. not the one' that still brnig their vehicles in for service cause of the pulsating .. lol , the thing good about the toggle is you can turn it back on for "others"

 

[Kmvreter]

Greetings!

This is my first post - glad to be here.

My wife and I recently purchased a 2007 Toyota 4Runner and, living in Canada, are needing to use the 4HI quite often. When we're not using it but are driving in town when the roads are slick, and when we're using it on slick roads, the traction control continually kicks in and essentially kills the power to the wheels and limits your ability to control the vehicle.

My concern with this is if you're ever in an intersection and this occurs, leaving you slow to get out of the intersection, leaving you vulnerable to be side-swiped.

Is there ANY way to turn this off in 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive modes?

Thanks so much!

Welcome. Lots of good advice in the posts above.
Turn VSC off in 4x4 mode using the diff lock switch.
No way to turn it off in 2wd, except by modding it, but if this is happening frequently you have 2 other options. First, change your driving style (don't get in the situation in the first place, yet this is sometimes unavoidable) or second (no one else has mentioned this), get better all season or dedicated winter tires. I'll bet your OEM tires (Doneflops?) are wearing so you have less traction.

 

[Shemmer]

Greetings!

This is my first post - glad to be here.

My wife and I recently purchased a 2007 Toyota 4Runner and, living in Canada, are needing to use the 4HI quite often. When we're not using it but are driving in town when the roads are slick, and when we're using it on slick roads, the traction control continually kicks in and essentially kills the power to the wheels and limits your ability to control the vehicle.

My concern with this is if you're ever in an intersection and this occurs, leaving you slow to get out of the intersection, leaving you vulnerable to be side-swiped.

Is there ANY way to turn this off in 2 wheel and 4 wheel drive modes?

Thanks so much!

Agreed 100% VSC in deep snow will leave you virtually motionless at a red light or stop sign. Switching to Diff Lock sometimes takes too long at that moment where it would be better to just accelerate even though wheel spin occurs at least you will be moving somewhat.

I've read through the posts regarding the mod but it's not clear if it will work on V6 models. Somewhere I read that it requires some additional wiring but I couldn't find a definite answer. Has anyone performed the V8 mod effectively on an 07 V6?
Dam I just wish the 07's just came with the switch. Would it have been so hard?

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Agreed 100% VSC in deep snow will leave you virtually motionless at a red light or stop sign. Switching to Diff Lock sometimes takes too long at that moment where it would be better to just accelerate even though wheel spin occurs at least you will be moving somewhat.

I've read through the posts regarding the mod but it's not clear if it will work on V6 models. Somewhere I read that it requires some additional wiring but I couldn't find a definite answer. Has anyone performed the V8 mod effectively on an 07 V6?
Dam I just wish the 07's just came with the switch. Would it have been so hard?

My '07 V6 4wd works well with the mod as outlined in the link contained within my signature.

 

[Iowa4Runner]

My '07 V6 4wd works well with the mod as outlined in the link contained within my signature.

Have you tried breaking the connecting wire between the two ECUs instead of grounding it? It's great for those who want to disable VSC and A-TRAC and it doesn't even turn on the center diff locked light (on my '04). The catch is you have to shut the engine off to return it to normal operation.

What sucks about this whole thing is I did this mod before I found Bulldog's write-up and didn't realize how easy it was to access the 4WD ECU. I did my work at the Skid Control ECU and it was a huge pain.