VSC Saved Me

[Whiplash Willy]

The last couple of weeks the temps have been down well below freezing, with a little bit of snow here and there, but nothing that made my 4runner even flinch. Yesterday the temps had finally gotten above freezing (mid 30s) and it had been raining pretty much all day. No snow or ice to be seen anywhere.

Close to home there is a small and narrow 2 lane bridge that is about 2 car lengths long. It comes up after a tight corner, and a big dip. It is so narrow, that in normal conditions it can get pretty hairy, just passing a car going to other direction on the bridge at the same time.

Last night as I was approaching the bridge, I was coasting at about 30mph. The other direction a big commercial grade flatbed truck was coming my way, and it looked like we would end up passing each other on the bridge. As soon as I got on the bridge, I hit a big patch of black ice, and my 4runner started rotating counter-clockwise(maybe about 1 ft). In an instant, I saw a flashing orange light on the cluster, and that ABS noise kicked in. In less then a second, the 4runner had pointed itself back in the right direction, and I was safely across the bridge! That is the first time I have ever experienced skid control, and I have to say I am very impressed and glad I have it! I am pretty good with car control, but I am pretty sure that if I didn't have VSC, I would have either hit the guard rail, the commercial truck, or both!

It all happened in a flash and an instant, and with how little room there is on that bridge, I am amazed I didn't hit anything, and that the VSC was able to point me in the right direction, even on black ice! I am very thankful that Toyota developed this system and put it on our 4runners.

 

[jrandom]

When sliding sideways is not fun. Glad it all worked out

 

[dekeman]

Yep, it can be a life saver for sure.
Porsche's Stability Management uses the acronym PSM — or Please Save Me.

 

[BigredTEX]

I could not agree more. With the ice here in Dallas earlier this week I got to test the VSC several times, unintentionally, and it works quite well. Living in Texas we don't get to drive on snow and ice too often and it's good to know some of the nanny systems really do work.

 

[eddiebx]

Glad you made it through safely! It's stories like this that people should read before complaining about all the "unnecessary" nannies Toyota builds into these vehicles. No matter how great of a driver we think we are, sometimes the computer can do it better

 

[2011T4RLE]

I just wish that the DAC didnt sound like a bull in a china shop during operation.

 

[FrontRange4Runner]

It has saved me once before also. It's amazing how fast it reacts and how well it works. A lot of people like to complain about these systems, right up until it saves their arse.

 

[Xtremefalcon]

Ah, a fellow Portlander / Clark County member! How 'bout this recent weather?! Kinda wish we had had more snow though! *aww shucks snaps fingers* :cry2:

The system indeed is great at what it does, I'm glad to hear to preformed flawlessly for 'ya! Would have been crappy hearing the bad end of this story on the news then reading a post had things gone wrong.

The biggest complaint I have on the system is though - I wish that Toyota had implemented a (for the 4th gens) way to quickly and easily (from factory) disable VSC and traction control due to how horribly they can affect off road performance. Snow being the biggest reason to loath the system thus far in my opinion. It'll stop me dead in my tracks while in two wheel drive, where I've been able to walk up spots in vehicles without it just by keeping momentum, and a little bit of wheel spin going. And it makes for no fun when trying to drift around snow covered empty parking lots and off road spots.

 

[jbstrd]

I have not experienced it on ice yet, but mine always tries to kill me on dry pavement by pulling me out of turns into oncoming traffic.:lookout:

 

[NoDak]

its a blessing and a curse depending on road condition.

on a slight icy road or snow covered road that has traction patches it works great. but if that same road is covered completely in ice and it kicks in, it works against you sometimes since its locking up the wheels briefly on ice which amplifies the sliding sideways.

worse if you have it kick in during a curve. those are fun

found out the other day that if you engage the ABS coming to a stop and slide up to a stop sign (mind you i was doing less than 5-10 mph) the brake assist engaged full bore, couldnt modulate the pressure correctly to actually shorten the stopping distance to make sure ABS didnt kick in and slide sideways to a stop.

going to have to adjust the brake pressure i apply in those situations to ensure the brake assist doesnt go full bore when trying to feather the brakes.

 

[CXS]

It has saved me once before also. It's amazing how fast it reacts and how well it works. A lot of people like to complain about these systems, right up until it saves their arse.

I couldn't agree more! I was caught in a spring snowstorm/blizzard coming home from Moab hauling my travel trailer and it was just nasty. Had to detour through Leadville (should have gotten a hotel) and on a long curve I felt the slide start and figured the truck, trailer and ourselves were in big trouble. Nanny kicked in and we came right out of the slide. I love the system!

 

[pacho]

 

[Orc]

This happened or me in my 07 taco I hit the guard rail after doing a 360. All of a sudden the truck drifted to the left and kept going. VSC is really a good thing.

It really helps for the roads you don't want to engage 4x4 due to so much dry pavement but possible ice and sparse snow.

 

[JAF707]

Sounds familiar, does it happen to be off Baseline Rd. In Aloha?

 

[WFO_Racer]

:tongue1:

When sliding sideways is not fun. Glad it all worked out

Well not in our glorified station wagons, but lots of fun in a sports car.

 

[1engineer]

its a blessing and a curse depending on road condition.

on a slight icy road or snow covered road that has traction patches it works great. but if that same road is covered completely in ice and it kicks in, it works against you sometimes since its locking up the wheels briefly on ice which amplifies the sliding sideways.

worse if you have it kick in during a curve. those are fun

found out the other day that if you engage the ABS coming to a stop and slide up to a stop sign (mind you i was doing less than 5-10 mph) the brake assist engaged full bore, couldnt modulate the pressure correctly to actually shorten the stopping distance to make sure ABS didnt kick in and slide sideways to a stop.

going to have to adjust the brake pressure i apply in those situations to ensure the brake assist doesnt go full bore when trying to feather the brakes.

It's not the brake actuation pressure (how hard you press your foot on the pedal) but the speed of actuation (how fast you press the brake pedal) that activates the brake assist. I have written several posts on this throughout the years so search them up. Bottom line though is you can press as hard as you want without activating brake assist as long as you slow down your foot a bit. It took me awhile to condition myself to not be so quick with the brake pedal actuation unless I want to come to a stop REALLY SCARY QUICK. You can hit it quick just don't press it quick lol.

 

[NoDak]

I do remember that post from a while back. but it just felt odd on the 2nd application of the brakes. the feedback from the brakes felt harder the 2nd & 3rd touch and the abs kicked in immediately on the 2nd & 3rd application.

I couldn't modulate the brakes like before at impending lockup, even with the transmission in neutral to remove the push from the drive train.

guess I just have to retrain myself from the Subaru and compensate for the extra weight compared to the Subaru.

 

[Whiplash Willy]

Thanks everybody! That could have been a really bad end to a long day!

Ah, a fellow Portlander / Clark County member! How 'bout this recent weather?! Kinda wish we had had more snow though! *aww shucks snaps fingers* :cry2:

The system indeed is great at what it does, I'm glad to hear to preformed flawlessly for 'ya! Would have been crappy hearing the bad end of this story on the news then reading a post had things gone wrong.

I wish it would really snow, or do nothing at all. I am pretty impressed how my 4runner handled the little snow (mostly ice) we got though, even on stock bridgestones. I am starting to get tired though of all of the de-icer and gravel ODOT is throwing down, especially when their is no precipitation and the lows are above freezing....it is a waste of money, and not good for my 4runner!

Sounds familiar, does it happen to be off Baseline Rd. In Aloha?

Close, off TV Highway, by Cornelius Pass, there is a golf course. The road in front of that golf course is where it happened.

 

[4RunningIdaho]

Here in Idaho I have the chance as well to kick in the VSC, I have been playing around with it a little on some snow and Ice. My question is does the accelerator need to be engaged for the system to work, so not coasting?

 

[Jeremy556]

Here in Idaho I have the chance as well to kick in the VSC, I have been playing around with it a little on some snow and Ice. My question is does the accelerator need to be engaged for the system to work, so not coasting?

VSC works coasting

TRAC only operates with throttle input