VSC zeroed for loss of control?

[njsanna]

Im looking to purchase a 2003 SR5 V6 and found this service note as posted below on the Toyota owners website per the VIN. I tried searching for this and found a few threads about folks losing control but nothing really ever answered the question...except maybe a sensor was bad or that they needed VSC system zeroed. The truck is stock in every way and has 117,000 miles. This service was recorded 1,000 miles and 7 months ago, so maybe this issue scared the previous owner out of the car and its been bouncing around the auctions ssince then...?

Does zeroing solve the issue? Should it be zeroed every so often? What causes it to need to be zeroed? Should I be concerned?

Appreciate the thoughts...Subie guy considering going blind into Toyota ownership!






10TOZ 04/25/2014 DRIVEABILITY DRIVEABILITY ~|~CUSTOMER STATES VSC LIGHT ON, THEY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE ~|~ ~|~TECH FOUND CODE C1336, VSC SYSTEM NEEDED REZEROED. PERFORMMED ZERO POINT CALIBRATION, VSC OPERATING NORMAL
CUSTOMER PAY

00TOZFA 04/25/2014 FLUID ANALYSIS FLUID ANALYSIS ~|~PERFORM VITAL FLUID ANALYSIS ~|~ ~|~COMPLETE - FOUND TRANSMISSION, POWER STEERING, & BOTH DIFFERENTIAL FLUIDS DIRTY.
CUSTOMER PAY

01TOZMAT 04/25/2014 INSPECT.DRIVERS MAT INSPECT.DRIVERS MAT ~|~PER TOYOTA YOUR DRIVERS SIDE FLOOR MAT WAS INSPECTED FOR THE FOLLOWING: ONLY ONE MAT? PROPER MAT INSTAILED? MAT SECURED PROPERLY? ~|~ ~|~ONLY ONE MAT - INSTALLED PROPERLY & SECURED
CUSTOMER PAY

22TOZ 04/25/2014 RECALLS RECALLS ~|~BST RECALL ~|~ ~|~COMPLETE
WARRANTY PAY

ELSBOS 04/25/2014 RECALLS
WARRANTY PAY

22TOZ1 04/25/2014 RECALLS RECALLS ~|~90L RECALL ~|~ ~|~COMPLETE
WARRANTY PAY

1921B2 04/25/2014 RECALLS
WARRANTY PAY

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I wouldn't take the "lost control of the vehicle" statement to seriously. I've had customers who say they lost control of the vehicle when the tire skips once, so it could just be some little old lady exaggerating.

That being said, the '03 & '04 model 4Runners had the tendency to lose their ZPC (Zero Point Calibration) when the battery goes below about 12v for an extended period of time and/or occasionally when DTCs are reset. This can make the ABS/VSC system a bit over sensitive sometimes and engage when it doesn't have to.

Looking at the history more, I have a feeling that the customer engaged the BST and felt the engine be killed when they didn't want it to be; that may be what they are attributing as "loss of control. But when the ABS or VSC/TRAC system engages it can feel like you have no control to people not experienced in how these systems function.

Post Note-
How the hell do they do their "Fluid Analysis?"

 

[robtmc]

I'd have to re=read the tech manual again for the diagnostic procedure, but off the top of your head, how it is determined the VSC is operating normally?

Hopefully it is not just a test drive ant the thing does not go apeshiite.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I'd have to re=read the tech manual again for the diagnostic procedure, but off the top of your head, how it is determined the VSC is operating normally?

Hopefully it is not just a test drive ant the thing does not go apeshiite.

That's pretty much what everyone does, though I have noticed at times that when the ZPC is off the datalist item shows it as some other number besides "0" and after you do a ZPC the data point is reset to "0."

I just checked the FSM and there does some to be some voltage checks you can do to verify it is operating (though due to it being buried under the center console, I'd only bother with this if the ZPC isn't working and it keeps setting a DTC.)

 

[njsanna]

I wouldn't take the "lost control of the vehicle" statement to seriously. I've had customers who say they lost control of the vehicle when the tire skips once, so it could just be some little old lady exaggerating.

That being said, the '03 & '04 model 4Runners had the tendency to lose their ZPC (Zero Point Calibration) when the battery goes below about 12v for an extended period of time and/or occasionally when DTCs are reset. This can make the ABS/VSC system a bit over sensitive sometimes and engage when it doesn't have to.

That seemed to be the information I've been able to pick up from a few older threads but just wasn't sure if along the way someone had found a smoking gun (sensor or otherwise). Seems like a thread or two on here where folks mention having a true loss of control and end up in another lane or off the road.

Post Note-
How the hell do they do their "Fluid Analysis?"

Ha! I too was slightly confused at this...visual inspection? and how dirty is too dirty!?