October 1, 2007 – Torrance, CA - The Toyota Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system was first introduced in select Lexus models in 1997. The system was designed to help reduce lateral skids caused by sudden steering inputs or abrupt changes in road conditions on curves. Since its introduction, VSC has become available on a wide range of Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles.
Past studies have concluded that a significant number of one-car accidents resulting in serious injury are caused by lateral skidding conditions, and loss of driver control, often due to sudden steering input or changing road conditions on curves. The VSC system is designed to help reduce lateral skids through active control of the brakes and engine output, such as when the driver steers abruptly, or when turning on slippery road surfaces. VSC works in concert with the anti-lock brakes (ABS) and traction control (TRAC) systems to help prevent straight-line skids and lateral skids.
The VSC system harnesses the ABS and TRAC sensors, actuators, and computer electronics to help avoid and recover from vehicle skids and spins. A combination of three sensors - - a lateral G-sensor, yaw-rate sensor and steering-angle sensor - - detect when the vehicle's direction of travel does not correlate with driver steering inputs. It then uses throttle and selective brake intervention to help maintain the path of travel.
In the event of "fishtailing," VSC will command instantaneous braking on the vehicle's front outer wheel creating rotational power (or momentum force) to the outer side, helping the vehicle to stay on course. In cases where the vehicle skids toward the outside of the curve, braking on the rear inner wheel and reduced engine power are applied.
The VSC system also includes a slip indicator, which beeps to warn the driver the tires are about to exceed the grip limit.
The VSC system is standard equipment on all Toyota and Lexus sport utility vehicles (SUV), select Sienna vans, the Scion xB urban utility vehicle, and virtually all Lexus passenger cars. It is available as an option on nearly all other Toyota passenger cars and the Lexus ES and IS models.
Source: Toyota
THE_DON
10-09-2007, 09:23 PM
The VSC system is standard equipment on all Toyota and Lexus sport utility vehicles (SUV), select Sienna vans, the Scion xB urban utility vehicle, and virtually all Lexus passenger cars.
Any names stand out in there!
I was truly amazed back in 2004 that my $15k econo box had VSC, ABS and TRAC all standard.
It's a great feature to have. The technology is getting cheaper, and I'm sure this will become as normal as airbags.
-THE DON
djct_watt
10-09-2007, 10:38 PM
Nooooooo!!!!! I hate VSC and TRAC... It's the reason why I won't buy a Lexus IS. For my kind of driving, it's just too intrusive! I prefer BMW's system that doesn't kick in until you REALLY need it. At the taste of Lexus event, VSC beeped at me continuously throughout the entire test track. IMO, it's a system that is better suited and tuned for Camry's, and not performance oriented vehicles.
Phyre76
10-10-2007, 12:27 AM
you do know that you can turn off the VSC and TRAC, right?
emptystreets130
10-10-2007, 03:02 AM
yea there is an off switch on the is, gs, and ls.
djct_watt
10-10-2007, 03:53 AM
Yes, there's an off switch, but then it negates the idea of stability control. It's ideal to have on for 99% of driving, but it should only kick in when absolutely necessary. Plus, I thought that you could only turn it off when stopped.
VSC is fine for 90% of drivers. But I fall into a small niche of picky drivers.
emptystreets130
10-10-2007, 04:06 AM
Right, who needs any of those gadgets when you're drifting. ::wink::
midgethearsexb
10-10-2007, 04:19 AM
Right, who needs any of those gadgets when you're drifting. ::wink::
Yeah... I mean... What's better than drifting in a FWD car? Seriously! :P
midgethearsexb
10-10-2007, 04:32 AM
Nooooooo!!!!! I hate VSC and TRAC... It's the reason why I won't buy a Lexus IS. For my kind of driving, it's just too intrusive! I prefer BMW's system that doesn't kick in until you REALLY need it. At the taste of Lexus event, VSC beeped at me continuously throughout the entire test track. IMO, it's a system that is better suited and tuned for Camry's, and not performance oriented vehicles.
VSC sucks! Deatch to VSC and Traction Control! It has almost killed me plenty of times!
djct_watt
10-10-2007, 04:43 AM
Right, who needs any of those gadgets when you're drifting. ::wink::
Yeah... I mean... What's better than drifting in a FWD car? Seriously! :P
I do not condone drifting at all! I think it is a dumb and pointless sport... Having said that, there is a time and place when deliberate oversteer is useful...
...and that's when you are experiencing heavy understeer, entering a turn too hot. Often times this is the ONLY way to save yourself from crashing, but it isn't meant to be the fastest way to get around a corner (which would be to hit the apex).
In a FWD car, under heavy understeer, use the handbrake to take the load off the front tires, and then throttle can be used to pull the car towards the apex. A well balanced car paired with a driver can use lift throttle oversteer to create the same effect.
In a RWD car, all is needed is good throttle control for the same results.
But then again... This only applies to people who drive HARD and at or near the car's limit. Most people will never drive hard enough to understeer in the first place and won't know what to do if it happens. But the fact of the matter is that no stability control will ever save you from understeer, as it is a result of excessive turning forces. And being that stabilit control's primary focus is to prevent oversteer, it leaves you with no options except to ease the rate of turn... Which usually means crashing into a wall.
IMO, stability control is best suited to ONLY oversteer prone cars or those that have a tendency to roll over. It takes a LOT of intentional effort to oversteer a FWD car... But then again I live in sunny Los Angeles, where it never snows.
cessblood
10-10-2007, 10:54 PM
yea there is an off switch on the is, gs, and ls.
My ES 300 have an off switch
vooduguru
10-12-2007, 09:33 PM
Nooooooo!!!!! I hate VSC and TRAC... It's the reason why I won't buy a Lexus IS. For my kind of driving, it's just too intrusive! I prefer BMW's system that doesn't kick in until you REALLY need it. At the taste of Lexus event, VSC beeped at me continuously throughout the entire test track. IMO, it's a system that is better suited and tuned for Camry's, and not performance oriented vehicles.
VSC sucks! Deatch to VSC and Traction Control! It has almost killed me plenty of times!
Isn't that the point?
NotAllBad
10-14-2007, 07:04 AM
VSC is what saved my ___ last night, whew!
jiggadomino
10-21-2007, 07:17 AM
will it be on the new 09 tc though?
emptystreets130
10-21-2007, 12:19 PM
The government wants Stability Control and Side Impact Air Bags standard on ALL vehicle sold in the US by 2009 I think.
Scorpius01
11-11-2007, 05:24 PM
Right, who needs any of those gadgets when you're drifting. ::wink::
Yeah... I mean... What's better than drifting in a FWD car? Seriously! :P
I do not condone drifting at all! I think it is a dumb and pointless sport... Having said that, there is a time and place when deliberate oversteer is useful...
...and that's when you are experiencing heavy understeer, entering a turn too hot. Often times this is the ONLY way to save yourself from crashing, but it isn't meant to be the fastest way to get around a corner (which would be to hit the apex).
In a FWD car, under heavy understeer, use the handbrake to take the load off the front tires, and then throttle can be used to pull the car towards the apex. A well balanced car paired with a driver can use lift throttle oversteer to create the same effect.
In a RWD car, all is needed is good throttle control for the same results.
But then again... This only applies to people who drive HARD and at or near the car's limit. Most people will never drive hard enough to understeer in the first place and won't know what to do if it happens. But the fact of the matter is that no stability control will ever save you from understeer, as it is a result of excessive turning forces. And being that stabilit control's primary focus is to prevent oversteer, it leaves you with no options except to ease the rate of turn... Which usually means crashing into a wall.
IMO, stability control is best suited to ONLY oversteer prone cars or those that have a tendency to roll over. It takes a LOT of intentional effort to oversteer a FWD car... But then again I live in sunny Los Angeles, where it never snows.
Yup, we all drive like race car drivers on the street. Requirements for a race track and street driving are always different.
Any person driving at the limit on the street in their car is an idiot. The point has been already brought up that you can turn off the trac/vsc system on the IS, now letting the driver use all their skill to race around those corners in the neighborhood and stop and go traffic. Using oversteer to run dough nuts around everyone.
shoultesy
11-13-2007, 06:47 PM
isn't VSC supposed to become mandatory on all cars by 2012?
emptystreets130
11-13-2007, 07:11 PM
somewhere around that time frame.
shoultesy
11-13-2007, 08:14 PM
I think that ABS is supposed to be mandetory then too... and RSCA by 2009... pretty soon they'll just give us rubber cars that drive themselves and helmets...
rspectc
12-07-2007, 07:02 AM
does anyone know if you can turn off the VSC and TRAC on the tc other than pulling the fuse?
emptystreets130
12-07-2007, 02:19 PM
tc does not have vsc or trac.
rspectc
12-08-2007, 07:48 AM
if you look in the fuse box it has a fuse for evsc. im guessing that stands for electronic vehicle stability control. unless it stands for something else...
emptystreets130
12-08-2007, 12:43 PM
nope doesn't stand for that. otherwise there would be a vsc light on the gauge. no tc has vsc.
Toyota's vsc system should be linked with the abs fuse or with one of the ecu fuses not a separated fuse.
rspectc
12-10-2007, 05:14 AM
i see.
nenascion
03-22-2008, 07:16 AM
Supp everybody. Have a ? for you all of you. My Vsc, track and chek eng. lights are all lit up on my dash. I took it in, and they are telling me that my sensors are messed up. Anysuggestions ??? I would hate to hace them break down my trans. just ot chencl out my problems.