Hi folks

I'm a big Toyota fan (I drive a Tundra) and this week we finally got rid of the wife's HHR and replaced it with a 2008 Scion xB.

She loves it and we got a very good deal on it, but there's one thing that I'm puzzled about. It looks like an aftermarket mod - an on/off toggle switch next to the TCS switch.

I pulled off the panel and found two wires - one to ground and another (to I can't tell where) that's been cut.

I don't expect anybody to tell me "Oh, that's easy it's a..." but I am hoping that you might be able to point me in the right direction to gather further info to help figure out what it is.

Here are some pics and I'd be very grateful for any thoughts that you might have. The last one may be the most useful, since it shows the direction that the cut wire heads off in, after the switch.

 

Might have had some aftermarket lighting. Have you traced the wire as far as possible?

 

Fog lights?
Don't worry if it doesn't do anything.

Good luck with the XB and welcome.

 

It's the switch that turns me on.










FYI.

 

Guess I'm stupid, what and where is the "TCS" switch"? The only switch I added to my 2008 was the Scion Security indicator on the center console.Sounds as though you're looking at something different.

 

You hit that switch at 88 mph...You're gonna some some serious ____!

 

hahahahaha^


But in seriousness the 2 wires are cut so there is no use for them. Nothing will happen. More than likely was some form of lighting. I put a switch for my amp there to turn them on and off.

 

Thanks for the replies, folks.

To answer the questions, there doesn't appear to be any aftermarket lighting fitted and the last pic is as far as I've traced it - not very far at all. I'll try to trace it further when I get a chance.

I'd thought about a Flux Capacitor, but couldn't see any sign of one. An amp is a possibility that hadn't occurred to me, though and it's a bit reassuring because I had a nagging fear in the back of my mind that it might have been for a Nitro injector!

 

Lighting is my guess....under ground lighting kit, Halos, Fogs.....Or maybe a Kill Switch!!

 

It also could have been some kinda ground for an aftermarket stereo to bypass the parking break... possibly.

 

It could activate the continuum transfunctioner...

 

whoever sold it to you should have explained what it used to be for, or at least take it out completely lol.

 

TCS- Traction Control Switch. You can turn the Traction control off and on while driving but it is automatically turned on when you start the car up each time

The TCS switch is located on a panel around the area near where your left knee is when sitting in the drivers side of the car. Next to a bunch of blank slots (for adding blue tooth(on pre 2012 XB) and fog lights

It is easy to miss and I did not notice mine. It is not near where you put the security light/vibration sensor for the alarm but on other Toyota cars (like Corolla) that panel that houses the TCS would also house the security light

 

That's a simple toggle switch. If one side is to ground then it sent ground to something else. The most common thing would be to the parking brake wire on an indash unit to activate the video while driving. I would just pick up a a blank from ebay or the dealer and replace it unless you plan on using it for something else.

 

If you push and hold the tcs button for 6 seconds while at a dead stop, it will disable the tcs and vehicle stability system.