Vsc, Trc Off, Engine Malf Lights All On

[Rossi46]

I got in the car last night and started the engine and switched the lights on.

The VSC warning light stayed on, along with the TRC OFF and engine malfunction indicator :o .

I'm assuming i've got a problem in my VSC, as in the manual it states the TRC OFF will illuminate in the event of a VSC problem.

I'm pretty sure the engine light has come on also as a result of the VSC.

Can anyone give me any advice before I have to take it to the dealers. I've only had the car 3 months and I took out a warranty so it should be covered.

I'm gonna check the fuses in a while and try and locate the VSC module if possible.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated ASAP please :)

[taximark]

This problem usually occurs on the MK 11 VVTI models, don't tell me the new diesels has it too, it will seriously put me off Toyota when i come to buying mine next year!

[Rossi46]

It's a MK2 2003 D4D mate, and yes it does have VSC.

....Or it did until yesterday. Any idea how to fix it?

[Rossi46]

Well i've disconnected/ re-connected the Battery which cleared it, after checking the fuses.

This obviously reset the module and went for a drive today and all was well (for now anyway).

I have to say, yet again i'm fairly disappointed no-one offered any advice. The only post other than mine was someone asking me for advice.

Hopefully it's a good sign, maybe these cars never go wrong (except for mine)

[Red Yaris 54]

I have to say, yet again i'm fairly disappointed no-one offered any advice. The only post other than mine was someone asking me for advice.

Hopefully it's a good sign, maybe these cars never go wrong (except for mine)

I think that your assumption there could be very correct.

If any fellow TOC members had experienced a similar problem I am sure that we would all have been informed.

You may yet get some replies, as I notice that your initial post was only made this morning at 10:21, and quite a lot of members may not have even loggged on to TOC since then. (Not everyone spends all the time on here )

If you are still not happy with your car then take it up with the supplying dealer as you have said that you have paid for an extended warranty.

Let us know how you get on

[Rossi46]

If you are still not happy with your car then take it up with the supplying dealer as you have said that you have paid for an extended warranty.

I bought the car 3 months ago with an independent warranty, but if there is a quicker way to sort a problem out without having to involve them I will go for the less hassle option. I have a technical background and know each model has it's own peculiarities, so was keen to sort it out that way.

I'm very happy with my car, even though it's had a few minor problems in 3 months.

I previously had a 1994 Lexus LS400 and had no problems with that in nearly 3 years so I was hoping having bought a less than 4 year old car with a full service history that I would have a relatively niggle free relationship with my Avensis.

[Chris Dance]

I have only just seen this thread. I had the VSC and TRC warning lights on. I have Avensis T4 53 plate. Dealer had it in and at first said it was a low Battery?? After putting up with it lights ON for a month or so I took it back to the dealers and the garage had been taken over and had new management. They found the problem: it was a loose electrical connection behind the steering wheel. This happened over a year ago. By the way the dealer made no charge as it was first reported under warranty.

I would have replied to this earlier if I had come onto the web site.

You could have looked up this fault on other threads on this site. It was discussed on several occassions in the past. If you do a search you should find where it was discussed.

Hope this helps.

Regards. Chris.

[bjw]

I had a similar problem with VSC and TRC warning lights coming on after about 30 minutes driving if you stopped the car and switched the ignition back on it would disappear for 30 minutes again .

I don't know what the problem was as I traded the car in ,I told the dealer and he did not seem to bothered but it was still under warranty

[Ringthane]

I had a similar problem with VSC and TRC warning lights coming on after about 30 minutes driving if you stopped the car and switched the ignition back on it would disappear for 30 minutes again .

I don't know what the problem was as I traded the car in ,I told the dealer and he did not seem to bothered but it was still under warranty

I would be dubious about the loose wire because this has indeed been discussed before in this forum and has happened to me on my Avensis Verso.

My symptoms would be that the lights for VSC and TRC would remain lit for anything up to a day and then go out again.

My dealership told me it was due to a faulty O2 sensor (lambda?) and replaced it during a service and the problem has not returned.

[Rossi46]

It's just happened again but I don't have time to reset the Battery before work tomorrow.

My warranty says it covers ABS and ECU's so I don't know whether to send it to the dealership for tests as you could argue VSC and TRC aren't strictly ABS.

Will the fault still be logged if I disconnect/ reconnect the Battery?

This along with the cold start problem and a few minor niggles is starting to make me wish i'd bought a Honda Accord instead :(

[Chris Dance]

Suggest you get the dealer to look into the problem. As I previously mentioned they fixed the same problem for me. I was told there is a connector block behind the steering wheel and that had come loose???

Hope you get it sorted.

[Rossi46]

I just got back from the Toyota dealer, who were looking into the VSC/ TRC Off fault.

The fault codes indicated faulty glow plugs(x4) and an ECU update required.

I originall changed the glow plugs a month or so ago to try and cure my cold start problem, but I reckon due to the fact they're not original Toyota parts it's snagging them as faulty. Still don't see how this ties in with VSC/TRC though.

As for my cold start problem the technician reckons my starter motor could be the problem, as he said 90% of D4D avensis starting faults are due to this. Apparently, if the ECU doesn't detect the crank speed is high enough it won't fire the injectors. Makes sense to me. I'm going back another time to have that diagnosed for definite, but for now i'm going to put my old genuine glow plugs back in and fit my Dension IPOD Icelink

Wish me luck :) .

[Chris Dance]

I cannot see the link here for your VSC/TRC fault. Glow plugs have nothing to do with it?????? Am I missing something?

[JohnYossarian]

I cannot see the link here for your VSC/TRC fault. Glow plugs have nothing to do with it?????? Am I missing something?

Hi Chris,

I have received exactly the same comment by the Toyota garage. They are very nice and have cleared it for me several times. The first two I was told there was nothing wrong(?) but the third time I was told that it is down to the glow plugs. My reaction was exactly the same as yours. I cannot see the link between VSC/TRC and glow plugs, unless it is something extremely complicated machinery behind it.

I have not tried disconnecting the Battery as I do not know ehether the radio for example would come back to life without a code (which I do not have, I suspect there should not be any, nothing is mentioned in the manual at least).

It is a very annoying issue as I am practically driving the car when it should be with the dealer (following the manual advice) and compromises the whole idea of faults' reporeting.

[paman]

I had the same problem 2 years ago.. (I'm in fourth year)

Suddenly all lights came up...... I switch off the car and back on and everything was ok....

I went to dealer they checked the "controller" and didn't find anything....

untill now i have no problem ........

I wish your problem to be just as mine.... nothing at all...

[Rossi46]

I recieved my £14.98 eBay OBD2 reader today and tried it on my 53 plate Avensis D4D.

My engine check light wasn't on but it went through a sequence and diplayed----, which means no errors (according to the book that it came with.)

If engine codes are logged it displays them one at a time and repeats the cycle 4 times (enabling you to retrieve the code and look it up in the provided manual.)

Once the sequence has finished it then extinguishes the engine check light.

For just under £15 it has to be worth keeping in the glove compartment, if only to reset the engine check light.

If I had this 2 years ago I wouldn't have had to keep calling the AA out every time our Mercedes went into limp mode when we were miles from home.

[JohnYossarian]

I recieved my £14.98 ebay OBD2 reader today and tried it on my 53 plate Avensis D4D.

My engine check light wasn't on but it went through a sequence and diplayed----, which means no errors (according to the book that it came with.)

If engine codes are logged it displays them one at a time and repeats the cycle 4 times (enabling you to retrieve the code and look it up in the provided manual.)

Once the sequence has finished it then extinguishes the engine check light.

For just under £15 it has to be worth keeping in the glove compartment, if only to reset the engine check light.

If I had this 2 years ago I wouldn't have had to keep calling the AA out every time our Mercedes went into limp mode when we were miles from home.

Hi Rossi,

Congrats on your latest purchase.

Would you post should the light comes up again whether the OBD2 managed to cure the problem?

I am tempted to go and buy one. Can you say the name (nick) of the seller, I would prefer to go for someone that can be trusted?

Cheers.

[saron]

I recieved my £14.98 ebay OBD2 reader today and tried it on my 53 plate Avensis D4D.

My engine check light wasn't on but it went through a sequence and diplayed----, which means no errors (according to the book that it came with.)

If engine codes are logged it displays them one at a time and repeats the cycle 4 times (enabling you to retrieve the code and look it up in the provided manual.)

Once the sequence has finished it then extinguishes the engine check light.

For just under £15 it has to be worth keeping in the glove compartment, if only to reset the engine check light.

If I had this 2 years ago I wouldn't have had to keep calling the AA out every time our Mercedes went into limp mode when we were miles from home.

Hi Rossi,

Congrats on your latest purchase.

Would you post should the light comes up again whether the OBD2 managed to cure the problem?

I am tempted to go and buy one. Can you say the name (nick) of the seller, I would prefer to go for someone that can be trusted?

Cheers.

[saron]

Hello Rossi.These cars are normally very reliable,have you tried checking 1-the condition of all the tyres,size and pressures.2-Is the steering wheel in correct straight ahead alignment.3-does the speedometer still work?.and last but not least has the car had any wheel alignment carried out lately.

regards jason.

[Rossi46]

Hi Saron

In answer to your questions

1-standard 17 inch alloys 8000 miles on the current tyres

2- Steering wheel is straight ahead

3- The speedo works

No alignment recently

Also, this fault has happened only twice in 4 months and is currently fine

As for the reader, i got it here

The OBD 2 reader

I'll post up if the lights come on again.

[AlanS.]

Rossi

sorry to dig this thread up, but i've got a problem with my ECU light atm.

which model of OBD II reader have you bought as i'm on the look out for one.

cheers!

[Anwar_H]

Hi Saron

In answer to your questions

1-standard 17 inch alloys 8000 miles on the current tyres

2- Steering wheel is straight ahead

3- The speedo works

No alignment recently

Also, this fault has happened only twice in 4 months and is currently fine

As for the reader, i got it here

The OBD 2 reader

I'll post up if the lights come on again.

Hi It's my first time on this forum. Did you ever manage to sort out the problem with the VSC \ TRC Off lights as I've got the same problem. Any help\advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

[Anwar_H]

Rossi

sorry to dig this thread up, but i've got a problem with my ECU light atm.

which model of OBD II reader have you bought as i'm on the look out for one.

cheers!

Hi

I've got a problem problem with the VSC \ TRC Off & engine lights. The car runs fine. Is this the problem you've got? You're the last person who has posted on this so I thought I'd check and see if you've managed to solve the problem. Any help\advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

[mobile armchair 2]

M

Took delivery of 2006 56-plate Avensis a month ago. Within two days, engine management malfunction light on, with VSC light and TRC off lights on too. Went back to supplier (non-franchised dealer) who had it analysed, no fault found. Came back with llights off, day after back on. Back to (apologetic) dealer, who sent it for further tests at diesel specialist, who found injector fault codes, but professed to being very surprised if it was. Reset it, sent it back. Two days later, same again, only this time engine at idle spped a little lumpy. Back to diesel specialist via dealer again, who tried cleaning EGR and checking EGR inlet valve and wiring to dashboard and to EGR before trusitng the injector fault code. Replaced two injectors (dealer paid for all this without question), and it now runs well and no further lights on after a week!

Fingers crossed, no idea whether tis little history helps, but reading other areas of this forum, it seems best to explore inexpensive possibilities first; some have shelled out for injectors and new valves and the lights have come straught back on. Fuel filter and making sure that air intake collar which causes vibrating noise and drags muck in also cheaper options before you get to the injectors ... think the two + all the computer hook-ups cost dealer around £400. I've been a lucky boy in that all went wrong in 1-month warranty period ...

[mobile armchair 2]

PS apart from slightly lumpy idling before injectors replaced, car was also running fine over long distances and had averaged 45 mpg, so not many clues it was fuel problem.