Toyota Vehicle Stability Control & the 2009 Model year

When I originally went shopping for a new Tacoma, I was in the midst of the new 2009 releases hitting the sales floor. I wasn’t too concerned with whether the truck I got was ‘technically’ a 2008 or 2009, all I cared about was that it had the options that I was looking for; I knew what I wanted. Though we settled on a price for a 2008, it turns out that the option package they sold me on only exists on the 2009. So due to the hassle, the dealership has been nice enough to bestow upon me a 2009 for essentially the 2008, fully-rebated price. Sweet.

Well that’s strike one for the 2009/2008 model differences. There are others. Some that aren’t widely in literature yet, but that I have experience with. I thought I’d share to help some people’s search for answers out.

Prior to 2009, it seems that the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) that was available on the Tacomas was automatically shut off as soon as you entered 4WD. All the literature says so. All similarly-equipped vehicles act that way: the 4Runner, the FJ Cruiser, etc. But I had read in my manual for the 2009 some contradictory information, parts saying that VSC was off in 4WD, some other parts almost seeming to indicate that only 4WD-Lo caused it to shut off. In my initial experimentations on pavement, just pushing all the buttons, it seemed that from the dash indicators, that indeed in 4WD-Hi, the “off” lights stayed unlit.

I asked for clarification from the dealer, and their extended manuals unequivocally stated that indeed, the VSC systems turns off as soon as you entered 4WD at all. Of note though, was that this manual was printed in 2008. I was still a little wary of taking this answer as sound, even though the sales guy owns an FJ Cruiser that he said did adhere to this premise. His 2008, that is.

I had to wait to play with the Tacoma because I didn’t have a shell for the puppies until a month after the truck was purchased. And I wasn’t going anywhere without the dogs. But as soon as I got it, I was out at the local Bay to play in the sand a little. Put it into 4WD-Hi and hit the sand runnning. Take a few turns, and I hear *clack clack clack,* *Ding,* and see the VSC Activated light come on.

We have a winner, folks. Despite anything you may have read, in the 2009 models at least, VSC works in conjunction with 4WD-Hi. I can verify from personal experience.

It’s important on-road because for as long as 4WD-Hi has been around, the general consensus has been that in rain & slippery conditions, turn that on to maintain maximum traction. Well enter VSC and the “must have 4WD off” conundrum. What do you do? VSC is designed to help keep you on the road when you lose control. 4WD-Hi is designed to keep you from losing traction in the first place. Now you have to decide? So the consensus was sort of leaning towards keeping the vehicle in 2WD with VSC kept on. So then what’s the use of 4WD-Hi? Got me.

Well as of 2009 that’s not a conundrum any longer. You get both instead of having to decide – put it in 4WD-Hi and VSC still works, so you get to keep the traction aid, and also use the lost-traction aid as well.

Trust me, it is so. Trust the ‘bob; he knows what’s going down.

What’s still up for debate though, is whether the ‘bob likes VSC in the first place. Now that we’re getting our first rain of the season, I’ve had a chance to play around with it, get the tires spinning and fishtail around corners. The issue I think boils down to whether or not you’re a a “Driver” or you just happen to steer your vehicle to a destination. If you’re a Driver like me, then I think VSC blows; you know how to handle a vehicle, you know what the limits are and how to correct, and even more, you know how to walk that knife edge between fully adhered & fully-loose, and get the most out of a given situation. Most people just steer their car to a place, and for them, yeah VSC can be a lifesaver, I guess. What it’s doing is basically countering for these people’s lack of knowledge, and putting a Driver in the, uh, driver’s seat.

But for a real Driver in the first place, now it’s trying to counter bad tactics, even though I’m using good tactics. So basically, it’s two lefts, which doesn’t make a right. For instance, I got loose on the wet pavement going around a corner at modest speed. I was fully expecting the truck to fishtail, I was even trying to see what the VSC would do. But as soon as it got loose – before the VSC was even aware, actually – I was in recover mode, and started feathering the throttle and counter-steering. However, VSC was basically trying to do the same thing. Which means that in the end, I had counter-steered a tad bit too much, and was pointing slightly more outward (facing the outside of the turn) than I would have liked; I like to end up facing the direction I’m trying to go – with VSC at my aid, I was pointing the wrong way still.

Maybe I just need to change how I behave, who knows. Maybe I can make the most of it if learn to just keep in the throttle and not bother about anything else, let the VSC do the thinking.

But see that’s the issue! I still feel I’m better at it. The VSC is “guessing” the conditions and what’s necessary to right me; I actually KNOW the conditions and what is necessary to right me. I think I might just start turning it off first thing. 2WD, 4WD-Hi, who cares; I’ll fishtail to my heart’s content.