2009 VSC/TRAC/AUTO-LSD snow test

So... I have the 09 4X4 4cyl 5speed. One wheel on dry, one on ice. 2H- slips on ice, light with wavy thing flashes on dash. Should I press the wavy tracks button? I was thinking that turned OFF the helpful things. I'm stupid I guess, and a bit lost.

I don't think I have anything I can modify but the wavy tracks button briefly or for 5 seconds. Do I have VSC, TRAC, and AUTO-LSD? Or is that only on autos?

I thought the 5 seconds opened everything up for fun. What am I missing?

Thanks for explaining to me, if you would.

Matt

 

yes

hit the car with lines and it will turn the auto lsd on and vsc off that will transfer the power from the spinning wheel to the one with traction using the abs sensors/ brake system

 

Why in the world should you have to ask your truck to activate a traction system? I would think that the AUTO LSD would be a default condition for getting unstuck.

What's the benefit or reason for having VSC off when LSD is on, or vice versa?

Thanks a bunch.

FWIW, I'm ordering some Hankook RF10s to help too. AT20's are keWRAP!

 

the vsc which is on by default works great for normal driving even in snow. the vsc button turns the vsc off turning the auto lsd on making it easier to take off in slick conditions. the autolsd allows better traction on takeoff and the vsc is off to allow slippage (to take off or spin through some snow on takeoff) then when you hit 35mph it turns the vsc back on. VSC keeps the truck on the road very good.

 

Back from Baja, new Tacoma was awesome... no deflation of tires needed for deep sand with TRAC... The '05 with open differntials would never do what the 2010 just did this weekend... More later. Thanks Hemi for the help. Stay tuned for details on Baja.

 

Thank you hemi...

Just back from some severe deep sand and arroyo gravel driving in Baja. The TRAC in H4 allowed me to drive on deep sand without deflating tires... a first. Previous ('01, '05 Tacomas) required deflating to 15 psi to drive over deep sand witout struggle.

When I de-activated TRAC in H4, the truck soon slowed and became stuck. Typically, if I let the air out of the tires to 15 psi, then I could drive on.

Now, to get 'un-stuck', I put the transfer case into L4, pressed A-TRAC, and locked the RR Diff. and was able to drive out from being stuck in the beach sand without deflating the tires.

Later, we took a long drive in the desert up a deep sand/gravel arroyo and the Tacoma never faltered... In the past, the same conditions would have required letting some air out of the tires to improve traction.

We drove back to camp on the 2009 Baja 1000 course and a steep hill climb I have used L4 in the past, I was able to climb in H4 (with TRAC), no problem.

The rear suspension has been greatly improved, as well. My 2005 would bottom out with any load in the truck. Not the 2010! I had four adults and an ice chest in the back... and no bottoming out.
I guess I can sell the air bags off my '05?

Good job Toyota with the latest upgrades!

 

Thanks David K! All your "fieldwork" reporting is very enlightening, and your charts should definitely be stickied!

 

De nada Cosmo... How does a thread or post get 'stickied'?

I made such a large signature so that the '9 drive modes' would appear every time I posted to this forum because I know there are or there will be new Tacoma owners who won't know what they got or how to work them, either!

There may be a shorter way to display the LSD options/ uses and I may change the signature to try them out... But, the bottom line is that the TRAC LSD system works great and makes 4WD better by a big margin.

Next month, we are taking the new Tacoma to Mision Santa Maria! Here is a You Tube showing a modified/raised Jeep Cherokee on the Mision Santa Maria road to give you an idea at what I will be driving the Tacoma over (I have driven my stock '05 and '01 Tacomas over it already): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7yTm5v-gTg

 

I believe the reverse. Anyone who needs these systems does not know how to drive.

 

I didn't know how to use them or how they really worked until our Bill Burke school! I only knew how to shut off my VSC - Learned that one while trying to put my truck though the paces at Pismo - I was stalling just before the top of 'competition hill.' They are pretty cool. It's like the people that complained about ABS on the street when it first came out - a little experience and education can help A Lot!!!

 

Goes without saying.

But they're still very useful systems even if you are a competent poor-weather driver.

 

Rocktoy, I have been a four wheeler all my life (I am 52) and the TRAC/ A-TRAC is like night and day over the Tacoma without it (I had two without it). If you have a 4X4 so you can go places that ordinary trucks cannot, then you will be thrilled that the new Tacomas can go places the older ones couldn't .... without modifications or problems. Do you ever use the rear locker? Well, this is almost like having a front locker, or better... and in H4 and L4! The simple pleasure of not needed to deflate and then pump back up my tires every time we go beach camping in Baja is sure worth this to me... Try it, you'll like it!

 

I would like to know how you isolate breaking just to the front right wheel, or rear left wheel, etc. VSC does something you can only accomplish manually if you happens to have 4 break pedals. There's a lot of values to these systems.

 

What does need have to do with it?
Bottom line is these systems do nothing but add to the capabilities of the truck. You comment is both ignorant and not helpful. You obviously do not understand what these systems do......get a clue.

 

Hi NAYo and Hemi,

You both gave me the most help in figuring out the new truck system before I actually took it to Baja and was blown away with how much better four wheel drive can be when power can go to any of the four tires that has the most traction, instead of the least traction!

Yesterday, we drove up to the snow of Palomar Mountain on the unpaved access road that climbs up to the 5,000 foot level... First time with the new truck in snow. Only Jeeps and other Toyotas were up there... plus one Dodge pickup.

I used H4 (TRAC) until it got deep, then went to L4 (A-TRAC). One nice thing about L4 is no VSC buzzer sounding off...Now, if we could easily turn it off in H4 (the buzzer only)!

I heard it before, and read in the manual to not be concerned... but A-TRAC sure like to make a grinding noise when it goes to work! Naturally, the Tacoma drove right through the snow with no other issues.

Nice part about San Diego is we are just minutes to a couple hours from the beach, mountains, deserts and Baja California!

Happy Four Wheeling!

 

The buzzer indicates a skid/slide (as in a turn.) VSC buzzer is designed to warn you that your car is moving in an unintended direction (based on your steering and sensor inputs) before your body realizes it. I think it's annoying too, but it maybe a lifesaver at highway speeds to react a fraction of a second quicker.

ATRAC is for traction only, and it doesn't help you at all with skidding/sliding so there's no reason for the buzzer.

Glad I could help

 

NAY... perhaps put what you sent my in PM, here... It was more good details on the multiple drive modes we have!

 

subscribed. Good thread!!!

 

Hopefully on the next gen Tacoma, they will separate the VSC shutoff, and the traction modes, with 2 different switches. That way I can use the Auto Lsd for redneck activities, with the VSC off. 2 or 4WD
Modes I could use are....
2WD - No VSC, just ALSD
4WD - No VSC, 4 wheel ALSD
ABS shutoff
And a change in terminology,
TRAC = traction control
ALSD = Automatic Limited Slip Diff

Not to confuse things, it is not like the above, this is just a wish list.

 

TRAC being 'lite' limited slip (engine output regulation)?
ALSD being 'strong' limited slip (no engine regulation)?

I have noticed that my '10 has none of the ABS issues my '05 had when four wheeling, so they fixed that... at least I haven't had the ABS 'grawl' at me or not stop my truck like it did before!

Your wish for:

"2WD - No VSC, just ALSD"... is #2, but VSC is 'hiding' in the background if your speed increases or your truck goes out of control. You don't want the VSC to come on automatically in a panic condition?

"4WD - No VSC, 4 wheel ALSD"... is #7 (L4 + A-TRAC) , but I know you want it in H4, as well, yes? In H4, we can turn off the VSC but we also lose TRAC! The buzzer is annoying when sloshing around a dry wash in H4!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Of the nine drive modes, I have used mostly #1, 2, 4, and 7 with #2 mostly to play with to see how long before I need 4WD... So, 1, 4 and 7 being the primary modes...

I never see a need for open differentials, only there so kids can spin donuts in the icy or muddy lot? As for rocking the truck out of a stuck... well, between the ALSD and 4WD I don't see the truck getting stuck requiring a need to spin the tires. But, it is nice to have options!

With A-TRAC, I don't see a use for the rear locker anymore... A-TRAC is like having front and rear lockers without the tracking problems that lockers cause... I sub-named A-TRAC as "Smart Lockers". The Mision Santa Maria trail will be my ultimate testing to see if the rear locker is un-needed with A-TRAC! I guess it is a good backup should the hydraulic brake booster fail while you are in the boonies!

*1) 2WD: VSC and TRAC active, engine regulated ('Limited Slip Lite').
2) 2WD: 'AUTO LSD' ('TRAC OFF MODE'). No engine regulation for 'strong' limited slip.
3) 2WD: 'VSC OFF MODE' (TRAC is off for 'open differential').
*4) 4WD-Hi: VSC and TRAC active. No engine regulation for 'strong' limited slip.
5) 4WD-Hi: 'VSC OFF MODE' (TRAC is off for 'open differentials').
6) 4WD-Lo: VSC and TRAC are both off in L4 ('open differentials').
*7) 4WD-Lo: 'A-TRAC' on gives a 'locker-like, super strong' limited slip, front and rear.
8) 4WD-Lo: Rear Differential Locked and open front differential (A-TRAC off).
9) 4WD-Lo: RR DIFF LOCK + A-TRAC on, 3 MPH limit.