Automatic (?) Trailer Sway Control

Last truck I had (not Toyota) had that familiar skidding vehicle skid/sway control button. My new 2018 Tacoma SR5 Double Cab Short Bed specs says it has Trailer Sway Control, but there's no button. I'm guessing this is now automatic instead of manual. Would that be correct? As point of information I'm towing a 2019 R-Pod 179 using a Fastaway e2 round bar WD sway control system and a Tekonsha Primus IQ proportional brake controller.

 

Best search was this:
http://www.serratoyota.com/blog/understanding-trailer-sway-control-tsc/
but that says it applies the trailer brakes individually to get the sway under control (in theory, that sounds good, but in practice, crazy cats, are you able to apply trailer brakes individually, and in opposition to the sway - which would require accelerometers to sense the motion?)

I'm looking at the Rpod 171 with my 2013 - what made you choose the Fastaway e2 vs. Reese for the sway control and load leveling? And have you pulled it far or noticed a difference with the leveler/controller?

 

Be careful about quoting DEALER websites.

Without going and searching for genuine Toyota documentation with Tacoma in the label, here it is for Hilux (same system):
https://blog.toyota.co.uk/hilux-trailer-sway-control

It doesn't have anything to do with the trailer brakes. It selectively applies the TRUCK'S brakes to compensate for sway.

As far as accelerometers for motion sensing... yeah. It sure does! Its the same pack of motion sensors that it uses for VSC. In fact, trailer sway control is just an additional set of conditions/responses in the VSC module.

 

So, that is the Auto-LSD "upgrade" in 2009/2010? No longer a real (yes, I'm a mechanical engineer) limited slip but an individual rear braking to simulate the LSD? and TSC? Even still, that's pretty cool, the real time control circuit and programming would be pretty killer to look into.

And yes, I shuddered at quoting a dealership (they don't even know when they're not telling the truth) but was the closest thing I found to explaining the TSC.

Sorry KH for derailing your thread - it happened to be a question of mine as well.

 

I would say it is *related*, but the trailer part is additional software that wasn't added until some time later. I don't recall what year they made that change. Hardware-wise, its the same, as far as I can tell. They could have made changes to the hardware as well -- higher accuracy sensors, faster CPU, etc., but the stuff is all entirely undocumented.

 

And what does the Owner's Manual say about it?

 

Well, other than "Hold On!" It said to come here for all information whether relevant or not. I've also read spending too much time here will empty checking accounts and run up credit cards.

 

Trailer sway control. Page 322 of your manual. Toward bottom explains it. I just found it.

 

Page 319 of the 2018 Owners manual has the description of VSC (Vehicle Stability) and Trailer Sway Control if equipped.



Section 4-5 of the 2018 manual, page 303 has the information you are looking for (I think). VSC by default is turned on. You can turn it off by pressing the VSC Off button (Car w/ curvy road icon w/ "off" below it).