Vehicle Stability Control activates on dry hills after complete stop

Howdy everyone.

This is my second post, having introduced myself over on the New Member thread.

A month ago, I purchased a used 2020 TRD Off Road automatic with about 17K miles on it. The truck runs nicely and overall I'm very happy with it. One problem occurs however when I'm on a steepish dry uphill grade at a stop sign. I come to a complete stop and before I start to move forward, the VSC light comes on and I hear a not-so-pleasant clunk from what sounds like the rear end. This problem does not occur on moderately steep hills nor at any other time. The truck shifts and runs smoothly at all other times. I can avoid this from happening by a little fancy footwork of simultaneously pressing on the brake and then giving it a little throttle. By the way, at no time when this is happens is the truck drifting backward. Though some sensor somewhere may think it's about to.

What is up with that? Is it something that's going to lead to worse things over time? Thanks A LOT for your help on this.

 

That is how mine worked ... and it surprised me. I was trying to move up a short but very steep hill section. By using the brake first it kept the truck from sensing a "down slide" before trying to engage gears.

When parking any vehicle on steep hills that can happen. If you put an automatic transmission into park THEN set the parking brake the transmission can "settle further" first and become difficult to shift out ... at least in past years. Parking on steep hills I generally set the parking brake first so the transmission will shift out of "park" easier.

 

My 5th gen AWD 4Runner does it. Certainly a quirk, albeit a normal one.

 

Yep normal for the TRD's - it is "helping" you by activating the brakes so you don't slide backwards in the short time between letting off the brake pedal and pressing the go pedal enough that the transmission can start you moving forward. I agree it is unpleasant and surprising especially the first time it happens! But that is just how it works.

 

Normal. It’s called hill-start assist control
RTFM

 

^

 

It sounds like traction control (specifically TRAC) is activating because you are spinning one of your wheels.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-gen-traction-control-modes-explained.530695/

 

Negative.

 

I think you might have missed this part;

“By the way, at no time when this is happens is the truck drifting backward”

 

You're right, I did.
Apologies..

 

Thanks everyone for your comments..