VSC TRAC/ VSC OFF & Check Engine Light on 2001 4Runner
SMS
Today, in my 2001 4Runner, the Check Engine Light, the VSC Off and the
VSC Trac lights all came on at the same time.
The OBD Code is P1135, which apparently is "A/F ratio sensor". How could
this be related to the VSC lights?
Hachiroku ハチロク
It seems the 4Runner turns on all the lights, to get your attention.
On older Toys, if a combination of lights came on it meant your alternator
was going tits up.
If you got a code, chances are it related to the sensor indicated, or...
tighten your gas cap!
Ray O
"SMS" <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote in message
news:4aa88273$0$1587$742e...@news.sonic.net...
We had the same problem with the O2 sensor in our Avalon. Fixed the O2
sensor and the VSC and Trac lights turned off.
My guess is that the throttle retarding function for the VSC/Trac uses the
signal from the O2 sensor or air/fuel sensor when cutting fuel.
--
Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
SMS
From reading other people's experience with the same problem, some
people are saying the 02 sensor and some are saying the A/F Ratio
sensor. Are these the same thing?
Ray O
The air/fuel, or "A/F" sensor, and the O2 sensor basically perform the same
function, which is to tell the vehicle engine computer whether the ratio of
fuel to air is rich or lean. A/F sensors give a linear signal which tells
the vehicle's engine electronic control unit, or ECU exactly what the air
fuel ratio is, while O2 sensors just tell the ECU whether the ratio is rich
or lean. I believe that Toyota uses A/F sensors in some vehicles with CA
emissions and O2 sensors in vehicles with Federal emissions.
SMS
Thanks. I see that now. It's a California model. Also I notice that
beginning in 2001, the rear oxygen sensor changed on the 4Runner from a
flange type to a screw-in type.
Ray O
You're welcome!
The change from flange mount to screw-in mounts for O2 sensors apparently
varied from year to year and depending on model. I think the larger
threaded area for the screw-in type made stripping threads less likely than
on the 2 smaller studs for the flange mounts.
SMS
> You're welcome!
>
> The change from flange mount to screw-in mounts for O2 sensors apparently
> varied from year to year and depending on model. I think the larger
> threaded area for the screw-in type made stripping threads less likely than
> on the 2 smaller studs for the flange mounts.
I had the air/fuel ratio sensor replaced today and all is well again.
$153 + tax for the Denso 234-9002 which hopefully is pretty close to the
Toyota OEM part since Denso is a Toyota company. The mechanic did not
charge me any labor (well it's my brother-in-law's shop). It took the
mechanic only about five minutes to change once the part arrived from
the parts supplier (fortunately the bolts were not rusted). My
brother-in-law showed me his box of old A/F sensors as he changes a lot
of them and saves them because someone comes by and pays him for the old
sensors because apparently they have enough platinum in them to make it
worthwhile. As with most of these heated sensors, it's not the sensor
part that goes bad, it's the resistive heating element. He had some of
the Denso sensors in stock but they're so expensive that he doesn't
stock a lot of them.
While he works on a lot of Toyotas and he goes to Toyota classes at the
local college where Toyota has an auto-technology program, he was still
surprised that the VSC lights come on at the same time the check engine
light comes on with the P1135 code. You'd think that this would be
mentioned somewhere in the manufacturer code listing but it isn't, at
least not in the book he had.
Someone in a forum had mentioned that it was a good idea to change the
rear oxygen sensor at the same time as the air/fuel ratio sensor, but
the mechanic said to forget it, that the rear sensors rarely go bad
unless the catalytic converter fails.
Amusingly, in a search for the Denso sensor, I found that Amazon had the
best price, "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C5YCYS" at $132.
Ray O
Ironically, my wife said that the check engine light, VSC, and TRAC lights
came on in our Sequoia today. I got out my trusty OBD II code scanner and
came up with P0051, which is heated O2 sensor heater control circuit low for
bank 2 sensor 1, which is basically the same condition you had, but with an
O2 sensor instead of A/F sensor.
I'll check the sensor out in the daylight.
SMS
> Ironically, my wife said that the check engine light, VSC, and TRAC lights
> came on in our Sequoia today.
Uh oh, it might be some sort of pandemic.
Ray O
I think your post was the second complaint of the problem this week, and
mine is the third...
SMS
> "SMS" <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote in message
> news:4aaa8754$0$1636$742e...@news.sonic.net...
>> Ray O wrote:
>>
>>> Ironically, my wife said that the check engine light, VSC, and TRAC
>>> lights came on in our Sequoia today.
>> Uh oh, it might be some sort of pandemic.
>
> I think your post was the second complaint of the problem this week, and
> mine is the third...
I'm pretty sure that these failures are being caused by something Obama
has done, but I'm trying to figure out the exact connection. Probably
something related to Cash for Clunkers. Or maybe it's related to the
health care proposals.
SMS
> "SMS" <scharf...@geemail.com> wrote in message
> news:4aaa8754$0$1636$742e...@news.sonic.net...
>> Ray O wrote:
>>
>>> Ironically, my wife said that the check engine light, VSC, and TRAC
>>> lights came on in our Sequoia today.
>> Uh oh, it might be some sort of pandemic.
>
> I think your post was the second complaint of the problem this week, and
> mine is the third...
How much does a Toyota dealer charge in labor for an 02 sensor or
air/fuel ratio sensor replacement?
Between plugging in the OBDII scanner, looking up the fault code,
getting the car up on the lift, and swapping it out, took about 20
minutes. I'd think that they must charge at least an hour in labor
charges plus the mark-up on the part. The shop I go to would have
charged me by actual time at $40/half-hour if they had charged me labor.
som...@some.domain
(he was kinda slow.....)
Ray O
The amount the dealer or independent shop would charge for labor depends on
their hourly rate and the flat rate book they use. My guess is hour.