VSC and slip indicator light, alarm sounds, and occasionally ABS system is activated, all while turning on dry good road. Mechanics can't fix. any suggestions

Hello Kimmerad, I do have the identical issue. it happened twice so far always after a left curve going 30, 35 mph. I thought the left rear break pad was gone and the wheels blocks, but the break pads seems to be OK. I let you know as soon as i find out. Best, Jens

Did either of you ever get this fixed? Thanks, Rob

My 2005 Sienna is having this issue. Any fixes?

I have the same issue 5 times on highway 17, CA on 35 miles. I will take it to dealer. Sienna 2010.

My 2006Toyota sienna same problem. I took it for a wheel alignment plus they fix a belt that was loose and steering wheel fluid now I don't have that problem anymore

Our 2005 Toyota Sienna has the same problem. It can happen almost 20 times in one day. So far we have had it checked, and replaced the front speed sensors. It is still happening though.

I need your help please I've both ABS & VSC are On.also the car needs alignment?? Do you have any suggestions Thank you in advance

This is not super American car,this is toyota! Even Toyota can not fix this problems,problems are with to many sensors and to many computers.Nothing wrong with car is just stupidity!

It is stupidity of Toyota!

I'm having same issues with skid light and alarm going off numerous times. Toyota says nothing wrong. Maybe we should consider class action law suit. They are putting us in danger.

I have the same issue with mine and the dealer can not figure it out either. I changed all the pads and rotors all around with no luck. I hope someone can figure this out.

I have the same issue with mine and the dealer can not figure it out either. I changed all the pads and rotors all around with no luck. Then took it to the dealer and no luck. It's good to know I'm not the only one trying to resolve this issue. It's very dangerous when I'm on the beltway and can't predict when it's going to happen. This is crazy!

Mine just started too, on turn at about 35mph in off ramp. Scared me! I’m not able to pay dealer to chase cirlcles around what it might be. My tire pressure was low too so filled that and will see how it goes. Did anyone have any luck pursuing this with Toyota?

My van is and has been doing this for 6 months, same exact problem and yes it is very dangerous . Any answers would be appreciated

i have same problem on 2008 sienna.....the best info i have found is that the suspension has some play somewhere (rack or the rack mount bushings,,struts...ball joints...etc.) the most common prob seems to be the rack bushing where the rack is mounted. they wear out and cause the rack to move when turning...bushings are hard to replace so just replace the rack and it will solve the problem if it is loose. ( although its a bit expensive) the yaw sensor or steering sensor has also been the culprit in some cases .

I agree with james. Had this problem with my 2007 for about 2 years. Had the rack replaced and it went away. They said the bushings were bad. Just a tip: For short drives we just dealt with it. For long drives we disabled the VSC using the following steps: 1. Turn the van on (other steps must be done within 30 second of starting) 2. Press emergency brake 3. Press regular brake to the floor and release 4. Release emergency brake 5. Hold regular brake to the floor 6. Press and release emergency brake 7. Release regular brake 8. Press emergency brake 9. Press regular brake to the floor and release 10. Release emergency brake The VSC light should come on and stay lit - indicating that the VSC system is off. If you turn off the car and restart, you will have to redo the steps. It seems like a pain, but its better than having the van go wacko when you are in the middle of a turn or something.

Hello Stryder2000 I have the same problem with my 2004 Sienna. I tried the procedure you shared above but was unable to turn off the VSC. How did you come up with this procedure? Were there other variants that you tried? My car has 255K+ miles on it so its not worth replacing the rack.

Please file a complaint to force Toyota to fix this... https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

I have the exact same issues with our 2007 Toyota Sienna XLE. The brakes suddenly activate with the VSC TRAC lights and alarm going off, on the slightest turns and while going downhill. I hate having my wife and kids drive this van like this.

I had a 2004 Sienna that started doing the same thing on hwy 17 in Santa Cruz CA. It had about 180,000 miles on it. I got new tires and it stopped. I drove it another 20,000 miles and it was fine. I sold it about 4 years ago so I don’t know if it was a problem again

I’ve had the same thing happen on highway 17 and Hecker Pass!!! It’s so scary, it has almost caused me to wreck at least 10+ times!!! No matter what we fix we can’t get the issue to go away!!!

Have the same issue with 2001 Sequoia. Slip indicator light comes on triggering the VSC TRAC lights while driving on dry pavement - at high and low speeds. Had the dealership replace steering rack. But the problem persists.

Same problem with our 2006 Toyota Sienna XLE. Traction control engages intermittently on dry pavement causing the car to pull to the side. This started around 115,000 miles

Saw this on another thread related to the same problem. It is the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's website for posting a complaint: https://www- odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

My 2006 Toyota Sienna XLE has the same issues for last 6 months. When the VSC light or the traction light comes on the alarm sounds and the the van brakes for me! It can be up hill or down hills, between 30mph-70mph, left or right curves. Yes, on dry pavement, my van is beeping/alarming at me, braking for me, harder to steer, as I try to maintain my speed around a curve in rush hour traffic. This is very dangerous!! It happens to both my husband and I. I turn off my VSC now. I have a button under the dash on the right.

I have the same issue with my 04 Sienna. And I have four kids in tow with me, it scares the crap out of me. Especially because there's NO warning. I LOVE my van, in all other aspects it's AMAZING. I just want it to be safe like it used to be

I have a 2006 Sienna with around 230,000 miles. Similar problem, driving on dry road at speeds of 45-70 MPH. The antilock brakes engage, traction light on dash comes on and alarm sounds. The car’s brakes grab, it pulls me to the right and it’s hard to steer. They can not find anything wrong with my car. Nothing visible, no codes, and it’s intermittent so it doesn’t happen when they drive it. I feel very unsafe driving it. It appears this is a common problem, I am going to call Toyota, sounds like there should be a recall. And as a couple have suggested I am going to file a complaint at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

I've got a 2004 toyota sienna xlt that's doing the same thing. It has progressively gotten worse, but it started on a left bend, doing about 35 mph on an off ramp by my home. Everytime I took that off ramp it would happen... so I go slower there now anticipating that my brakes are going to engage on their own. . Then it happened a couple more times all randomly, over the course of the last 6 months or more... Now, it has done it 3 times in one week and the last two times it was on a straight section of road. Does anyone know if the brake lights are actually lighting up when the brakes engage on their own? Basically I want to k ow if the person behind me realizes that my car has just slammed on the brakes???? Guess it's time for a new minivan.... not a toyota this time though

I’m so glad I found this thread. My 2005 sienna has been doing this for the last couple of years. Specifically when Im on curves and on cement roads. It rarely does it on an asphalt curve, though. It drives me insane, because the brake engages and it actually jerks the car, which is dangerous and scary.

An alignment (and 4 new tires) resolved the issue for my 2004 Toyota Sienna LE. I started experiencing this issue (sudden ABS braking with the slip indicator light + beeping) in 2017. No trail of diagnostic codes (OBD). The Sienna had about 150K miles at that time. I never thought a simple solution like this would have worked. Thanks to @Mightyralf for reporting that an alignment worked for him. My mechanic observed that my steering linkages could be another culprit - control arm bushings were severely worn and could potentially be another source. For now, the alignment did the trick. (mechanic said he also did the zero-point- calibration per Toyota spec) Prior to this, I tried... - over inflating tires to 35psi - zero-point-calibration (TSB-BR001-04) - cleaning both wheel speed sensors (found lots of metallic debris) Other options I would have eventually tried (once I was convinced it was worth the $) - replacing both control arms (my mechanic observed severely worn bushings) - replacing the rack and pinion steering - replacing the steering angle sensor (TSB) - replacing the yaw rate sensor (TSB-BR004-03) At this point, issue is resolved.

Have a 2004 sienna and had all the same problems mentioned above for two years and many trips a different Toyota dealers without resolution and much frustration. Was told it could be yaw rate sensor, steering angle sensor ect. Saw a thread about replacing Rack & Pinion and had it replaced. No more VSC or Traction lights, brake activation or zero point calibration. Good luck.

I've this issue on my 2008 highlander. Same alarm and brakes engagement around the same bend. It's scary.. May be I should take this carto the junk yard 114k miles.

My wife’s van has this problem too. This is a major problem and Toyota’s inability to address it with a solution is very irritating. So many people on this tread are complaining of the van braking while driving and an alarm going off.

I have this issue also. It is so scary when the light goes on and it beeps and the tires grab and brakes go on and off by itself. It has happened on dangerous road with nowhere to pull safely off the highway and a car right behind me! I have taken it to my mechanic, the tire guy and Toyota dealership! Nothing can be found!

We took our van to a Toyota dealership to try and fix. They said the problem had to do with us not using run flat tires. I don’t know if any of you swapped out for more realistic priced tires, but they said the van was engineered to use run flats only and was causing the van to think was weighted differently.

Same problem. Our 2004 Sienna XLE with 150k miles just did this last week for the first time on a slight curve at 75, but no risk, then today at 70 on a straight dry slight decline. It activated and caused the car to swerve to the right nearly causing an accident. Will check the steering fluid, and if that doesn’t work file a complaint. This seems like a larger safety issue that Toyota needs to address.

I just filed a complaint about this here. This is so dangerous. https://www- odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

Yes class action. I submitted complaint.

To update, we still have the problem. We replaced 4 tires and had alignment done (we thought it improved the situation but only decreased frequency) and yaw sensors (seemed so logically to be the problem). They had other ideas (guesses I’d say) but we had it because we already spent to much. We bought another car a few years ago so only use this for local trips where we need capacity. if everyone files a complaint with the nhtsa maybe it will be addressed. We won’t sell the car since we fear it will kill someone.

Thank you, I did report it, but no action was taken. I think a lot more people need to report the issue.

I have the same situation with my 2004 sienna XLE 158 k miles I almost hit a truck on the highways... sad situation

Please please report to NHSTB

Junk your Toyota Sienna. There is no fix for skid lights coming on and engine cutting out while driving on curves. I've waisted a lot of good money trying to solve issue on a bad car. Don't ever buy Toyota again.

So frustrated. My 2015 Sienna is doing this same exact thing. I keep getting sent home from the mechanic because no one can recreate the issue, although it recreates just fine for me. I finally caught it on video and am going to take it to the mechanic again next week. Anyone have any luck actually repairing it?

Everyone having this problem, follow this link to file a vehicle safety complaint with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/. HOpefully with enough complaints this can be a recall, or at least find out what is causing the problem. It is definitely a safety issue.

Rack & Pinion Solved all my problems. Here is my earlier post: Have a 2004 sienna and had all the same problems mentioned above for two years and many trips a different Toyota dealers without resolution and much frustration. Was told it could be yaw rate sensor, steering angle sensor ect. Saw a thread about replacing Rack & Pinion and had it replaced. No more VSC or Traction lights, brake activation or zero point calibration. Good luck.

am having the same issue with my 2007 sienna XLE we've taken it to toyota and a couple of mechanics but it's not be resolved.

Same issues, 2005 xle awd, 150k, just had the steering angle sensor replaced, cost almost $900, didn’t fix the issue, taking it back to mechanic soon. I had asked them to check the rack and pinion and they said nothing about it really, just said the sensor needed to be replaced.

If you've had the R&P replaced, what was the cost?

I have had the same problem with my 2008 Toyota Sienna for about 2 years now. It is getting progressively worse and happens most often when making a slow right turn at about 40 to 50 mph. I can also hear a clicking noise when steering to the right with the steering wheel at about 30 to 45 degrees. I notice the lights may dim when it happens at night. I can only solve it by removing the fuse for the VSC system which shuts it off. I will report to NHTSB.

I'm having this same problem while turning left and slightly downhill. Starting to happen more often. Toyota Sienna 2015 AWD 156K mi. I've reported it with SafeCar.gov (NHTSA) - Complaint #11375731. Will bring that with me to the dealer next week and start trying to get it fixed.

Unfortunately this has started in my van also. 2004 sienna... 185000 miles.. at first only with left hand turn ... once in a while. About 3 to 4 months ago. Now it does it regardless of left or right, multiple times everytime i drive it.....Tried turning off traction and still does it.

2005 Sienna 168000 miles. Same problem. The ABS braking is pretty scary, could cause accident. I didn't have a chance to capture this on video but found this on Youtube which described my experience perfectly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGmjAFPiFKo

Found this on Youtube, hope it helps. According to the post, replacing Rack & Pinion fixed the problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeozboiOybU

have 06 sienna had same problem. I had both control arms and both abs wheel speed sensors replace. No luck. Pulled YAW sensor and problem went away. All lights on dash are on. Have a new sensor coming in. Will update when its replaced. BTW the yaw sensor is located under from passenger seat. Under the carpet where wires for seat come out. 2 screws and a plug.

A big thank you for all the above links and comments. I have files a complaint and requested a manufacturing recall for this problem. Easy, fast and only needed vin number. https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index It is so scary to travel any hills with curves since this problem of gripping and beeping alarm making steep right turns. The last time I was traveling 50+mph on HWY 17 in the Santa Cruz mountains. Felt so unsafe and now I don't want to take the van on a camping trip in the Sierra Nevada mountains fearing it will happen again. We are considering replacing the rack, but its an old vehicle we are not sure we want to invest more $ into her.

please watch this youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeozboiOybU

Who would have thought that it was due to play in the worn rack and pinion bushings? Now we need to force Toyota to do a recall on this. I need to sue Toyota to get back the $3000 I lost trading my vehicle in due to this issue.

My Problem Solved!!! I have a 2004 XLE 240K miles. I a horrible groan when turning lock to lock, figured it was a strut bushing but while in the neighborhood I replaced, struts & Spring (super strut assembly) inner and outer tie rods, ball joints and the steering wheel shaft as it was binding. Maybe about $1000 in parts, but none of it had been done. I took it to get aligned and 30 seconds after pickup the skid alarm comes on and right front wheel starts braking on its own. I went back and they snapped a wheel stud and replaced it and said that would have nothing to do with the problem. As discussed earlier in this forum it seems to be a common and unfixable problem, yaw sensors abs sensors not fixing the problem. I had to wait 5 days to get the car in to be looked at again but gave it the once over and found the problem. Keep in mind Most of the reports show cars over 150 k miles so rust is a major problem. Impact tools break rust free. My right front wheel was breaking around turns as traction or slip control engages brake when the opposite wheel is slipping as monitored by the abs sensor. I pulled the Left Front wheel and saw the new lug stud , then I pulled the ABS Sensor and noticed a ton of iron filings sticking to the magnet on the sensor. I am sure that may have interfered with the reading of the abs sensor giving a false wheel speed causing the opposite wheel to brake. I blew it off with an air gun and for good measure popped out the axle shaft on the hub and blew that area out as well. Put it back together and it works perfect now. I think a garage or a dealer may want to replace the sensor as it adds to profit and maybe too many rely on computer diagnostics to tell them what is wrong with the car. Pulling the ABS Sensors and checking for iron flakes on the magnet may solve a lot of these problems. It is a 10mm bolt and may be corroded, I had to smack a 9mm onto the rusty 10 mm bolt to get it out but put some anti seize on for the next time i want to do it. Overall a petty easy fix, No need for NHTSA complaint. Seems like normal wear and tear to me. If you pull an ABS Sensor that will disable the system and make it drivable but you will have flashing ABS, Tire Inflation and VSC lights on all the time, By removing the left head light assembly by the fuse box you can disconnect the left front and live without abs. The skill level for the ABS removal is about a 3 to 4 use jack stands to support the car don't trust the jack. you may need to deal with the rusty 10mm bolt with easy outs, grinders or dremel to cut it off and remove the stud but other than that not too bad. Thanks for all the previous posts that helped me figure this out. The last is two years old so I don't know how helpful this is. John