2004 Toyota Sienna Electronic Stability Control Esc Problems

Your car's stability control system (VSC) and anti-lock brakes (ABS) are activating unexpectedly on dry roads at speeds between 30–65 mph, causing your vehicle to pull to one side and brake suddenly without warning. When this happens, a skid light appears on your dashboard and you hear beeping. This is a serious safety concern that has occurred multiple times, and Toyota has been notified but declined to take responsibility.

WHILE DRIVING AT OR BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT, UNDER DRY CONDITIONS, ON CURVY ROADS, THE VSC DASH LIGHT COMES ON AND ENGAGES WITH BEEPING AND AUTOMATIC BRAKING. THE RAPID DECELERATION AND SKIDDING, AS THE TIRES LOCK-UP, MAKES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT AND CARS FOLLOWING MUST PANIC BRAKE TO AVOID REAR-ENDING MY VEHICLE. INCREASING OCCURRENCES OVER THE PAST YEAR.

THE ANTI SKID CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN I AM DRIVING, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. IN ADDITION TO THE LIGHT, THERE IS WARNING BEEPING, AS IF I'M SLIDING ON ICE. AT THE SAME TIME, I COMPLETELY LOSE CONTROL OF THE ACCELERATION AND BRAKING. IT'S VERY SCARY, AND I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILY'S. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES ON CLEAR, DRY DAYS, SO IT'S DEFINITELY NOT CAUSED BY THE ROAD BEING WET OR ICY.

THE ANTI-SKID CONTROL ENGAGED WHEN TURNING SLIGHTLY ON THE FREEWAY. WHEN IT ENGAGED AT HIGHWAY SPEED (ROUGHLY 55MPH) IT PULLED ME INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED.

THE ANTI SKID CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN I AM DRIVING, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. IN ADDITION TO THE LIGHT, THERE IS WARNING BEEPING, AS IF I'M SLIDING ON ICE. AT THE SAME TIME, I COMPLETELY LOSE CONTROL OF THE ACCELERATION AND BRAKING. IT'S VERY SCARY, AND I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILY'S. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES ON CLEAR, DRY DAYS, SO IT'S DEFINITELY NOT CAUSED BY THE ROAD BEING WET OR ICY.

I HAVE A 2004 SIENNA WITH ~125,000 MILES ON ITAND THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. IT HAPPENED TWICE IN A SPAN OF 5 MINUTES, AND THEN DIDN; SINCE THEN IT HAS OCCURRED WITH GREATER FREQUENCY AND INTERMITTENT SEVERITY. IN ALMOST ALL CASES, IT OCCURS WHEN DRIVING 55-70 MPH AND WHILE GOING AROUND A RIGHT HAND BEND IN THE ROAD, THE "SKID" LIGHT WILL COME ON, BEEP, AND THEN THE BRAKES WILL SUDDENLY ENGAGE, CAUSING THE CAR TO PULL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER (OFTEN LEFT TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC). AS SOON AS YOU EXIT THE CURVE, THE LIGHT GOES OFF AND YOU CAN ACCELERATE BACK TO SPEED.

DRIVING ON A DRY STRAIGHTAWAY HIGHWAY TRAVELING 67MPH AND SKID LIGHT STARTS BLINKING WITH CHIME SOUND AND VAN STARTS BREAKING AND JERKING TO LEFT ALOMOST GETTING REAR ENDED BY TAILGATER..

TRACTION CONTROL BEEPS AND BRAKES HARD AT UNNECESSARY TIMES, EVEN ON FREEWAY ON RAMPS, ENDANGERING THE OCCUPANTS AND OTHER CARS. REPEATED TRIPS TO MECHANICS HAVE FAILED TO CURE THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND OCCURS EVERY DAY.

VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM ENGAGING BRAKES UNEXPECTLY DURING TURNS PLACING VAN IN UNSAFE CONDITION. UNEXPECTED BRAKING CAN ALSO OCCUR AT 65 MPH IN A TURN!

VSC LIGHT TURNED ON AFTER FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT, TWO DEALERS CANNOT MAKE IT GO OFF. IT APPEARS THAT STABILIZATION WAS NOT WORKING FOR SOME TIME. LIGHT ONLY APPEARED AFTER ALIGNMENT PROCEDURE. ELECTRONICS ARE PART OF A $2700 ABS MODULE. ABS WORKS. NO INDICATION OF THE LACK OF VSC IS A SAFETY ISSUE. OTHERS HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM. APPARENTLY TOYOTA REDESIGNED THE SYSTEM FOR THE NEXT YEAR'S MODEL.

I JUST BOUGHT A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME I EXPERIENCED THE VSC (TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM) GO OFF WITH THE DASH LIGHT ILLUMINATING, AUDIBLE TONE BEEPING AND BRAKES AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED ALL WHILE ON DRY CLEAN ROAD. THE FIRST INCIDENT I WAS MAKING A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN TO GET ON AN ONRAMP TO THE FREEWAY. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH WHEN THE VSC WAS ACTIVATED AND CAUSED ME TO VEER HARD RIGHT AND ALMOST HIT THE RIGHT ONRAMP RAIL. THE SECOND TIME I WAS GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY I MADE A SLIGHT RIGHT TURN AT ABOUT 30MPH AND THE VEHICLE VEERED RIGHT FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE RIGHT LANE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC AND SAID THAT HE RAN DIAGNOSTICS ON THE VEHICLE AND THERE IS NO ERROR CODES IN THE COMPUTER AND DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS. MILEAGE IS 125,600

WHEN TURNING IN A SLIGHT CURVE ON DRY SURFACES THE ANTI SKID CONTROL MECHANISM IS ACTIVATED AND THE CAR BEGINS TO TURN A HARD RIGHT, IT BEGINS TO AUTOMATICALLY SLOW DOWN AND THE INTERNAL BEEPING SOUND IS ACTIVATED. IT IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE VAN WHEN IT HAPPENS AND WITH THE AUTOMATIC SLOWING OF THE VEHICLE IF WE ON A HIGHWAY I FEAR WE WILL BE REAR ENDED. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF OTHER 2004 SIENNA VAN OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY.

MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL/VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVATED CAUSING A BEEPING SOUND ALONG WITH THE DASH ICON BLINKING. THIS IN TURN LOCKED UP THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE VAN VIOLENTLY SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND I LUCKILY GAINED CONTROL AND PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I THOUGHT I HAD JUST EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOW OUT, BUT TO MY SURPRISE NOTHING WAS AMISS. MY WIFE WAS DISTRAUGHT AT WHAT HAD JUST OCCURRED CONSIDERING THE CONSEQUENCES IF A VEHICLE HAD BEEN NEXT TO US AT THE TIME. NOW, DRIVING MUCH SLOWER AND WHITE-KNUCKLING THE STEERING WHEEL, WE PROCEEDED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA DEALER WHICH WAS ROUGHLY 20 MILES AWAY IN ASHEVILLE, NC. ALONG THE WAY, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED TWO MORE TIMES. KEEP IN MIND THAT THE SKIES WERE SUNNY AND THE ROAD DRY. ARRIVING AT THE DEALERSHIP WE WAITED WHILE THE CAR WAS LOOKED OVER. AFTER FIVE HOURS WE WERE TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I DID NOT ACCEPT THIS AND TOLD THEM THAT I FOUND HUNDREDS (IF NOT MORE) OF POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET WITH PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME INCIDENT. I ALSO INFORMED THEM THAT TOYOTA HAD REDESIGNED THE STEERING ANGLE SENSOR (YAW) IN 2005 AND ASKED IF THAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE WRITER EXCUSED HIMSELF AND TWENTY MINUTES LATER RETURNED WITH A TOYOTA SERVICE BULLETIN REFERRING TO THE SENSOR. THEY THEN ORDERED THE NEW SENSOR AND WE RENTED A CAR TO CONTINUE OUR TRIP. RETURNING FIVE DAYS LATER TO PICK UP THE VAN, WE WERE TOLD THE NEW SENSOR WAS INSTALLED AND A ZERO POINT CALIBRATION/ALIGNMENT PERFORMED. I PAID THE $692.00 AND DROVE AWAY. MY WIFE AND SON STAYED IN THE RENTAL CAR, SINCE THE A/C HAD MYSTERIOUSLY STOPPED WORKING WHEN THE INITIAL INCIDENT OCCURRED. WHILE FOLLOWING THEM HOME, THE TRACTION CONTROL/VSC ACTIVATED A TOTAL OF FOUR MORE TIMES. NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL AND FIX THIS.

AT 108190 MILES I HAD THE FRONT END ALIGNED. THEY ATTACHED A SNAP ON ANALYZER AND DID A CODE LINK COMPUTER RESET. AS I LEFT, THE VSC LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF IN SPITE OF DOING A ZERO POINT CALIBRATION. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE VAN NEW ON 5/8/2003, HE RAN HIS DIAGNOSTICS, GOT NO ERROR CODES, AND CLAIMED THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE BRAKE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $2721. OUT OF WARRANTY. NO RECALL ON THIS MODEL. TOO BAD. OTHERS HAVE SEEN THIS PROBLEM ON OTHER 2004 TOYOTA'S. THE DANGER IS THAT AFTER THE LIGHT IS ON THE VEHICLE MAY DECIDE TO APPLY HARD BRAKING AT ANY TIME AND AT ANY SPEED. TOYOTA REDESIGNED THE SYSTEM IN 2005. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN TO ME. TOYOTA RECALLED SOME VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM WITH THE VSC SYSTEM IN LATER MODELS, WHY NOT THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PROBLEM? I HAVE HEARD THAT THERE IS A SOFT RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.

WHEN DRIVING THROUGH A TURN (MORE OFTEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS) THE CAR TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVATES WHEN THERE IS NO EMERGENCY. THIS IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY BEEPING, FLASHING TCS LIGHT, AND SOMETIMES BY EMERGENCY BRAKING WHICH SLOWS CAR AND TAKES IT OFF THE INTENDED LINE CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR THE DRIVER AND CARS NEARBY.

THE VEHICLE STABILITY SYSTEM ACTIVATED WHILE TRAVELLING 75 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR WAS TRAVELLING ON A SECTION OF ROAD THAT CURVED TO THE LEFT. DUE TO THE BRAKING ACTION INDUCED BY THE VSC AT THE HIGHWAY SPEED, THE CAR SWERVED AND ALMOST HIT VEHICLES IN THE OTHER LANES. THE CAR HAS EXHIBITED THIS BEHAVIOR MANY TIMES, AND THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO SECTIONS OF ROAD WHERE I CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN AT WILL. DUE TO THE EXTREME DANGER OF LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR WHILE IT IS APPLYING THE BRAKES, I HAVE DISABLED THE VSC SYSTEM, CAUSING LOSS OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, VSC, ETC. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON MULTIPLE WEB SITES.

THE FOLLOWING HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS. THE LATEST 2 TIMES WERE ON A RAMP AT ABOUT 25MPH COMING OFF AN INTERSTATE AND AT ABOUT 65MPH AN INTERSTATE. WHILE CORNERING TO THE LEFT A FAIR AMOUNT, BUT WELL UNDER CONTROL, THE VSC STARTED ALARMING AND KICKED IN. WHEN IT KICKED IN, IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE HARD TO THE RIGHT AS IF IT HAD LOCKED UP THE BRAKES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IN BOTH CASES, THE VEHICLE SWERVED INTO AN ADJACENT LANE. HAD ANYTHING BEEN IN THAT LANE OR HAD WE BEEN IN AN OUTSIDE LANE, THE VCS WOULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. WHATEVER THE CAUSE, THE VSC IN THIS VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS. OVER THE 12 YEARS WE'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE, IT'S UNLIKELY THAT THE VSC HAS COME ON MORE THAN 5 TIMES. SINCE IT'S SO RARE, WE DRIVERS HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH THE BEHAVIOR AND THE VEHICLE IS COMPLIANT UNTIL THE VSC KICKS IN. WHEN IT KICKS IN, THE CAR HAS PRESUMABLY DETERMINED THAT SOME STABILIZING ACTION NEEDS TO HAPPEN, YET, INSTEAD OF PROVIDING SAFETY - THE VERY PURPOSE OF VCS, IT UNEXPECTEDLY LOCKS UP THE BRAKES ON ONE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSES IT TO SWERVE OUT OF ITS LANE. NOTE, THE VEHICLE HAS RECENTLY HAD A BRAKE JOB. UNDER HARD BRAKING, THE VEHICLE STAYS IN ITS LINE, AND DOES SWERVE AT ALL, SO IT'S WHATEVER THE VSC IS DOING TO "PROVIDE STABILITY" THAT'S CAUSING THE LOCKUP/SWERVE ISSUE. FINALLY, FROM THE INTERNET, A COUPLE QUICK QUERIES LED ME TO POSTINGS BY OTHER SIENNA OWNERS WHO'D EXPERIENCED VERY SIMILAR BEHAVIOR, SO THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.

EVERY TIME THE SPEED OF THE CAR REACHED 33 MPH, THE VEHICLE SKID CONTROL LIGHT WOULD START FLASHING WITH A CONTINUOUS BEEPING SOUND. WHEN I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT AND TOOK A TURN, THE CAR BRAKED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT RESPONSIVE. A VERY DANGEROUS FEELING ON THE WINDY ROADS I LIVE ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS A LONGSTANDING ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING REGULARLY FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS: TRACTION CONTROL SEIZES CONTROL OF CAR WHEN TRAVELING ANYWHERE FROM 35-65MPH, BUT IT HAPPENS MOST FREQUENTLY ON FREEWAY AT ABOUT 60MPH. THE CAR IS USUALLY ON A GRADUAL CURVE BUT IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING ON A STRAIGHTAWAY. VEHICLE BECOMES DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, STEER, ACCELERATE, LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIGHT UP AND A TERRIBLE NOISE ENSUES. ONE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND TWO TOYOTA DEALERS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. WHEN TRACTION CONTROL IS MANUALLY TURNED OFF AT ENGINE POWER-ON, THE LIGHTS STILL LIGHT UP SHOWING IT IS ATTEMPTING TO SEIZE CONTROL, AND IN ONE INSTANCE, CONTROL WAS SEIZED DESPITE THE SYSTEM SUPPOSEDLY BEING SHUT DOWN. IT IS TERRIFYING FOR THE DRIVER AS WELL AS ANY PASSENGERS. *TR

DRIVING ALONG ON 210 FREEWAY EAST BOUND IN PASADENA DOING 60, THE TRACTION CONTROL KICKED IN, THE VAN BRAKED, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON DASHBOARD CAME ON WITH A BEEPING SOUND, AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHUTTERED AND CAR LOST POWER. LASTED ABOUT 5 SECONDS AND THEN BACK TO NORMAL. COULD HAVE BEEN REAR-ENDED OR COULD HAVE SWERVED INTO OTHER LANES. ALSO HAPPENED ON 110 FWY NORTHBOUND IN PASADENA, 60 MPH, ON SLIGHT TURN, SAME THING HAPPENED, TRACTION CONTROL KICKED IN, THE VAN BRAKED, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON DASHBOARD CAME ON WITH A BEEPING SOUND, AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHUTTERED AND CAR LOST POWER. I CAME CLOSE TO HITTING FWY DIVIDER AND SWERVING INTO CAR IN ADJACENT LANE. ROADS WERE DRY AND NO SLIPPAGE OF WHEELS FELT. TOOK IT TO DEALER WONDRIES TOYOTA IN ALHAMBA,CA TWICE AND WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. *TR

ON CLEAR, DRY PAVEMENT AT MODERATE (50MPH -60 MPH) HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE TRACTION CONTROL HAS UNEXPECTEDLY ENGAGED. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES ON BOTH SLIGHT BANKING TURNS AND ON STRAIGHT SECTIONS OF ROADWAY. PREVIOUS TO EACH INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER PREDICTABLE DRIVER CONTROL WITH NO SUDDEN STEERING CHANGES; YET THE TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVATED CAUSING SUDDEN BRAKING, DIFFICULTY STEERING, AUDIBLE ALARM SOUNDS, AND DASHBOARD TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATION. THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL DURING THE 5- 10 SECOND DURATIONS. CONTINUED SAFE DRIVING CAN ONLY BE DONE BY MANUALLY DISENGAGING THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. I NOTE THAT TIRES WERE RECENTLY REPLACED AND FRONT END WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS PERFORMED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20-30 MPH, THE TRACTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME VERY HARD TO STEER.THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

JUST OVER 1 YEAR AGO, THE VSC WARNING INDICATOR CAME ON AND IT WAS FOUND THAT ONE OF THE STEERING SENSORS WAS BAD. I HAD IT REPLACED. TWO DAYS AGO, THE VSC WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. FROM ALL OF THE RESEARCH THAT I HAVE DONE, THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURING PROBLEM FOR TOYOTA ON THE SIENNA'S AND SEQUOIA'S. *TT

TRAVELING BETWEEN 35-45 MPH ON DRY, STRAIGHT ROADS, THE VSC (VEHICLE SKID CONTROL) ENGAGED WITHOUT CAUSE. ALARM SOUNDED, VEHICLE SKID LIGHT TURNED ON, VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED BRAKES TO THE POINT THAT THEY MADE SOME SQUEALING NOISE, THROTTLE WAS UNRESPONSIVE, AND VEHICLE STEERING PULLED TO THE LEFT. WE PULLED OVER AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE, IN HOPES THAT IT WOULD CLEAR THE PROBLEM. WE STARTED UP AGAIN ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER. THIS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES ON THE WAY HOME. WOULD HATE TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHILE PULLING OUR POPUP CAMPER.

I HAVE A 04 SIENNA W/ 49,000 MILES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC AND TRAC CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR BACK IN 04. THEY WOULD JUST TURNED OFF AFTER THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF. *TR