2008 TOYOTA SIENNA Electronic Stability Control Esc Problems

WHEN DRIVING NORMALLY IN DRY CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE STABILITY CONTROL ENGAGES WHEN MAKING SLOW TURNS AT ABOUT 45 TO 55 MPH. IT HAPPENS MOSTLY WHEN STEERING TO THE RIGHT BUT CAN HAPPEN WHEN TURNING LEFT. THIS RESULTS IN DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS WHERE THE BRAKES UNEXPECTEDLY ENGAGE OR THE CAR DOWN SHIFTS TO A LOWER GEAR. IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK AND HAS PLACED ME AND OTHERS IN DANGER. THE PROBLEM BEGAN ABOUT 2 TO 3 YEARS AGO AND HAS BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR ISSUES WITHOUT RESOLUTION BY TOYOTA, DEALERS OR AUTO REPAIR SHOPS. I AM ONLY ABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE BY REMOVING THE FUSE THAT CONTROLS THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM. SEE HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-C9152_DS656326 FOR ONE EXAMPLE OF A DISCUSSION THREAD. GIVEN THE PERVASIVENESS OF THIS PROBLEM, IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINEERING OR MANUFACTURING...

MY VSC AND SLIP DASHBOARD INDICATORS GO ON WHILE I DRIVE ON DRY ROAD AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 40-50 MPH. THE CAR THEN GIVES ME KICK BACK ON STEERING AND BRAKING, ALMOST AS IT LOSING CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. IT THEN GOES AWAY RANDOMLY. IT IS DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE THE SITUATION BUT IT TENDS TO OCCUR ON SPEEDS ABOVE 35MPH AND ON A CURVED ROAD STEERING.THIS HAS OCCURED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AND ON REGULAR ROADS.

WHILE DRIVING, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM WARNING CAME ON WHEN THE ROADS WERE CLEAR AND DRY. ALSO, THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING STARTED GOING OFF WHEN MAKING TURNS ON CLEAR ROADS. WHENEVER WE TRAVELED THE HIGHWAY AND WERE MAKING A TURN AT GREATER THAN 35 MILES PER HOUR, THE WARNING SOUNDED AND THE BRAKES WENT OFF.

ON INCLINES, THE VSC LIGHT WOULD COME ON, CLICKING NOISE NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CAR WOULD LOSE POWER. I HAVE MECHANICS CHECKED OUT. CV JOINT AND BALL BEARING REPLACED. PROBLEM PERSISTS.

ABOUT A FIVE YEARS AGO THE SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT (CAR WITH SWERVY LINES) STARTED COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TURNING ON HIGHWAYS ETC. (BUT NOT WHEN ANY RISK OF TIRES SLIPPING). I BROUGHT IT TO TOYOTA THREE DIFFERENT TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND TOYOTA ALWAYS STATES THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE ISSUE AND STATES THEY CAN?T FIX IT BUT MAYBE DRIVE SLOWER (REALLY IT HAS NOTHING TO WITH MY SPEED AFTER YEARS OF DEALING WITH THIS ITS BEEN SOMETHING WE JUST DEAL WITH). THE VSC LIGHT ALSO COMES ON AND ALARM SOMETIMES SOUNDS WHILE DRIVING. TWO MORE TRIPS TO TOYOTA AND SEVERAL VISITS TO DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND NOBODY CAN FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS THE ABS SYSTEM IS ALSO BEING ACTIVATED WITHOUT ME APPLYING THE BRAKES. IT DOES IT WITHOUT WARNING. ALL OF THESE ISSUES CAN BE ON A CURVE AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS OR ON A SLIGHT OR...

VEHICLE WOULD ENGAGE BRAKES BY ITSELF AND VSC AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS WOULD START FLASHING AND BEEPING WHEN GOING AROUND CURVES OR HITTING BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THIS WAS FRIGHTENING, AND CAUSED ME TO NOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SELL THE VEHICLE OUTRIGHT TO ANOTHER PERSON, SO I LOST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BY TRADING IT IN. THIS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY FOR OVER A YEAR. ESTIMATED FINANCIAL LOSS $4000.00. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH ON DRY ASPHALT ON A SUNNY DAY WHEN THE STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH RAPID BEEPING. WHAT WAS THE MOST CONCERNING WAS THAT THE BREAKS ACTIVATED TWICE CAUSING ME TO HAVE A NEAR PANIC ATTACK AND I DIDN'T THINK I HAD CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE BEEPING STOPPED AND I HAD FULL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THERE WAS NO APPARENT CAUSE FOR THESE SAFETY FEATURES TO HAVE BEEN ENGAGED AND NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY TIME IT HAS HAPPENED BUT IT WAS THE SCARIEST. THE OTHER TIMES HAVE BEEN AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND THE BRAKES DON'T ALWAYS ENGAGE. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS POSTS ONLINE DESCRIBING THE SAME ISSUE WITH OTHER SIENNAS AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE TOYOTA WANTS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS ISSUE....

WHEN WE GO ON CURVY ROADS, A CLICKING STARTS. IT SOUNDS AS IF IT IS COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH NEAR THE STEERING. ONCE THAT STARTS UP THE TRACTION CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS. THE WARNING ALARM COMES ON AND THE BRAKES ENGAGE ON THEIR OWN. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER HOW FAST OR SLOW WE TAKE THE CURVE. THIS STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND CONTINUES TO GET WORSE. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE MECHANIC BUT HE CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE ROAD ARE MOSTLY STRAIGHT THERE AND THEY COULDN'T PHYSICALLY SEE ANYTHING WRONG. FOR WHAT ITS WORTH, THE PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN THE ROADS ARE DRY OR WET. THE TIRES ARE GOOD AND SO IS THE PRESSURE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL OF CAR AND ESPECIALLY THIS PARTICULAR YEAR. FOR EXAMPLES: HTTPS://WWW.SIENNACHAT.COM/THREADS/TRACTION-CONTROL-MALFUNCTIONING.44474/ *TR

WHILE DRIVING WITH MY AUTISTIC CHILDREN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE VSC LIGHT AND THE TRAC OFF LIGHT ALL CAME ON AND THE WHEELS LOCKED UP ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND THROUGH THE VAN INTO A DITCH. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE THIS VEHICLE WAS MADE FOR FAMILIES. I AM NOW KEEPING A LOG AND I DO PLAN ON RETAINING AN ATTORNEY AS NO ONE HAS ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE AS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

CAR ENGENDERS SELF BRAKING AND CUTTING POWER OFF

THE TRACTION CONTROL, STABILITY, AND ABS ENGAGE IN TURNS (STEERING INPUT) RANGING FROM SPEEDS OF 25-55 MPH. IT HAPPENS ON FLAT SURFACES, INCLINES AND DECLINES. THE TURN RANGE FROM SHARP TURNS TO SLIGHT TURNS THAT THERE IS NO REDUCTION OF SPEED TO NAVIGATE THE TURN. WHEN IT OCCURS THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY DECELERATES AND PULLS TO THE RIGHT. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE IN A TURN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE UNTIL THERE IS NO STEERING INPUT. DEALERS AND MECHANICS CAN NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING DAILY FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. THIS HAS CAUSED MANY NEAR CRASHES.

WHILE DRIVING ON A SLOPE, INCLINE OR DECLINE, MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ( CAR WITH SQUIGGLES BEHIND IT) COMES ON, A LOUD 'BEEP BEEP BEEP' SOUNDS, AND MY CAR BRAKES ON ITS OWN. ALWAYS HAPPENS WHILE IN MOTION. HIGHWAY DRIVING. 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME WHILE ON AN INCLINE OR DECLINE. IT SCARES THE HECK OUT OF YOU CAUSING AN UNSAFE CONDITION. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE BRAKES APPLY, IT PULLS YOU OUT OF YOUR LANE. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS 3 WEEKS AGO. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE INTERMITTENT ANYMORE. YOU CAN COUNT ON IT HAPPENING WHEN YOUR ON A SLOPE.

THE TRACTION CONTROL ERRONEOUSLY ENGAGES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, WHICH IN TURN ACTIVATES THE ABS. THIS CAUSES SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED BRAKING. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

WHILE DRIVING THE VSC/ABS SYSTEM COMES ON UNEXPECTEDLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO BRAKE AND EFFECT STEERING. IT IS MOST FREQUENTLY NOTICED WHEN STEERING ON CURVES 30-40 MPH. I HAVE REPLACED TIRES, FRONT STEERING COMPONENTS AND DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE. I BELIEVE WHEEL SPEED/YAW SENSOR CALIBRATION IS AFFECTING THE VSC SYSTEM. THIS IS A VERY SCARY SITUATION TO BE IN THAT COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. YOUR BRAKING AND STEERING AFFECTED ALL AT ONCE UNEXPECTEDLY IS DANGEROUS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND PROVIDE SOLUTION ASAP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHEN THE CONTACT SWITCHED LANES OR MADE A TURN, THE BRAKES ACTIVATED ON THEIR OWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON FLAT OR CURVED ROADS AND WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. SOMETIMES THE BRAKES WORKED PROPERLY, BUT SOMETIMES THEY DID NOT WORK AT ALL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD OCCASIONALLY ACCELERATE AND DECELERATE ON ITS OWN AND THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL TICKING NOISE. FURTHERMORE, THE VSC AND TRACTION CONTROL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA KNOXVILLE (10415 PARKSIDE DR, KNOXVILLE, TN 37922), BUT THEY DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO FOX TOYOTA (228 FOX FAMILY LN, CLINTON, TN 37716) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A STEERING ANGLE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000....

THE STABILITY CONTROL/TRACTION WILL ACTIVATE FOR NO REASON THUS SLOWING THE VEHICLE DOWN AT FREEWAYS SPEEDS. MECHANICS FIND NO PROBLEMS WITH PARTS ASSOCIATED WITH ISSUE.

OCTOBER 2016 THIS PROBLEM OF MY 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA STARTED- ON SLIGHT CURVES DOING 30-40MPH I WOULD HEAR A CLICKING NOISE COMING SOMEWHERE UNDERNEATH THE FRONT RIGHT END ALMOST AS IF UNDER THE DASH, THE VSC LIGHT WOULD FLASH. I TOOK TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, HAD A MECHANIC TEST DRIVE WITH ME THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS THAT MY TIRES WERENT ALIGNED WITH MY LAST TIRE CHANGE(WHICH WAS DONE AT THEIR TOYOTA DEALERSHIP) TOYOTA TOLD ME I NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL THE TIRES AND HAVE THE WHEELS ALIGNED. I DID THIS, PROBLEM CONTINUED. I TOOK MY VAN IN AGAIN TO TOYOTA, THEY LIED AND TOLD ME I NEEDED NEW BRAKES, AND SOME OTHER THINGS I DIDNT NEED. DECIDED TO GET A 2ND OPINION FROM 2 OTHER AUTO SHOPS AND FOUND OUT TOYOTA LIED ABOUT THE BRAKES, THEY WERE FINE AND THEY BOTH WERE UNABLE TO FIND OUT MY PROBLEM. I...

WHEN TURNING CORNERS, THE VSC LIGHT TURNS ON, THE CAR BEEPS, AND THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGES, CAUSING THE CAR TO BRAKE ON OWN. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY, INTERMITTENTLY, AT ALL SPEEDS.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS (GREATER THAN 40 MPH) AROUND CURVES, THE SKID INDICATOR SENSOR WILL OCCASIONALLY TRIGGER EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT WHERE NO SLIPPING IS HAPPENING. THE CAR WILL AUTOMATICALLY DECELERATE AND BRAKE MOMENTARILY. THERE IS OFTEN A CLICKING SOUND IN THE STEERING COLUMN AS WELL. THE VSC WARNING LIGHT OCCASIONALLY COMES ON TOO. MECHANICS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, BASED ON RESEARCH AT TOYOTA BLOGS, IT APPEARS THAT OTHER TOYOTA SIENNA DRIVERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME ISSUE.

THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM COMES ON WHEN GOING INTO ANY RIGHT TURN. THE ALARM BEEPS AND THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY BRAKES, AND THE GAS PEDAL IS DISABLED SO THAT YOU CAN NOT SPEED UP. THE BRAKING CAN BE SO SEVERE THAT IT WILL REDUCE SPEED FROM 45 MPH TO 25 MPH WITHOUT NOTICE WHICH JERKS THE PASSENGERS VIOLENTLY.

WE HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE VEHICLE HAS 174,000 MILES ON IT. THE VSC ICON COMES ON ALONG WITH THE ALARM WHEN DRIVING ON DRY ROADS AND WHEN TURNING WHETHER ON FLAT OR DOWNHILL TRAVEL WITH THE BRAKES GRABBING AND RELEASING. THE SITUATION IS UNPREDICTABLE. PROBLEM STARTED AT APPROXIMATELY 173,000. THE SLIP INDICATOR LIGHT STARTED COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TURNING ON HIGHWAYS ETC. PLEASE MAKE THIS SERIOUS RECALL FOR TOYOTA. YOU NEED TO FORCE TOYOTA TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES A LIFE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE VSC AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM AND SLIP INDICATOR WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AROUND CURVES JUST AS THE FRONT WHEELS GRAB. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL MECHANIC S AND TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID NOTHING SHOWS UP ON THE DYNASTIC TEST MACHINE. SO, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS HAZARDOUS SITUATION AND RECORDS SHOW I HOLD TOYOTA RESPONSIBLE FOR MY FAMILY'S SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. [XXXX] PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING ABOVE 55 MPH ON AN INCLINING OR DESCENDING SURFACE, THE STABILITY CONTROL WOULD SUDDENLY ACTIVATE AND THE SPEED WOULD SUDDENLY DECREASE. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE ALSO FREQUENTLY OCCURRED WHEN SWITCHING LANES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

VEHICLE TRACTION CONTROL INTERMITTENTLY ENGAGES ON DRIVE PAVEMENT IN CURVES AND STRAIGHTAWAYS AT VARYING SPEEDS. VEHICLE ALARM BEEPS, VEHICLE BRAKES, AND VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY STEERS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS, UNSAFE SITUATION ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS FOR THE AFFECTED VEHICLE AND TRAILING VEHICLES. THIS HAS OCCURRED WITHOUT PREDICTABILITY MANY TIMES.

WHILE PASSENGER SIDE VISOR IS DOWN SMOKE STARTS POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HEAD LINER. WHEN THE VISOR IS PLACED BACK IN THE CLOSED POSITION SMOKE CLEARS OUT AND STOPS. PER THE MECHANIC, A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS RESULTED IN A MELTED ELECTRICAL BOARD AND THE ENTIRE HEAD LINER AND ELECTRICAL BOARD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE VISOR CAN NOT BE USED OR THE SHORT MAY START A FIRE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THIS OCCURRED. VAN FILLED WITH SMOKE QUICKLY. HAD TO PULL OVER AND OPEN DOORS TO CLEAR THE SMOKE.

WHEN DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD UNDER DRY CONDITIONS, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AS WELL AS AN AUDITORY WARNING. THE BRAKES ARE ALSO APPLIED. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES NOW. MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE IT. THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS IF VEHICLES ARE FOLLOWING BEHIND AS THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED FORCEFULLY. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS BETWEEN 30-40 MPH ON BACK ROADS, ONLY ON CURVES. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE IS GOING AN APPROPRIATE SPEED FOR THE CORNER, AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR THIS SYSTEM TO ENGAGE. THE VSC WARNING LIGHT HAD BEEN ON, BUT HAD TURNED OFF AS IF THE PROBLEM HAD FIXED ITSELF. THE VSC LIGHT TURNED ON ON DECEMBER 24TH 2015 AND TURNED OFF ON DECEMBER 26TH, 2015.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA SIENNA. WHILE DRIVING 45 TO 50 MPH ONTO A HIGHWAY, THE VSC LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AN ALARM ACTIVATED, AND THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

CAR PAUSES AT SLOW SPEEDS. CAR JERKS FIRST, THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, TRAC OFF LIGHT COMES ON. VSV LIGHT COMES ON. CODE DIAGNOSED AS DTC PO717. TOYOTA DEALER DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. SUGGESTS TRIAL AND ERROR. VEHICLE HESITATING IS DANGEROUS. *TR

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENT. CAR WAS DRIVEN 200 MILES THE PREVIOUS NIGHT AND GARAGED. THE NEXT MORNING, CAR WAS STARTED, BACKED OUT OF DRIVEWAY, AND DRIVEN 15 MPH FOR 1/4 MILE UNTIL ON MAIN ROAD. AFTER TRAVELING 0.4 MILES ON MAIN ROAD I SLOWED TO A RED LIGHT. THE ENGINE STARTED RACING (BUT NOT RED-LINING). I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, WHICH REMOVED THE FORWARD PRESSURE, AND AFTER A SECOND OR TWO, THE RPMS DRIFTED BACK INTO THE NORMAL RANGE. THIS IS THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE. OTHER INSTANCES HAVE BEEN LESS SEVERE AND HAVE ALL OCCURRED WHILE BRAKING THE VEHICLE. *TR