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How to disable stability and traction control '08 (short version)

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#21 ·
EEilv said:
I have a couple questions about this:
1. Would this prevent the 4wd lock from automatically turning off at 25mph?
2. Are there any known problems from running the 4wd lock at higher speeds (say 40+ mph?)
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The lock goes off at 25 based on vehicle speed which I believe is taken from the lateral and longitudinal accelerometer not the yaw sensor. It's the same sensor that takes away throttle when it sees forward progress stop. Again I wouldn't want to disconnect it due to possible recalibration issues. Pulling the fuse on the VSC/TRAC module would do the same thing more safely I'd think.

I suspect the 4WD system is too light for the forces it would have to handle at higher speeds. Besides the system works so well I doubt you'd notice the difference. The only conditions it might make a difference is on washboard dirt roads where 4WD gives a smoother ride.
 
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#22 ·
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#23 ·
Thanks very much for the info, Dr. Dyno. I did some more reading and watched some videos of how the vehicle handles in snow and I was impressed. I also watched some videos of how vehicles with traction control behave with the systems on and off and I'm now convinced it makes a huge difference.

I think being new to the Rav4 and never having had a car with automatic traction control (I drove a 1990 Chevrolet Suburban before), I'm just a bit nervous about how the systems behave.

I should have more faith that these systems are designed very well. I concede, it would be the rare situation when I would ever need to turn it off.
 
#25 ·
Dr. Dyno said:
hotairguy said:
So is the behaviour exactly the same as the "tap dance". Using the momentary switch disables the VSC and lights up the dash ? I wonder if this is the same way the 2009 and above RAV's disable the nannies.
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I have two problems with this yaw sensor method. First it kills ABS. I can see no good reason to do that. Both the tap dance and the '09-on switch leave ABS on. The '09-on switch can turn just TRAC off or both TRAC and VSC off.
Second, I've read that the accelerometers including the yaw sensor require a calibration procedure once disconnected to work properly when reconnected.
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And... when you replace the battery... You recalibrate the yaw sensor ?
;-)
 
#26 ·
aicanduit said:
And... when you replace the battery... You recalibrate the yaw sensor ?
;-)
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Good question! Certainly doesn't make sense that you'd have to recal ANY sensors when the battery went dead. I took a look thru my CD manual and couldn't find where I thought I'd seen the recal requirement. In fact some of the tests had you disconnecting the yaw sensor and reconnecting or replacing it with no mention of a calibration.

What I do wonder is does the Downhill Assist Control still work with the ABS disabled?
Turning TRAC off is mostly for having fun or getting the car unstuck. DAC is for safely getting the car down a hill so steep & slippery that you can't control it with the brakes or engine, a much more critical situation. DAC uses ABS to get the job done.
 
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#29 ·
tomo said:
I did this mod and the ligths came on the dash VSC, ABS 4X4. Is that normal?
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From post #15
96heckler said:
The vsc abs and traction control warning lamps come on.
You can turn it off while driving but not on you have to turn the car off then on and the system resets itself.
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tomo said:
Hope this will not damage tranny in any way.Just want to have some fun on the snow. :p :p
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Since this mod or the tap dance both allow you to spin the wheels to your heart's content, any sudden stoppage from a high speed of any wheel or especially two wheels would put maximum strain on the drivetrain possibly causing damage. The example I can think of is trying to "burn through" ice or snow to get unstuck and suddenly connecting with dry pavement.
Have some fun but remember you're still not driving a heavy duty off-road machine.
 
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#30 ·
Thanx a lot Doctor Dyno for your explanation.I just want to be sure before doing anything stupid a than sorry.
You and everybody on this forum have a wonderfull Christmas!
Leaving for the mountains tonight on the skiing trip.
Will report results soon.
 
#31 ·
tomo said:
You and everybody on this forum have a wonderfull Christmas!
Leaving for the mountains tonight on the skiing trip.
Will report results soon.
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The same wishes to you.
One word of caution - don't drive with ABS disabled. As long as the car is moving the VSC works quite well and uses ABS to keep you going by braking any spinning wheels. You only need the bypass when the accelerometer sees the car slowing or stopping and starts backing off the throttle.
 
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#32 ·
A word of caution for those who want to disable these nannies so they can spin the tires to their heart's content.

My 1999 F-250 & car trailer just towed a car to a repair shop because as the owner stated "the tires were spinning on snow in the driveway and then they hit dry pavement. Now it won't go in any gear."

As we idled the engine so we could steer while we winched it onto the trailer the transmission sounded like a bucket of marbles.
Luckily it was only a 2001 Chevy Impala and a used tranny only cost a grand or so installed.

Wonder what a used 4WD RAV4 transmission would be, two, three grand?
 
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#33 ·
Yeah, shock loading the drivetrain like that is a good way to blow stuff up. I've done it a time or two with my off-road truck, and it's never a good thing.
 
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#34 ·
Well, actually, my experiance has been the reverse of that. I've been playing in some snowy mountains here in CO recently, and for me the best thing was leave TC and SC on, and have the transfer case locked F/R. Without a single limited-slip differential (the RAV should at LEAST have one in the rear), the tires just spin. I was able to get unstuck by rocking it with the systems on, with them off I was going nowhere. Now, I'd be careful with 8" of snow as that's more than the ground clearance, and as soon as you high-center on some solid snow, you're stuck for good until you start digging.
 
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#35 ·
CYCLE_MONKEY said:
Now, I'd be careful with 8" of snow as that's more than the ground clearance, and as soon as you high-center on some solid snow, you're stuck for good until you start digging.
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Agreed. We've had an extra helping of global warming here in Eastern CT and I got stuck in a field with 12 inches over a previous serving of 8 inches. I had no business even being there but did have two hefty friends to help push me out backwards. Got it out w/o too much shoveling but it ripped off the big plastic undercover. It was hanging out the front by the four front bolts. Kinda spoiled the fun.

Then I see the posts about the $1100 EVAP units getting damaged. Took a look at mine under the left side front floor. The sheet metal cover was dented up!

It all made up my mind to use the RAV's 4WD for far less adventuresome purposes. That's what my trucks are for.
 
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#39 ·
Vee6er ver2.0 said:
Here is the procedure.
1. Car off.
2. Emergency brk. on.
3. Start car.
4. Pull emergency brk. 2X.
5. Pump brake pedal 2X.
6. Pull emergency brk. 2X.
7. Trac. Control. Light Off should turn on.
8. Have fun.

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App
Click to expand...
Shouldn't step 2 be Emergency brk. OFF? Otherwise, how could you pull emergency brk. in step 4?
 
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