2005 Toyota tundra limited, trac control issues

My 2005 tundra is displaying vsc off, trac cntrl, slip indicator, and a check engine light. haven’t been able to pull a code from it, tried myself, even took it to a shop. When I unplug the battery and plug it back in, it turns them all off for a couple weeks but they eventually pop back up. It doesn’t seem to drive any different and I can’t find anything on the internet. So I figured I’d ask here to see if anyone had any ideas with what’s goin on. Any help is appreciated!!

 

Pulling battery clears the codes. Any local auto parts store chain will pull codes for you, that would be super handy.

Have you done any work to the vehicle at the wheels, specifically? Or lift with shitty hardware like the garbage kits Rough Country makes?

Have you checked your ABS sensors in front and rear to (A) confirm the wiring isn'd damaged, (B) confirm the sensors are seated properly, (C) pull each sensor and check for debris and contaminants, before carefully reinstalling them firm & square into their holes?

 

It usually takes a month or so for the lights pop back on and I drive it daily

Had my buddy try and pull a code and after a few try’s got a p0420 code. Took it to an orielly’s, they couldn’t pull anything. Took it to auto-zone, did it myself and after a few try’s got another p0420. Took it to the best muffler shop in town, he used a top of the line reader and they couldn’t pull anything.

I have no reason to believe the cats are bad yet. only 120,000 miles, no sulfuric smell gas mileage hasn’t changed and is running fine

The person I bought it from put aftermarket tires on, no lifts or any other mods. so it could be a possibility ( I haven’t done any work on it yet)

I’ll give it a look, thanks for the help!

 

Have you seen the “so you just bought a 1st gen” sticky thread?

It covers the causes of P0420 / P0430. Give it a read because I see a couple potential mistakes: Using O’reillys for parts, and going to a muffler shop, who will probably replace the cats when that’s not the issue, and who will likely replace with a brand of cat these trucks love to throw codes over.

But that code has nothing to do with the flashing lights you mention.

What cab type, and do you have the “VSC” button on the same panel as the clock? Is it 2WD or 4WD?

 

Thanks for the recommendation. what a great thread to read, Thankyou!

oriellys was just for them to run their scanner on it but they couldn’t pull anything, luckily this muffler shop was recommended to me and didn’t try and bullshit me. He couldn’t pull a code and didn’t wanna do any work unless he knew forsure it would fix it.

I’ll give to o2 sensors a check if checking/cleaning the abs sensors doesn’t clear up the dash lights

it’s a limited edition double cab 4wd, there’s only an auto lsd button no vsc button

 

That sounds like your abs sensors are dirty, or about to shit the bed. 1 10mm bolt to pull them out and check them. The 05-06 trucks are a lot more sensitive about the abs sensors. I don't have any pics, but they're nestled up right against the backing plates by the brakes.

 

Auto LSD is the button I was talking about. Just confirms you have VSC. I’m really sketchy on that system, frankly. But if I understand correctly, there’s a pitch/yaw sensor somewhere like the center console, maybe it disables ABS or trac control on an inclines or at certain angles? Someone posted an interesting video on ABS recently, weird shit with trac control flashing and engaging ABS randomly. He was towing a trailer and I guess it happened a lot on curvy roads? I won’t be able to find the video but maybe someone else will remember it being posted here.

@bmf4069 is likely on the right trail and it’s worth checking those sensors, their wiring, if the sensor is free of debris, and the tone ring is OK. Maybe someone replaced wheel bearings for (or before) you and didn’t seat things properly? Or ???

 

Your traction control is disabled when the check engine light come on. It's just what Toyota does. I'd bet a dozen glazed doughnuts that once you fix the root cause of the P0420 the VSC, slip and traction control lights don't come back.

 

Thankyou all for the help, it did end up being my ABS sensors just needing some cleaning. Went through and cleaned them all the other day and all my lights have gone away. just wanted to wait a couple days to make sure I got it fixed. Again Thankyou all for the help, love learning new things @shifty` @bmf4069 @87warrior

 

Install angle and cleanliness are both important for those to work correctly.

Just a point to mention: If it was the rears that had excess buildup, you may want to keep an eye on that, and check/replace the $10 rear differential breather. It’s a one-way valve sitting on top of the pumpkin, and if it fails, bad things can happen. If it would let air out, you’ll build up pressure and blow out your seals. If it fails letting air out or in, you can suck water into the diff of the rear axle ever gets submerged (puddles, boat lunches, etc) and contaminate your gear oil. If you have LSD rear (should have a sticker on the diff), be careful which gear oil you use. Gear oil should be changed every 30k for Dino, 60k for synthetic (generically speaking, under normal operations, i.e. not towing)

 

Any good videos or examples of changing gear oil? Mine just hit 120,000 so it’s time for it

 

Yeah, should be done at least every 30k miles or half that if you tow, assuming you use non-synthetic, which if you have LSD rear-end, you should use non-synthetic for the 1st gen Tundra specifically

Videos, no, but it's easy as shit. Have a piece of cardboard handy. Get something like this to pump oil directly out of quart bottles. Get 4 quarts of Lucas 80w90 gear oil which is one of the only oils that works for the LSD in these trucks, or 75w140 if you're 100% positive you don't have LSD rear end (if in question, default to Lucas 80w90). I think your '05 is like my '06 and will take 3.1qts of oil, but YMMV.

This is basically any rear diff in these trucks, with labels on the important stuff. The concept is simple:

• Throw a large piece of cardboard under the diff to catch drips.
  
• ALWAYS loosen your fill plug first! This is a rule of law you must follow with all vehicles; if the fill plug won't come loose, and you drain your diff, the only way to fill (on this truck, at least) is thru the diff breather hole.
• With the fill plug loose, throw a catch pan under the diff, and open the drain plug; drain the fluids. TIP: Removing the fill plug will allow fluid to drain faster.
• When drained, reinstall the drain plug with a new washer if necessary, then torque to spec (36ft lb for 2005-2006).
• Open a quart bottle of diff oil, toss your pump onto it, and pump/empty it into the diff; repeat for each additional bottle until the diff is full enough that gear oil starts dumping out of the fill hole, which should happen a dozen or three pumps into the 4th bottle --- this is why you need the cardboard on the ground, to catch that extra diff oil, which smells like ass, and you cannot get the smell of this stuff out of concrete or clothes.
• Reinstall the fill plug, torque to spec (also 36ft lb for the 2005-2006).
• Inspect your breather to make sure the top spins freely, and tap on it. If it's remotely rusted, or it's never been replaced, proactively replace it, it's only $10 and that little fucker can be what stands between you and blowing our your axle seals.
• Wipe everything dry around the diff, see how shiny mine is? There's a reason it's that way, and not rusty, I wipe the gear oil all over that fucker, it's corrosion prevention. Ensure you wipe enough that there's no drips of gear oil anywhere because ....
• After 50-100 miles, reinspect your diff, the drain and fill plugs, and check for signs of dripping/leaking just to be sure.
• Pat yourself on the back, champ! You just saved yourself at least $50 going to a shop for something that required loosening all of two bolts, and you aren't gonna need to worry, "Oh shit, did those assholes actually refill me? Did they use the right fluid?" and you won't be going back because they used the wrong fluid and now you've got rear-end chatter.
• If, after doing this service, you notice a "skipping" feeling when you're reversing out of parking spaces while turning, that's chatter; ask for help here. It normally shouldn't happen if you used a non-synthetic gear oil like the Lucas 80w90, but ... it's not death, but you do need to do something.

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Oh and here's the rear dif oil capacities, from the FSM, which can be downloaded at the top of the megathread. The FSM is the de facto Bible for these trucks and if you haven't downloaded a copy, you're doing yourself a massive disservice.

Note that some double cabs may require you to buy more than 4 quarts. Act accordingly, look at the box here; based on your vehicle looks like you should need 3.54qt

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what about those of us with the VSC "auto LSD" is that a real LSD that needs a special fluid?

 

No, that just uses the brakes to control wheel spin.

 

So sad, I see a rear locker in my future.