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Slip Indicator

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Air_Boss, Feb 4, 2018.

  1. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    2012 Prius v Five, 36,000 miles.

    Four hours into a six hour drive on I-95, temps 34-38 degrees, light rain, prevailing traffic 65-70 mph, the yellow slip indicator came on and stayed on for 40-45 minutes, then went out and remained out for rest of trip until turning into destination driveway at 5 mph, when it came on again, and stayed on until the car was shut down.

    No driving difficulties, no odd handling, No buzzers or chimes.

    Running on four identical, relatively new, Dunlop M3 Winter Sports snows at 36 psi all around.

    Did note quite a bit of residual salt solution on the roads due to repeated freeze/thaw/refreeze cycles and treating patches of black ice.(none remaining at these temperatures).

    Starting car after shutting it down, the indicator lamp is now off.

    Researching "slip indicator" (the yellow dashboard "Slip Indicator/Hill Climb Assist" lamp) gets me no sense of what Toyota really had in mind this indicates.

    Have not pulled codes nor do I have a way to do so.

    Any ideas?

    Thanks.
     
    #1 Air_Boss, Feb 4, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2018
  2. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    Winter tires same size as regular tires?
     
  3. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    All four same size as the OEM Toyo A20s (newer, so larger diameter), put on a month ago, driven 200 miles prior to the latest trip, and used for two winters before this one a total of maybe 2000 miles, without issue.
     
  4. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

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    Could be a wheel sensor going out. Shouldn't there be an error code logged for this?
     
  5. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    Possibly, and if so, yes, likely a code. I don't have a code reader.
     
  6. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    "If the vehicle is in danger of slipping or if any of the drive wheels spins, the slip indicator light flashes to indicate that the VSC/TRAC systems are operating. Depending on the vehicle, a buzzer (intermittent) may sound to indicate that VSC is operating."

    Causes: Wheel rotation sensor or mismatched tires/tire pressures.

    From a quick search.
     
  7. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    Must be a wheel sensor, then. No slip, tire mismatch or pressure differential. Thanks.
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's low mileage, but a defect is always possible i suppose.
     
  9. rdgrimes

    rdgrimes Senior Member

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    In models that allow you to switch off the TC, that light stays on continuously when its off. You may have a similar indicated state there, where its telling you that the system is off for some reason. Check the manual. Its tied into the radar speed control and a couple other systems too. So getting the error code is required.
     
  10. Air_Boss

    Air_Boss Senior Member

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    Disappointing, if a hardware failure. Think I'll start by reseating all the connectors.

    TC/VSC is not switchable on the 2012 v Five. No ATP, so no radar functions.

    Any way to have the panel display/annunciate codes?