I got home from a road trip yesterday without any issues. This morning when I started the truck, this light was on. On my way to town, I noticed a distinct lack of acceleration. It took about a minute to reach highway speed.
Things of note:
Engine runs smoothly.
It will shift.
No strange smells, sounds, vibrations, or high temperatures.
Restarting the vehicle doesn’t resolve the issue.
The problem appeared the day after my road trip.
The vehicle shows a P2442 code indicating a possible ECU bug, suggesting I reset the ECU or disconnect the battery for 30 minutes to potentially fix it. I haven’t tried this yet.
When in manual mode, the truck shows 4th gear at a stop light.
Tires are fine.
Any insights would be appreciated, as I am over an hour from the nearest service center and would prefer not to drive that far or pay for a tow.
Axelle said:
I would try the reset. It’s simple and might resolve the issue. Showing 4th gear in manual mode just indicates you’re limited to that gear.
Yeah, that’ll be my first step after getting home. I just didn’t have the energy for it yesterday. Hopefully, it’s just a glitch.
Quinn said:
Check the traction control. It should be off unless you’re stuck.
I thought so too, but holding the button under the right side of the steering wheel doesn’t do anything. Usually when the light is on, I hear a loud ‘thunk’ from the mechanical engagement in wet conditions, but that didn’t happen this time.
Reset is definitely needed, but I would ask for this to be covered under warranty. If the previous commenter is correct about cleaning a sensor, you should have Toyota examine why it needs cleaning. If it’s an ECU issue, you’ll want it documented before your warranty expires.
I searched the code and found it might be an issue with the air injection valve on Bank 2. Many emissions problems can deactivate traction control. Given the mileage, it’s reasonable for that valve to start sticking. Assuming it’s not an ECU or wiring issue causing it to stick, Toyota would likely recommend replacing that valve and the other side as well.
@Willie
It sounds like your problem too; the valve opens on cold starts but is typically closed. If it’s stuck open, it allows unmetered air into the exhaust, leading to a rich running condition for that bank. This could be causing the performance issues.
@Willie
That could be the case. I’ve had a code for a bad secondary air component for a while, but the only fix they suggested is replacing a canister that costs $1200. I was told repeatedly that it wouldn’t affect performance, so I’ve been postponing that repair.
Fable said:
You need to replace your truck snakes.
That’s the ‘smelly tires’ indicator. You might have run over something unpleasant, and depending on your location, that could determine the animal - possibly human.
I disconnected the battery for about an hour and started the truck again. It ran for a second and then turned off again. This has happened a couple of times over the 8 years I’ve owned it.
I restarted it, and the VSC light was gone. I drove to town, and it ran like usual. Even the CEL for the evap canister was off (though I expect it will return, as it always does). I completed a thirty-minute round trip home with no problems. Fingers crossed.
It’s interesting how things seem to work out when you least need trouble like this. I will update again if anything changes.
