Well......(not picking a fight just want to give my demographics)

I am 25 (just turned so on 2/5). I also work for IBM and have been building/fixing computers for about 10 years (including purchase consultation)....started when I was about 15. I also do freelance web design...I went to a tech school....so.....

For the purpose of a car I speak only of those functions controlled by a computer that take the place of prior operator control. Say, power distribution to the wheels during a slide/slip - helpful - but sometimes the operator knows what is needed (say getting out of a tough parking spot).

That said, I do need to acknowledge that most operators do not know what is needed. I just benefit from experience delivering papers for a few years in the central NY snow belt at 4 AM prior to any plows being out during the winter....I happened to be driving a manual transmission 1988 Camry at that time!

I also have to acknowledge that I am rather pleased with the function in this car and I have not had any trouble with it this past winter -- with stock tires.

Anyhow, computers in the car for informational purposes - give me more! I wish the NAV was better and I wish I had a HD in there to store music and heck give me WiFi and a nice Linux distro (XP or Vista if you prefer :-) ).....

I am not a hardcore electronics nerd though...I know the benefits of simplicity in certain parts of my life...

My issue is that I have seen people developing software...I have worked with hardware....the bugs that get into software and hardware worry me when my life is on the line. If I am going to end up dead, please let it be by my mistake and not some programmer's typo. (Now knock on wood that I don't end up dead!! ::knock::knock:

I just wanted to clarify my post a little. If you are ever in the Mid Hudson Valley area of NY, PM me.

Mike

 

The spinning beach ball would be hot....that thing always ticked me off!

 

The problem with computers in cars and everywhere else for that matter is not with computer itself, but morons who program them. Some of it is almost criminal and done on purpose: for example why do I need to go to the dealer or buy very overpriced Toyota tool to read stupid , cryptic error code? The car's computer has an error code and knows more or less what's the problem, so why that info is not provided to the driver? You never know if the car just fall apart and driving another mile is extremely risky or some stupid sensor can't read the data and you could drive another 50k etc. Why there is no over ride most of the time? For example traction control is a great thing and makes driving safer but TCH does not have any way of disabling it for those rare occasions when spinning tires is required to get the car moving in snow or ice. Do they think drivers are so stupid, they couldn't handle it?
As far as check VSC message, I would make wild guess the voltage booster for break assist is going bad.

 

So I was right then since your are NOT UNDER 25!!! LOL
OK OK I guess I was just picturing some 80 year old guy saying "I hate all these computers in everthing these days" I do see your point now and I agree. Since everyone is telling me it looks like an old mans car I am driving now, I assume I am like the youngest guy on here to have one, I am GLAD I am not!

I live about 35 minutes north of Harrisburg, PA. I actually travel up to NY every year to a motocross race in Unadilla...is that near Mid Hudson Valley? Since you work for IBM, You can buy me a few beers next time I am up that way...

PS No fighting here, its all good!

 

I agree with this 100%! Why have error "codes" instead of just giving us a message with the exact problem!

 

While on that topic, why does the car beep when you do something wrong? Why don't they have the nice (phone) lady tell you what you did wrong?

 

Took my car to the dealer today (even though the error code had magically cleared in the 2 days I hadn't driven it) They said it was the ABS Acutator.

I would also like some wifi in my car!!! but please, no vista, I hate it.

 

I've had this happen 4 times now! The car is currently at the dealership, hopefully for the last time. I just hit 30k miles.

Did they resolve your issue?

 

The CHECK VSC message went off after I let the car sit for 2 days. When I brought it to the dealer they said it wasn't anything major and that they'd replace the ABS actuator in a week. They replaced it and it's been running fine since.

I will look at the invoice after work today to see if there's anything else written on it, but that was all they told me they fixed.

 

Katie, as my 9 year old daughter likes to say: "Chillax".

Many times an ABS sensor will get loaded with crud and miss a signal. Something like that is fixable with a brush and a puff of air. Or as another poster suggested a quick SFW flash might be needed.

Don't worry, your brakes will work exactly as brakes for the last 50 years have worked, just perhaps without the full benefit of multi-dimensional computer controlled vehicle dynamics. Don't fear the technology... it let you know something wasn't 100%. In "the good old days" your brakes just would have not worked so well and you'd have been none-the-wiser.

Do let us know what the resolution is please.