When you own Toyota, you aren’t likely to expect any strange issues to happen with it. Like the vehicle showing you strange error messages and warning lights. If your Toyota Sienna shows the «Traction Control Off» error message on the dash and also lights up the check engine light and some other warning lights, you came to the right place.
In short, your Toyota Sienna may say «Traction Control Off» and accompany this message with a check engine light in a number of cases such as battery problems, alternator issues, software glitches, and also electrical problems. But, in most cases, this is a complex problem that comes from a bunch of different issues in your Toyota van.
First of all, you need to understand that the traction control function relies on many different sensors all over your vehicle. So, when something happens with one of these sensors, the system just can’t work properly and may light up this error message.
Let’s see why this may happen and what you can do with this.
The symptoms of your «Traction Control Off» message in the Sienna
To make sure we are on the same page, I want to talk about the symptoms that can accompany this error message. The majority of drivers will not experience any other problems before this message pops up. One pleasant morning, they will start their Toyota and see this message along with several warning lights popping up on the dash.
Usually, this will not disable your car and you will still be able to drive. But the best place you can drive to is your Toyota dealership. One of the problems is that you never know what the real reason for this issue is. And the reason may be quite serious.
Although you can try some DIY inspection and repair methods, I strongly recommend going to the dealership and having the vehicle tested professionally. The OBD2 inspection will obviously answer all your questions.
What are the common reasons for the «Traction Control Off» message in the Sienna?
Before you go to the dealership or to the repair shop, you will want to know which reasons can actually trigger this message. Although the list is quite long, I will try to outline the most common reasons and give you some understanding of what can happen to your car in such cases.
Here are the possible reasons:
1. 12V battery problems
The battery in your vehicle is even more important than you may think about it. It doesn’t only start the engine. It basically controls and backs up the entire electrical system in your Toyota. If the battery has low voltage or is just old, it may throw different messages, and warning lights, and cause some other problems.
The «Traction Control Off» error message is one of the most common messages that you can see when the 12V battery is malfunctioning.
If this is the case, the following symptoms may show up:
- The error message will pop up before the engine starts, once the ignition is on;
- You may notice that it takes longer for the engine to start – it keeps cranking for a longer time;
- When the engine cranks, you may notice that the lights on your dash are dimmer than usual;
- You may see the battery warning light being on for a longer time than usual after the engine starts.
These are the most common signs the battery is about to die. And in such cases, the battery can throw different codes and errors in the ECU. One of the most natural consequences of this in your Toyota Sienna is the «Traction Control Off» message.
2. Alternator failure
Another part of your vehicle that controls the electricity supply is the alternator. When the alternator doesn’t work properly and doesn’t ensure the needed voltage in the system, different kinds of error messages and warning lights can show up. Including, of course, the «Traction Control Off» message.
The problem is basically the same as with the battery. But in this case, you will see slightly different symptoms:
- The error message will appear after the engine starts;
- You will not notice any low battery symptoms;
- The battery warning light will most likely stay on all the time;
- You will obviously see the charging system warning light on;
- Other electronics will also malfunction in your vehicle;
- After some time, the battery will also lose its charge and die.
When your alternator is failing, it doesn’t always mean that you will have to replace it. Very often, alternators in Toyota cars can last even more than engines. But their voltage regulators are not so reliable. So, before making any conclusions about their repair price, you will need to have the alternator inspected professionally.
3. Bad battery connection
You will most likely be able to repair this problem by yourself. It doesn’t really happen very often, but the «Traction Control Off» message still has a lot to do with the electricity system. So it’s worth checking battery connections.
If one of the terminals is poorly connected, there will be problems with the current in the system. And your Toyota will most likely throw different error messages and warning lights because of this. One time you start your car and see a lot of warning lights that are not connected to each other. Another time you start your car and see a strange error message that you haven’t seen before. These glitches are usually the signs of bad battery connection.
It doesn’t always mean that the battery cable is not tightened properly. Sometimes it just means that there is some build-up on the terminal and this buildup disturbs the current from flowing freely in the electrical system of the Sienna.
You may clean your battery terminals, tighten the connections with the wrench, and also check the integrity of the cables.
4. Software glitch
One more possible reason for this problem worth mentioning here is software problems. Although Toyota Sienna doesn’t have a lot of complicated software, some electronic control modules can malfunction and cause different error messages including the «Traction Control Off» message.
I can’t think of any DIY inspection methods that would help you identify malfunction in the electronic control module in your vehicle. If any of the above-mentioned reasons didn’t help you find the actual problem in your Toyota Sienna, you will still need to take your car to the dealership or to a trusted repair shop.
What to do if you see the «Traction Control Off» message in the Sienna?
The worst thing you can do in this case is to ignore the message and continue driving your vehicle just like nothing happened. Your traction control is the system that is connected to a lot of different units and modules in your car. And this error message can actually signal some important safety problems with the van.
Whenever you see the «Traction Control Off» error message accompanied by the check engine light and some other warning lights, just do the following:
- Stop your vehicle and turn off the engine. This will help you avoid any other damage to your vehicle if something is wrong with the alternator or the battery.
- Locate the battery in your Toyota Sienna. In older models, you will find the battery under the hood near the driver’s side headlight. But in newer models, the battery will be hidden in the trunk.
- Disconnect both battery terminals and wait for at least five minutes. This will help you reset the system and see if the glitch was just because of some software issue or a crazy sensor.
- If this doesn’t help, plan your visit to the dealership. Alternatively, you can also use the OBD2 scanner and check the error codes that are registered by the ECU in your Toyota.
- In most cases, it’s quite hard to locate the actual problem if this is not the battery or the alternator. So, you will need professional help.
I don’t recommend driving your Toyota Sienna with this problem because if you keep driving, some of the important units of your vehicle may fail and these will affect the safety of the car.
Also, if you successfully dismissed the error by just disconnecting the battery, it doesn’t mean that the issue will not reappear in one or two days. In most cases, when you see the «Traction Control Off» error message, it will continue to appear time after time until you actually solve the problem.
How much is it to repair your Toyota Sienna after this?
If the problem is in the battery, the price of a repair will equal the price of the new battery. Also, you will need to pay some money for diagnosis and battery installation. Of course, you may do this by yourself and avoid any labor costs.
But if the problem is with the alternator or with some sensor, it means the repair will cost you more money. Unfortunately, the prices for Toyota parts are quite high and the dealership will not be too shy when finalizing the price for all the job mechanics did for you.
But anyway, it’s always better to pay what it takes to have the vehicle inspected and repaired as needed than to drive a car with a problem that throws the «Traction Control Off» error message.
Final thoughts
I believe I told you everything I knew about the «Traction Control Off» error message that can appear in your Toyota Sienna. Also, I have listed all methods of inspecting your vehicle in this case and also some DIY ways to repair the car or at least reset the battery.
Anyway, don’t ignore this problem. If you see this error message, it may mean that the vehicle is asking for help. It’s not always about the traction control system, what’s more, it’s almost always not about the traction control system. But the message never appears without a solid reason behind it.