A fault code doesn’t yet mean the unit or sensor itself is faulty: often it’s the plug and connector leading to it.
Possible causes
- Low voltage: a flat battery or corroded terminals
- The alternator isn’t charging
- The ABS unit’s fuse or power supply
- The ABS unit’s ground: a corroded or loose ground bolt
What you can do yourself
- First check the battery and the ABS unit’s fuses and ground: with a poor supply the unit logs an internal fault.
- The code often stays after a flat battery or a jump start: charge the battery and clear the code.
Stop and don’t drive on if:
- The red brake light is on, or the brake pedal feels soft or sinks
- The steering became very heavy, or the car pulls to one side when braking
OOleg’s tip: check the connector
Often the cause is simple — there is no contact in the connector (plug). Look at the connector from the back: remove the rubber seal and you will see whether a wire is corroded or has come off completely. Corrosion shows up as green deposits. Ideally, gently pull each wire towards you one at a time: a sound wire stays in place, while a corroded one simply comes off — it needs to be repaired.
Unplug and inspect connectors with the ignition off.
VSC is Toyota’s stability control system (the same as ESP). This is the Toyota and Lexus meaning. On other makes this number means something else: if your car isn’t a Toyota or Lexus, change the make at the top.
Source: Toyota 4Runner 1996–2002 repair manual (ether3al.com), obdadvisor.com
The explanation comes from the error code reference in the AvtoElektrik PRO app.