Fix it
- Rule out the switch
A quick press of the VSC OFF switch turns TRAC off, and another press turns it back on (2014 Corolla manual).
- Note which lights are on, and how
Check engine, slip indicator, VSC OFF, a 4WD light: steady and flashing mean different things in Toyota's manuals.
- Read the stored code
Plug in a generic OBD2 reader for the engine (P) codes, and write them down before anything gets cleared.
- Ask a dealer for a VIN check
Toyota campaign 20TC01 repairs the air injection system on certain 2012 Tacomas free of charge. The letter states no end date; get the dealer's answer for your VIN in writing.
- See a Toyota dealer if TRAC OFF came on by itself
In every manual we read from 2011 on, that case means TRAC cannot be operated: contact a dealer.
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TRAC OFF next to a check engine light is two warnings, not one. TRAC OFF says Toyota’s traction control (TRAC) is switched off or can’t work. The check engine light, going by the 2014 Corolla owner’s manual, reports a malfunction in the engine, throttle or transmission control systems.
Toyota’s manuals explain each light on its own. They don’t say why the two turn up together. So this page keeps them apart: first what Toyota’s documents say, then what owners have told NHTSA, model by model.
What TRAC OFF means
TRAC is Toyota’s traction control, and the 2018 Corolla manual (p.259) makes the link plain. On cars with the monochrome display the warning reads TRAC OFF. On cars with the color display it reads “Traction Control Turned Off”.
There is a reason a driver would switch it off on purpose. When the car is stuck in mud, dirt or snow, the 2014 Corolla manual (p.212) says “the TRAC system may reduce power from the engine to the wheels,” and turning it off “may make it easier for you to rock the vehicle in order to free it.”
That leaves two readings of the light. Either someone switched TRAC off, or it came on by itself. For the second case the manuals have one instruction: contact your Toyota dealer.
The switch, and getting TRAC back on
Toyota’s manuals call the button the VSC OFF switch. They show it in a picture rather than describing where it sits, so your own owner’s manual is the place to find it. The 2014 Corolla manual (pp.212–213) gives two ways to use it, and they reverse differently:
| What you do | Lights on | How it comes back |
|---|---|---|
| Quick press and release | TRAC OFF | Press again, or it returns as speed increases |
| Hold over 3 seconds, vehicle stopped | TRAC OFF and VSC OFF | Not with speed; turn the engine switch off |
Turning the engine switch off re-enables TRAC and VSC either way. The 2010, 2011 and 2013 Corolla and the 2010 RAV4 manuals describe the same two functions but say only to push and hold while the vehicle is stopped, with no number of seconds. The 2012 Tacoma manual gives the 3 seconds. On the 2012 Tacoma (pp.202–203), 2WD models and 2WD mode get only the long press, while in 4WD mode a quick press turns off TRAC alone.
The manual adds a caution. Its advice for anyone with TRAC or VSC off is to drive with particular care at a speed that suits the road, and not to switch either system off unless necessary (2014 Corolla, p.214).
When TRAC OFF comes on by itself
This is the case that needs attention. The 2014 Corolla manual (p.213) covers “When the ‘TRAC OFF’ indicator light comes on even if the VSC OFF switch has not been pressed” and answers in two short sentences: “TRAC/TRC cannot be operated. Contact your Toyota dealer.”
Every manual we read from 2011 on (Corolla, Tacoma, RAV4) gives the same instruction. On the trucks, more goes with it. The 2012 and 2015 Tacoma manuals list hill-start assist control and downhill assist control as unavailable too. On a 2WD 2014 RAV4 the warning is a flashing TRAC OFF light. The TRAC OFF light won’t turn off page goes through each manual’s wording.
Slip indicator, VSC OFF, 4WD light: steady or flashing
The same light can mean two different things depending on whether it’s steady or flashing. From the manuals we read:
| Light (source) | Steady | Flashing |
|---|---|---|
| Slip indicator (2014 Corolla, p.493) | Malfunction in VSC or TRAC | VSC or TRAC is operating |
| VSC OFF (2010 Corolla, p.165) | TRAC and VSC switched off | Malfunction in the TRAC and VSC systems |
| 4WD warning (2010 RAV4, pp.420–421) | Malfunction in the active torque control 4WD system | Driveline temperature too high |
| Check engine (2014 Corolla p.493; California rule) | Malfunction in engine, throttle or transmission controls | Misfire that can damage the catalytic converter |
A few things the table can’t hold. The 2010 Corolla manual has no TRAC OFF indicator at all; on 2009–2010 Corollas, switching TRAC off lights the slip indicator, and switching both off adds VSC OFF. The 2011 Corolla manual (p.152) is the first of the Corolla manuals we read with a separate TRAC OFF indicator.
In the 2010 RAV4 manual (the 2006–2012 generation), 2WD models have no TRAC OFF light: a quick press lights AUTO LSD and VSC OFF, while on 4WD models it lights TRAC OFF. For a flashing 4WD light, the 2010 RAV4 manual says to reduce speed or stop and let the engine idle until the light goes off. On the 2014 and 2017 RAV4 the AWD system is called Dynamic Torque Control AWD, and it has its own warning light.
Why the two lights come on together
Toyota’s owner’s manuals don’t explain why the two lights come on together. We searched the Corolla, Tacoma and RAV4 owner’s manuals we collected, plus 160 Toyota bulletins for those models (Corolla 2011 on, Tacoma 2005 on, RAV4 2006 on), and found no Toyota document that says why an engine fault would turn TRAC off. None of the bulletins with searchable text mentions TRAC OFF, VSC or the slip indicator. Nineteen scanned bulletin PDFs had no text layer and weren’t checked.
What the manuals do say is enough to act on. TRAC OFF without the switch means TRAC can’t operate, and the answer is a dealer. For the check engine light, the 2014 Corolla manual (p.493) says: “Have the vehicle inspected by your Toyota dealer immediately.”
Owner complaints to NHTSA show how often the two appear together. They are unverified reports, not failure rates. We pulled them by model and year, removed duplicates, and counted the complaints that mention the check engine light and also mention TRAC, TRC, VSC, traction, stability or skid control, ESC, or the slip indicator. For the RAV4 and Tacoma, a 4WD or AWD light counts too.
| Model | Mention the check engine light | Also mention TRAC/VSC |
|---|---|---|
| Corolla (2000–2025) | 468 | 36 |
| Tacoma (1995–2026) | 226 | 90 |
| RAV4, incl. Hybrid, Prime, EV | 443 | 86 |
| Highlander (2001–2016) | 93 | 38 |
| Sienna | 124 | 30 |
Owners describe it as they see it. One Tacoma complaint reads: “THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF LIGHT CAME ON AND TRUCK IMMEDIATELY WENT IN TO LIMP-HOME MODE … P2440 AND P2442” (ODI 11194082). The fault behind the pairing changes with the model and year.
What owners found, by model
- Corolla: 17 of the 37 come from 2009–2010 cars, and seven of those owners describe the VSC light flashing. On 2011–2019 Corollas no single cause stands out. Details on the Corolla TRAC OFF page.
- Tacoma: 62 of the 90 are 2012 trucks, and 54 of those name the secondary air injection system. Toyota’s Special Service Campaign 20TC01 repairs it on certain 2012 Tacomas “FREE OF CHARGE”. The letter states no end date, though one owner reports Toyota told them in August 2022 that it had expired (ODI 11482001), so have a dealer check your VIN. See the Tacoma TRAC OFF page.
- RAV4: 63 of the 86 come from the 2006–2012 generation. Of those, 43 also mention the 4WD/AWD light and 14 name the charcoal canister or its filter hose. See the RAV4 TRAC OFF page.
- Highlander: 38 of the 93 complaints from 2001–2016 that mention the check engine light also mention TRAC or VSC. More on the Highlander page.
- Sienna: 29 of the 118 that mention the light also mention TRAC or VSC. More on the Sienna page.
If the VSC light is part of your combination, the TRAC OFF and VSC light page covers that pairing.
A flashing check engine light
In the 2014 Corolla manual, a flashing slip indicator only means VSC or TRAC is working. A flashing check engine light is the urgent kind. Under California’s OBD II rule, a light that blinks once per second means a misfire bad enough to damage the catalytic converter is happening right now.
The regulation (13 CCR §1968.2) says “the MIL shall blink once per second at all times while misfire is occurring during the driving cycle.” It also lets vehicles that shut off fuel during that kind of misfire keep the light steady instead, so the rule doesn’t play out identically on every car. More on the flashing check engine light page.
Clearing the lights
The one Toyota manual we read on clearing the check engine light is the 2023 Camry’s. Its first check for a light that comes on while driving (p.533) is the fuel: “Is the fuel tank empty? … Is the fuel tank cap loose? If it is, tighten it securely. The light will go off after several driving trips. If the light does not go off even after several trips, contact your Toyota dealer as soon as possible.”
The stored code outlasts the light. After a loose cap, the same manual says, “The error code in the OBD system will not be cleared unless the vehicle is driven 40 or more times” (p.454). Clearing a code with a scanner is on our reset page, and the code list helps with what you read. If you still need a reader, see our OBD2 scanner guide.
For TRAC OFF itself the manuals give two answers. If the switch did it, the switch rules above bring TRAC back. If it came on by itself, contact a Toyota dealer.
Where these facts come from
Manual quotes are from Toyota Canada’s English owner’s manuals, cited by model year and page; manuals for other years may word things differently. Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s complaints API, matched by text and sorted by hand. NHTSA does not verify complaints. The 20TC01 letter is the copy Toyota filed with NHTSA, and the flashing-light rule is California’s OBD II regulation, 13 CCR §1968.2.