I have the BG options package. About two months and two thousand miles ago I noticed the vsc icon at start up. It is the one with the car that has wavy lines under it. I don't see the VSC light, just the icon, at start up. I asked the yahoo group about this and they suggested trying to go into a skid which I didn't want to do when the weather was good. In snowy driving I like to "test the waters" by seeing what it takes to go into a slide at low speeds. I have been doing this for thirty years and I am careful not to endager anyone or anything. Nobody and nothing was ever damaged when I do this. That is not the point. The roads have been bad here recently. I have conducted my tests several times in the last few days and the icon appears. There is no mention of VSC on the sticker. Do I really have VSC without paying for it? Does anyone else have VSC without paying for it? Thanks.
I'll have to double check, but I think that's the traction control light, not the VSC, unless the traction comes with the VSC only. Try spinning out on wet pavement (or gravel or whatever and see if that comes on.
I'm pretty sure the same symbol of car with wavy lines comes on for any of TC ,VSC or ABS when engaged. Tinker Belle comes on only for VSC.
The skidding car symbol is for traction control. I have seen it two times when on an icey road in the last month since I have had the Prius. For ABS, there is a light that says - you got it - ABS. I have the #3 package with no VSC.
On page 5 of the manual shows the VSC symbol and ABS symbol and on page 6 shows the slip indicator light symbol which is the traction control.
VSC icon comes on only when VSC kicks in .....I've seen it on mine several times, and it only comes on when you enter a slide. The traction control icon comes on when you are trying to take off a bit too fast on an icy road. Just because the icon lights when you start the car may not mean that you have the feature, only the icon. The weather has been so bad here, I get to see ALL the icons on a regular basis!!
