VSA ! light on after grinding sound

[MDXROCH]

04 MDX w/ 125K miles. I searched but this one seems to be unique. I will try to take it to Autozone to get a code read. In the mean time, I wanted to start this thread for a analytical conversation.

Symptoms: Grinding sound prior to VSA ! light came on stayed on. Can't shut it off with the VSA button. No other lights are on.

1. The VSA ! light came on three weeks ago when it was cold, snowy and icy. I thought it was normal for the VSA to come on because it was slippery but abnormal for it to stayed on and I could not turn it off until I turned the car off and restarted the car.
2. It came back on again with a grinding sound prior to the light came on, after random miles driven.
3. One week later, with a nice washed car, I drove the car again on a dry pavement and I got the same VSA ! light symptom with a grinding sound prior to the light came on. The grinding sound, I could feel it in the steering wheel and it felt like the brakes were being applied.
4. Yesterday, Jan. 15th, after about 65 miles driven on dry pavement, the grinding sound and VSA ! light came on. I stopped at the gas station, replenished and started out again to the airport.
5. After 5 minutes driven, the same: Grinding sound and VSA ! light came on and stayed on until I got home about 70 miles later.

I know this is a long read. Hopefully, someone out there had the same problem and got a fix for it. If not, this will be the thread in trying to get this problem fixed........

[MDXROCH]

No ERR code with Autozone OBDII.

[ScottS2K]

Interestingly our '04 with 112k just flashed the VSA light today. This happened once before quite a while ago, and like that incident, it went off and stayed off after restarting the car. Unlike your scenario, however, there was not an accompanying grinding noise.

When my wife reported this to me earlier today I set about googling the issue and did find that for some getting the codes pulled from the local auto store also did not reveal anything. However, when going to the dealer or brake place, they were able to get the info. I am not sure why what the codes are should at all matter to the reader, but it was mentioned that the store readers were only for the check engine light. Again, I don't know why it should matter but I don't know enough about how the port or these readers work. At any rate your situation seems to mirror what others said.

Given the number of things that can cause a VSA light, plus your grinding sound, and it would see a trip to a shop is likely in order.

[greaneto]

This happened once before quite a while ago, and like that incident

[MDXROCH]

Scott, the codes may provide me with a more specific problem or problems that I can fix it myself to save labor cost. The grinding sound occurred millisecond before the VSA ! light came on while the vehicle was moving. It sounded like the brake was being applied at a wheel to keep the vehicle moving straight. This is what the VSA supposed to do, as I understand it, in a situation where the other wheel was slipping but the VSA light came on even when I was driving on a dry, clean pavement and it stayed on. Normal VSA function, it comes on and goes off once the wheels stopped slipping. I couldn't tell which wheel was giving me the grinding sound.

It may be related to ABS and I will need the abs reader to find where or what it is. It may be one of the four abs sensor or all of it but I only want to fix the problem(s). I may go and buy the ABS OBDII reader as well since I may need it again since I am a "handyman". For now, since it is messy and cold out, I'll putting it off until it gets warmer.

[DGofLongmont]

I had similar problem on my wife's 03. It started for the first time at about 105K after making a sharp turn at low speed on uneven pavement. Then it disappeared and appeared again several times. My dealer said that the problem was with the right inner tie rod (I don't know what it is) and replaced it. I don't have that problem any more.

[MDXROCH]

DGo,
Very good info. I will inspect the tie rods. Thanks.

[wiammaren]

This happened once before quite a while ago, and like that incident, it went off and stayed off after restarting the car. Unlike your scenario, however, there was not an accompanying grinding noise.

[TexasHonda]

OBD2 code reader won't read VSA/ABS/SRS system codes. Try following link for method to extract codes.

DIY: SRS Codes and reading them. - Club RSX Message Board

good luck

[boston]

Tell us more about the grinding sound. Front rear? With without or after braking? Any vibration?
More data to chew on please.


Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App

[MDXROCH]

It's not really a grinding sound, I guess. It's more like the brake was applied at that one instance (millisecond) Jerking/pads contacting the rotor prior to the light comes on while the car was travel at 70, 30, 65, and 20 mph. I could not tell which side. Foot was not on the brake.
Lights have not coming back on. It's Arctic cold here so maybe it's frozen.......

[MDXROCH]

I still continue to have this problem where the brake lockup in second, jerks my steering wheel, and VSA light followed. I hope the new recall fix this problem before the brake pads automatically activated, lock one wheel, won't release, and spin me into a ditch or worse hit by another vehicle.

[Escaper]

I have had the VSA light come on twice. Stopped the car, turned it off, restarted it and the light did not come back on. This morning, sharp turn, grinding, stopped the car, turned it off then restarted and the light did not come back on.

Is there a recall out for the VSA?