wondering if anyone can tell me where the VSA control unit is? Thanks

 

Passenger side footwell. Take off the door sill, then the kick panel underneath the fuse box. You will see a silver metal case mounted vertically. That's your VSA unit.

 

is there anyway to test the unit to see if it's functioning?

 

yeah, floor it from a light in the rain.

 

best response

but you can also floor it when it's dry out and the tires should try to spin

 

/\ yeah with stock tires on a stock car it should still do it in dry weather. but not aftermarket rubber.

 

That's only testing out the TCS part of it. To check the VSA, go 80 on the highway then suddenly pitch the steering wheel. If the yellow exclamation point lights up on the dash, then it's working. Then HOPEFULLY, you will regain your control. But you will at least find out if it works or not.



On a more serious note, listen for some sort of a grinding-like noise when you start the car, and drive off. At approximately 5 mph, there should be the first noise. That's your ABS doing a self-test. Then at around 15 mph, there should be another one. That's your VSA self-check.

Also, if there's any malfunction in the VSA system, the exclamation point sign would light up to warn you.

 

I always wanted to know why the car made those noises. Learn something new every day.

 

I know, I was thinking the same thing. This site is just a plethera of knowledge about my car for me

 

Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all night.

Try the veal.

 

:o Thats a little dangerous dont you think!?!? What if he doesnt regain control? Not to mention that I have whipped the wheel REALLY hard at like 80+ and with springs shocks sways and sticky rubber the tires dont even chirp. I would nearly have to go sideways to get the vsa to go on.

The type S does not have tcs. the tcs is replaced by vsa. vsa IS the tcs. so if vsa is broken I don't think you will have tcs?

As far as the grinding noise at startup, I think this is an abs self test, and is completely independent of the vsa? I think as long as the abs is functioning it will do the test whether the vsa is working properly or not.

 

thanks for the info but I should have explained the stituation more. The vsa and the ! light's are on and my buddy works at honda (I know it's an acura) and he hooked up the computer to see why the light was showing but there was nothing he could do. The computer won't let he do anything else till the problem was fixed. Now I should tell you that this car was bought at the auction, repaired with the motor out then put back together.
What I was wondering is if there is a way to check if the actual vsa unit is functioning or if it might be something else eg. cut wire or something. Any input is greatly appreciated

 

It test the VSA:

1)Find a really large and flat parking lot.
2) from stand still, crank the steering wheel to the max.
3) Start accelerating
4) The VSA will start flashing once it detects understeering.

Stop.

Nashua.

 

I know the Type-S doesn't have "TCS". I was saying that just flooring it off the line is only testing the TCS part of the VSA. VSA utilizes all the functions of the TCS, plus sensors looking out for any understeering or oversteering. So in a way, VSA is not TCS, but rather it's based upon TCS with more sensors and controls.

And for the noises, yes, they are independent, and I was merely telling him that he should look out for two separate noises, and which one is which. I didn't say that they were interrelated units in anyway.

 

Uh, there were no error codes?


I know where the unit is and how to take it out, but I have no idea how to test to see if it's working properly. Sorry.

 

I understand what your saying. But what I mean is I don't think the TCS and VSA are two independently operating units in the type S. For example, I think if you break the VSA, you have neither. I dont think you could break VSA and still have traction control or vice versa. I think the VSA unit replaces the TCS unit, and TCS becomes a function of the VSA. So if VSA goes you lose everything .. but then again I could be completely wrong.

Unless of course a VSA sensor went bad somewhere and the computer unit itself was still functioning. But I dont know enough about how the system operates though. I dont know if it would continue to work with one or more sensors not giving feedback.