SlyTLS

Some of you may recall that I posted that my VSA light was lighting up dimmly even when my VSA button is on (hence the light should be off)...it only seems to light up when the car is completely warmed up and the lights are on...well long story short, I dropped my car off at Acura tonight so they'd check it out over the next day or two. I will keep you all posted as to the results!

SlyTLS

People can be such idiots...the service rep calls me this morning and tells me that the computer is coming back with no problem readings. So I ask if it could be a loose ground wire perhaps..he says no the computer would have picked it up. So I asked him if they looked to see if it would happen so that they know what I am talking about...of course he says no. So I asked him why the hell he was calling me. I told him that I'd pick the car up tomorrow so tonight he should start the car, turn the lights on, take notice that the VSA light is off and let it run for a 1/2 hour then check it and he'd see the light would be on...then tell me how their going to fix the problem. I'll continue to keep you updated.

pianoman41

Okay, I know I posted before on this with some theories of my own, but I believe I need to correct myself. The more I studied this phenomenon, the more I realized my car does the *exact* same thing. When you first start up the car at night, the exclamation point is completely dark. But then after running for a bit (mine will do it in less than 10 minutes), it glows, sometimes quite brightly. It's *definitely* related to the dash lights and dependant on them as you cannot get it to do it with the lights off. Still could be some kind of bleedover from a nearby light (although I don't know why it doesn't do it right away). But it's definitely *not* an optical illusion like I had originally suspected.

Keep us posted.

Road Rage

Are ypu talking about a tiny bit of glow at the very bottom of the triangle? I have seen it, dismissed it as a non-event, just some bleedover as mentioned. Or is it more than that?

pianoman41

That's correct. It starts out as a faint glow on the bottom side of the triangle, but it seems to "grow" the longer the car is running. I've had my entire triangle faintly glowing on a regular basis. It's definitely related to the dash lights as no matter how long the car is running, if the lights are off it won't do it. Only when the dash lights are on do you see it. So it's gotta be some kind of bleedover from neighboring bulbs. Why it doesn't do it right from startup and why it gets more pronounced the longer the car is running is beyond me. I also dismissed it as a non-event. Looks like a poorly designed dash layout.

SlyTLS

Road Rage: That's exactly what we're reffering to.

At 1st I thought it was light leakage too but I've had light leakage on my very 1st car and it's not the same. If it were light leakage than it should begin leaking immediately not after 10 minutes or after the car warms up. After all a leak is due to a small space btw the plastic and the bulb or two pieces of plastic...hence it's always there. The plastic can't be expanding b/c then all of our cars would do it...they're all made the same. That's why I think it's electrical. Either a bad ground or relay, something.

I called the dealer this morning again... MY GOD...could this be any harder. I have never had this kind of headache with this dealer before. The rep told me he drove the car for a 1/2 hour and saw nothing...so I asked him if the lights were on...of course not. On the drop off slip I specifically wrote that the lights had to be on. He's going to try it today...it's actually a great day for it b/c it cloudy & raining. We'll see when I pick the car up tonight.

Mr Hyde

I've got that too, but Always attributed it to bleedover. Never really noticed it expanding as the lights were on longer, but maybe it is just bleedover that increases as the plastic expands making some gap at the bottom bigger which will allow more light through. Although the amount it is lit up never confuses me and I know VSA is on, and I can see it blinking easily if a tire slips.

SlyTLS

Well the saga continues...I went to the dealership and showed the service guy what I was talking about since he claimed he didn't see it. Turns out that he was looking at the wrong light. Go figure! Anyway the next time it goes in for a oil change or maintainence they are going to give me a loaner car for a few days and attempt to fix it. They're not sure what is causing it though...I'll keep you all updated.

kchao2000

I had the same problem as posted before. I suppose bring it in for them to check it out but will wait until 7500 miles service and let the dealer take a look.

I'll let keep you guys update!

RAdams

I noticed this same thing happening on my car for the first time last night. The car had been on for about 2 minutes and I got to a red light and noticed the bottom portion of the triangle VSA "!" light was dimly lit. I turned the car off at the light and restarted it but it stayed that way for the whole 40 mile drive home. Later that night I went to grab a bite to eat and noticed it was gone -- completely unlit. It doesn't really bother me as I know there is nothing wrong with the system and, as has been said before, it's clearly brighter when VSA is activating so there is still clear distinction between the system being on and off.

pianoman41

Yep. But had you turned the lights off while waiting at the red light, you would have seen the problem disappear. Which tells me it is a design problem with the dash lights. If there really was something wrong with the VSA system, simply turning off the lights wouldn't fix it instantly. And when you put the lights back on it comes back on. It's never there when you first start the car. Only after running for a bit do you see it and the longer it runs the more I see it (up to a point). But like everyone else says, you'll definitely not mistake it for the "real" VSA light. SlyTLS, I don't think the dealer is going to find anything wrong because I truly believe there isn't anything "wrong" with the car. Just a poor design somewhere in the dash setup.

Road Rage

I don't think the VSA has any problem and personally do not intend to pursue a remedy - this is really a nothingburger in the great pantheon of life - ignore it.

SlyTLS

I don't think there is anything wrong with the VSA either. It engages properly and the on/off switch works. I'm just VERY anal about things like this. I didn't buy a brand new car to have a little light annoy me every time I drive at night b/c I know it shouldn't be lit. I personally dont care if they use electrical tape to seal a crack in the gauge cluster so long as it stops the light from appearing.
Believe me I know it's petty and I know I should be (and am) grateful that this is the worst of my problems with this car but it is just something that catches my eye and annoys me...I hope you all understand where I am coming from.

Road Rage

Sly: I know where you are coming from - I am a bit "behind in the mid" (read: anal) too! Just some friendly advice based on years of life experience - do not sweat the small stuff. Life has plenty of major league fastballs coming your way.

Biker_RENAMED

For what it's worth, about 3 months ago my VSA light came on "bright" when I started the car, and stayed on. I tried shutting the engine off and restarting it again, but it came on again after restarting the car and remained on.

The dealer said they checked the VSA system out completely, and found no problem or any error code messages. The VSA light was off when the returned the car to me. So far, it has not reoccured in the three months since then. My brother said he had a similar problem in his Caddy STS two years ago which was attributed to a transient voltage surge. His problem never came back again.

Hope your problem gets resolved to your satisfaction!

SlyTLS

You're 100% right Road Rage, I'm letting this light bother me a little too much. I don't even think it's the light that bothers me, I think it's the fact that the car is only 6 months old and it didn't happen from day 1 (only as of the last 2-3 weeks). Had this happened on an older car I wouldn't think anything off it.

One question though being a former ball player...why wait for a fastball if you can T-off on a slow hanging curve to the opposite field?

Thanks for the friendly advice, and like I said...you're definitely right.

Road Rage

I played college ball, and found that hitting fastball "deep" was easier and produced more runs than hitting a hanger in the gap, at best a triple.

mmski1

I have noticed the same thing within the last week or two. I never noticed it before and now it sort of bothers me. Right around the same time this started the service interval light starts to flash warning you that it is close to oil change. I am hoping that once the oil change is done and they reset the interval the problem will be gone to the next oil change. There may be an alternate light in the gauge cluster which isn't displayed for the interval. It seems that everyone that is reporting the problem is around the 7,500 mile mark.

SlyTLS

My service light never came on. I got the 7,500 mile service done at 6,200 miles since I was getting an oil change anyway so they must have reset it already.
Come to think of it the light began coming on shortly after the servicing but I highly doubt that the servicing had anything to do with it. Either way, at the next oil change they're going to check it out whether they like it or not.

daverman

There may be another explanation of why the VSA light isn't visible until about 10 minutes while driving at night: It may be that the glow is there all the time, but your pupils need about 10 minutes to dilate enough for you to observe it.

RAdams

You know... I didn't read that the "problem" started at around 7500 miles for others but, as I noted earlier, mine started doing this last weekend. Yesterday I noticed I had 7666 miles so it's very possible that I had 7500 +/- a few last weekend when I first noticed it. Very strange.

Road Rage

Here's a wild idea - why not try doing the reset sequence for the "Maintenance Req'd" light?

pianoman41

I suggested this was the phenomenon experienced in another similar thread a while back. However after conducting a few unscientific experiments I believe this is not the case. Why? I can remote start my car and let it get up to operating temperature before getting in it. I see the glow right away when getting in, so the pupil dilation is not the issue. It just seems to happen once the car is warmed up, period. The only thing I can think of is as the car warms up the temperature gauge goes up and the lit needle in the gauge gets closer to the VSA gauge. I'm betting it's the bleedover from that gauge. 'Cause even after the car is warmed up, if you shut off the dash lights the problem goes away.

RR, mine still did it even after I reset the maintenence required light.

mmski1

I just got the 7,500 mile service and the service was reset and I still get the light. As said in this thread it starts out at the base of the triangle and steadily increases. The dealer checked the code and of course nothing came back. I can't see it being bleedover because it gradually increases and it is not from the temp or fuel gauge as the needle rises because it continues to illuminate further even after the engine reaches the normal temp.

I'm glad nothing came back, but it is really starting to bother me. I wish there wer an easy way to take the gauges off and actually see what it is.

alient

hey SlyTLS:

So have you found out the cause of this problem yet?
any fix that you can suggest? I am going to bring in the car to the dealer tomorrow for the same problem. It will help me alot if I know what to tell them on how to fix this. Thanks!

Big Ped

I've had this problem for more than 3 months. Even before I hit 7500. I am taking my car to Park Av. Acura soon for the 7500 service. I will present this to them. Let me add.... That dimm light is soooooooo enoying. I want it off immeditely. Please let us know if any of you have resolved this issue and how. I will if Park Av fixes it.

SlyTLS

No...I haven't brought it back for the dealer to try to fix it yet. The last time the car was in the tech was looking at the wrong VSA light so I had to show him the next day...he said the next time the car is in he'll try to fix it. I'm bringing it in sometime in the next month & a half. I'll need an oil change by then and being that my brother is driving the car right now while his system is being installed and my car get's it's install right afterward I can't find the time to bring it in sooner. I'll let you all know as soon as I find something out. Being that you guys are bringing it in first...keep up posted.

RedLined

Wow! Such a common problem. I can't believe I DON'T have this problem. I guess your cars were built on the "bad VSA light" line and mine was built on the "bad tranny, water leak, squeaks and rattles galore" line. Wanna switch?

alient

well, I took my gf's CL-S in for this problem. And diagnosis from the tech was "VERIFIED SLIGHT ILLUMINATION. THIS IS NORMAL COMPARED IT TO OTHER CL'S"
What am I suppose to say when this is their response?!
good thing is that they took care of the other problems I mentioned.

SlyTLS

My resonse would be...you're right it's a common problem, now fix it! The light wasn't on when I bought the car six months ago...my warrenty says you'll fix whatever is wrong with the car and therefore you'll fix this. SHould they refuse they will have one hell of a mess to deal with b/c I won't stop until I get to the very top.

RedLined: I know this is a miniscule problem compared to those you have faced and I feel for you and hope that you've never got to deal with that crap again. But in reality, we paid for the cars, they weren't given to us by the dealers and therefore we should be able to b!tch about the smallest imperfection. I honestly wouldn't care as much if I knew why it was happening. I'd have been content if it was due to bulb leakage but it isn't and I don't know what might happen down the line due to it. For expamle what if it is due to a short in the wire harness...that could one day end up resultsing in a fire under the dash...I don't know about you but I'd rather avoid that if I can.

Big Ped

I took my car to Park Av. Acura in NJ and they said that there is some possible light leakage or something like that. They have ordered the gauge from accura and will replace it under warrantee. Thank god.