Recently a friend bought a 2012 Toyota Corolla that had the ESC (Electronic Stability Control) light on and would not shut off.
The ESC light is a dashboard light with a symbol of a car with wavy lines under it.
After reading online below is what I found so far with this problem and will hopefully help someone with the same problem.
There is no one fix and several things or more can cause this problem.
If you have an OBDII scan tool be sure to scan for any codes as this will help greatly in showing the cause.
In my case, there were no codes and no other lights on. So far, I have not found a fix for the car I am working on, and still looking to find a solution. It does not seem to affect any of the cars driving or stopping.
What is the Toyota ESC Light?
The light with a car and squiggly lines is called ESC (Electronic Stability Control) or Traction Control.
The Electronic Stability Control system was created by Toyota to help with less than ideal driving conditions such as slippery road surfaces such as rain or snow.
If the light comes on with bad driving conditions this is normal and the light should go off.
If the light comes on during good driving conditions and will not shut off there is an error in the system.
Here are some things I have found so far, and I will update as I find out more. If you have this problem and have solved it be sure to let us know in the comment section below.
Things to Check When Toyota Corolla ESC Light Stays On
- ESC On/Off Button
- Bad Wheel Speed Sensor
- Wiring Open or Short
- Blown Fuse
- Brake Light Switch
At the left of the dashboard is an Off button for the ESP which when pressed should shut it off.
Be sure it hasn’t accidentally been turned on.
Each wheel has a wheel speed sensor that reports back to ht onboard computer how fast the tire is rotating.
If a sensor goes bad, then it will give an error.
An OBDII scan tool will report a code if a wheel speed sensor has gone bad.
For example, a C1035 OBDII code will be a Right Rear Wheel Speed.
Wiring can also be an issue with a bad connection causing the same symptoms as a bad sensor.
The wires going to the speed sensors can be examined to see if there is a wiring problem.
A blown fuse can also cause a problem and the system to not work.
Check all the fuses inside the vehicle and the engine bay fuse box for any bad fuses.
Some people report the brake light switch can cause a problem.
It is located on the pedal under the dashboard and is relatively easy to replace with some basic skills.