Lexus GX470 VSC Trac Light On - Code C1717 Steering Angle Sensor

Question

The VSC and Trac Off lights popped up on my dash after I hit a pothole last week. The steering wheel feels slightly off-center now, and the traction control seems to kick in unexpectedly during slow turns. My scanner is pulling a persistent C1717 fault code that won't clear.

garagegrease · Accepted Answer

The issue was caused by the steering wheel being 5 degrees off-center after the impact. I took it for a four-wheel alignment to straighten the steering wheel, then performed the Zero Point Calibration using Techstream software. Once the steering angle was reset to 0.0 degrees at dead center, the C1717 code cleared immediately and the VSC system returned to normal operation. Total cost was $120 for the alignment.

fleet_chief_42 · Answer

Check the spiral cable (clock spring) behind the steering wheel. Sometimes the internal ribbon cable for the SAS gets damaged if the rack was worked on or if there was a hard impact to the steering column.

Mike Reynolds · Answer

If the steering wheel is off-center, the sensor is likely seeing a value outside of its expected range compared to the wheel speed sensors. You need to get a professional alignment first before the computer will allow a successful calibration.

Ashley Park · Answer

Does your scan tool show live data for the steering angle? Check if the degrees change smoothly as you turn the wheel or if it stays stuck at 0 or 125 degrees, which usually indicates a dead sensor or a wiring open.

Lexus GX470 VSC Trac Light On - Code C1717 Steering Angle Sensor

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