Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
HDS Software Bug Causes Bogus VSA DTC 98 (ASN1204-04)
Reference number: ASN1204-04
HDS Software Bug Causes Bogus VSA DTC 98
ACURA SERVICE NEWS
| ACURA: | 2000-04 RL |
| CATEGORY: | Acura Service News |
| APPLIES TO: | 2000-04 RL |
SERVICE INFORMATION
If you use the HDS to clear a stored VSA DTC in an '00-04 RL, you'll wind up with a VSA DTC 98. You won't find this DTC in the 2000-2004 RL S/M; it's bogus. Blame it on a bug in the HDS software. Until the HDS software gets fixed, you need to manually clear the VSA control unit to get rid of this bad boy.
Manually clearing the VSA control unit is no piece of cake. That's because the manual clearing procedure on page 19-207 of the S/M is wrong. Cross out those steps in your copies of the S/M, and use these steps instead:
- Disconnect the HDS from the 16-pin DLC.
- Keep your foot off of the brake pedal, and press the parking brake pedal.
- Press and hold the VSA OFF switch, and then turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
- Hold the VSA OFF switch until the system beeps four times, then release the switch.
- Watch the VSA activation indicator on the instrument panel for at least 3 seconds.
- If the indicator comes on and then blinks rapidly six times, the DTC is cleared.
- If the indicator comes on and stays on, repeat steps 1 thru 4 until it blinks rapidly six times.
NO RELATED
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- β’ You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- β’ Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- β’ The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- β’ You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- β’ You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.