i just bought a 2002 4runner sport. and i was reading the manual and said you should drive in 4 four unlocked 10 miles a month to keep eveyting lubed.. so i did that today..and when i was driving around today and i came to a stop at like a light or stop sign i would give it gas and sometimes it didint seem like i was giving it gas. i mean i would press on the gas and it would move but not as fast for how much i pressed on the gas .......also sometimes when i pressed on the gas sometimes the slip contol light would go on.. the roads condition was dry not wet at all . i dont know what is wrong..anyone know???

need a little bit more info, as in, did you just push the 4wd button and nothing else? any check engine lights on? how many miles are on the truck... previous service's for tranny/engine/4wd system?

sounds like he may have had it in 4Lo

yes i just pushe the 4 wheel button in unlocked..no warnigs lights come on,got the truck with 38,000 from a toyota dealer and ow its got 47,000, and i have not has any services on anything on the truck...and its not in l4..if there was somthin wrong with it does the warrenty cover that?

well it is prob. a computer issue, but if its related to the powertrain, it might be covered under the 60k or whatever powertrain warranty

I know exactly what you're describing. My '02 Sport has does the same thing before when in 4HI. I bought the truck in April '06 w/ 22K on it and since then, I've experienced this issue only 4-5 times. Although I'm not 100% what causes it, I believe VSC and/or TRAC are the culprit.

I do not believe your truck is broken or needs to be seen by a dealer either. I feel it's the nature of the VSC/TRAC equipped 4Runners.

For example, I just experienced this about a week ago: I'm in 4HI driving down a 2 lane road w/ a turn lane in the middle and the street is either dry or wet (I've experienced what you're describing in both conditions). I pull into the turn lane (middle lane) to turn left at the stop light. I come to a stop and wait for the oncoming traffic to pass before I make my turn. Once a break in traffic opens, I step on the gas to turn left, only to find that my truck will NOT accelerate no more than 3-5mph! The pedal is depressed far enough that the truck should have shot through the hole in the traffic, but instead it just crawls like a turtle! After 3 or so seconds (feels like forever when a vehicle is bearing down on you) the truck comes alive and begins to accelerate as it should.

No warning lights or anything come on before, during or after this experience. After that I don't experience this issue for some time.

Like I said earlier, I believe it has to do with VSC and/or TRAC. Either of these systems must feel a very small bit of wheel spin when the vehicle's making the turn. Therefore they slow the truck down to correct the spin. The wheel spin is so minimal, no warning lights even come on.

Since I've installed the VSC-TRAC-ABS On/Off switch, otherwise known as the "AndyMod", which disables the above 3 when activated, I have yet to experience this issue when the truck is in 4WD and the systems are disabled.

Maybe someone w/ more knowledge of VSC/TRAC can explain this better, but this is what I feel is the issue with what you're describing. Unfortunately, I believe it's normal.



Off subject, but you said you pushed the 4WD button in unlocked...what do you mean here? By depressing the button, you are effectively locking the truck into 4HI. Were you saying you depressed the button while the truck was unlocked, thus locking the it once the button activated? Just wanted to understand what you were saying.

yes that is exacly what is happeing with mine how rockslide wrote....... yeah when it happens no lights or anything..and it is scary as hell when ur trying to turn like you said when there is a car flying at you........did you ever take it to the dealer and told them what was happeniing??................ and when i mean locked i mean pushing the center differential button in........do you drive 10 miles a month in 4wheel like it says??

I agree, it is scary when it happens and you're turning in front of someone!

No I have not taken it to the dealer...like I said, I beieve it's the nature of the beast (4Runner that is).

And as far as the cent diff is concerned, it's my understanding that it should not be engaged while driving on dry pavment. Can cause extra wear on the parts. (Might want to confirm that though.)

I do drive at least 10 miles a month in 4HI though on dry or wet pavement. As far as using the center diff and/or 4L at least 10 miles a month, I do that rather easily since I offroad quite a good bit on the weekends

Back to the issue at hand - if it makes you feel better, run it by the dealer and find out what they have to say about it. I'm curious as to what they say too. However, I believe the issue is caused by the VCS/TRAC systems responding to minimal amounts of wheel spin. That's my understanding anyway.


I'll see if I can find someone else with a VSC/TRAC equipped 4Runner to chime in

yeah if you find out anything let me know ill do the same.....

and what have you done to ur 4 runner i got 47,000 on mine and ive just rplaced the air filter and oil

will do...


I just turned 51K miles on mine. When you say, "what have I done to my 4Runner", click on my profile in my sig to see all the junk I've added .

As far as maint goes, I've had the trans and radiator flushed and replace the oil every 5k w/ synth oil and have been good to go. Oh I did replace a drive belt a few months after I purchased it...and that was only b/c it was making a noise at start up. Other than that, it's been as good to me as all the other 4Runners I've owned.

I don't think there is anything wrong.
When in 4wd, even without the rear differential locked, the drive train will bind when turning; the tighter the turn, the worse it binds.
I would not use 4wd unless you are in conditions that will allow the wheels to slip a little.
Also, absolutely never lock in the rear diff while on pavement or moving at speed; it can really make a mess of things.

i have experienced exactly what rockslide says. i installed a switch to shut vsc & trac off and i actually usually run with it off (and abs off as a result) because i hate vsc's intrusive nature so much.

i have noticed it a lot more in 4hi, and i cant figure out why they would allow it to work that way

terrible system in my opinion.

SchooBaka, while I completely agree with all that you said, the '01 and '02 4WD 4Runners equipped with VSC & TRAC systems are completely different animals. First off, when in 4HI in these 4Runners, you can make a real sharp turn and experience zero to very, very minimal binding what so ever. I'll explain:

Yes, on early model 3rd gens (and most any other similar vehicle), driving the vehicle in 4wd on dry payment is a no-no. However, '00 and newer 3rd gens are equipped w/ a push button 4HI mounted directly on the transfer case shifter (see pictures posted below). When this button is depressed, the vehicle can be driving in 4HI at highway speeds on dry pavement w/o any issues. It can even be engaged at speeds less than 60mph. Even though the vehicle is in 4HI, it feels more like an AWD system. Meaning, it doesn't have the same road manners similar to driving an older 4Runner in 4HI.

Second, '01 and '02 4Runner did not come from the factory equipped w/ a locking rear diff...unlike some of the earlier 3rd gens that did. Our model is equipped w/ a locking center diff instead (see picture below). While not a true locker per say, when engaged, it splits the power 50/50 between the front and rear wheels when in 4WD. This center diff can be engaged in 4HI and/or 4L.

While I do not engage my center diff in 4HI while on dry payment, I believe it still can be done w/o risking damage. However, don't quote me on that...I'll have to read the manual again on that.

Also, when this center diff button is depressed in 4WD, it disables VSC. However, it does not disable TRAC. Thus the reason me and great many others that wheel these 4Runners have installed a switch to toggle between having VSC & TRAC on or off. (Oh and I must say, this switch also disables ABS. Thus the only downside, but the pros out weigh the cons IMO.)


Oh and here's 2 pictures of our 4WD shifters in case you have not seen one before:










Below, you'll find the locking diff and my toggle switch for turning VSC & TRAC on or off:

1. Red Arrow points to the Center Diff switch.
2. Yellow Arrow points to the VSC/TRAC on/off switch.




Hope that clears up any misunderstandings.

Lee, thanks for chiming in. I knew you wheeled the heck out of your vsc/trac equipped 4Runner (more than most) and figured you had experienced this same issue.


Burton6509, I hope this helps you at least feel better knowing that nothing is wrong with your 4Runner. Unfortunately, Lee's right, it's a terrible system. I don't fully understand why Toyota would create it to work this way either. Seems to be very overly senitive.

Install the switch to toggle vsc/trac on or off (which also disables abs by the way), and you'll be set!

i noticed that your transfer for your 4wd system is different than mine. yours shifts in a straight line (lo-n-hi) but mine shifts in a parabola or U shape. I will take pics of mine to clarify when i get the time to, or when i remember to. but do you know what the difference is between the two?