I got stuck the other day and i couldnt get my 4hi to engage. Whenever i pushed the knob over the lights just blinked and blinked and would never engage. So i tried 4lo it did same thing except made beeping noises. After being pulled out i thought it was because i may need to be rolling for it to engage. It still didnt engage. I went over to my parents house and drove all the way out of the neighborhood going around 15-30mph and it never engaged. Any ideas on where to start to try to figure out what the deal is. I saw people saying it may be the actuator but i am curious if anyone else has had this problem and if there are other things i can check first. I have an 05 V6 btw
Thanks

Have you had someone knock on the transfer case and/or lightly tap on the transfercase actuator while trying to engage? Do you hear ANYTHING trying to shift into gear? Also do the lights stay on or off? i.e. when you fail to get it into 4Hi and put it back into 2WD do the lights go off or stay on?

Where you in neutral, with foot on the brake BEFORE selecting 4-low?

When switching into 4HI my lights blink but it never engages so it just keeps blinking, When i switch into 4LO it doesnt beep or have any lights showing like it should, I disconnected my battery and let it sit for about 30 minutes and still no luck, have tried being in neutral, then going to drive then reverse, tried driving around for a little bit to see if it would engage but nothing works. Havent had anyone knock on the transfer case yet, and lights go off when i switch knob back to 2wd.

Truck is totaled. Might as well set it on fire

Mine did the same thing. It's a known problem with these trucks. Here's what I did to get it working:

Start it up. If you have a helper, have them sit in the truck and engage the emergency brake and keep their foot on the brake (think safety). If no helper, then chock the wheels and engage the emergency brake. Put it in Neutral.

Put the truck in 4HI. If the lights don't go solid on the dash for you, then take a hammer and start tapping on the actuator. It's a square metal box that sits next to the transfer case on the driver's side. It took about 10 minutes of tapping, but I heard the 'clunk' of the 4x4 engaging. I tapped all around the thing....bottom, sides, etc. Just don't beat it hard enough to damage it.

Turn the switch back to 2HI, put it in park, then back in neutral and then switch back to 4HI. If the lights on the dash go solid, you're good to go. If not, keep repeating the tapping method.

Hope this helps.

should have thought of that before, you always know what to do Bowen

Thanks ill give this a try, any idea why my 4LO wont even blink or beep now? Maybe if i can get it to go into 4HI thatll change.

Not sure if the 4Runners are the same but a buddy of mine's Tacoma wouldn't go into 4x4 and it was because some tube had been pulled loose under the truck. You take it to the dealer yet?

Can actuator be taken off and greased? Is it hard to do?

Drive train is ruined, send to me and get a new one.

Not easily. The actuator on the transfer case is a $2500 repair job to replace it.

it's my understanding that the front differential actuator (ADD) must be working properly to engage 2HI to 4HI. If the system cannot complete this sequence first, then it's impossible to engage 4HI to 4LO.

I had my ADD replaced a few months ago at the Toyota dealership. I brought the old ADD back home and tore into it. Clean as a whistle. But, the motor shaft itself was near impossible to turn with a small pair of pliers and one of the motor leads had come unsoldered from the post.

Not sure what causes the motor to seize up like that. I guess the tiny bronze sleeve bearings dry up??

@A_HuL got it fixed a month or so ago, can't remember what he said the problem was. Maybe he'll chime back in since I mentioned.

Scw1991 how much did it cost to replace the front ADD.?