When I try to shift into 4 wheel drive, especially when in the morning, it's almost impossible. The lever doesn't want to move no matter how hard I try. I'm not sure if it's because these crazy cold temperatures, or if it's a sign that something is breaking. Usually once I drive a few miles, I can shift in and out of 4 wheel drive without issue.

I've tried engaging 4 wheel drive while stopped, and while moving 5 - 20 MPH and it makes no difference, both with my foot on the gas, and while coasting.

Does anyone else find it extremely difficult/impossible to shift into 4 wheel drive? If so, is it only when it's cold? Any help/insight is greatly appreciated.

This is on a 2011 SR5 with 130k miles.

My 2019 with 2300 miles is a bit harder to shift into 4wd when cold but not impossible. Have you ever serviced your transfer case?

Sounds normal though.

I purchased it at 120k, so I haven't done it, and I don't know the service history. I purchased it from a Toyota dealership, so it might have gotten done when they took it in, but they didn't give me the list of what it had done to it from the service department before they listed it for sale. It might be worth having it done to avoid any issues.

Maybe a few bumps loosen things up a bit?

On a used vehicle without service history you should change all of the fluids right away. My guess is that the transfer case has heavier than spec'd oil (75w-90 probably) that hasn't been changed in an age so it's gotten sludgy. Then you drop the temperature way down and you're trying to shift through frozen molasses. Change it out for 75w or 75w-85 and I'll bet you see a huge improvement.

Well, on the way home the 4WD and 4LO lights were flashing and ABS, Traction Control and Brake lights came on while driving at like 30 MPH. They went away when I turned off the 4Runner and turned it back on.

Guess this is more serious than I was thinking.

Oh, I bet the two are unrelated. That sounds like a bad ABS sensor. I don't think that would be related to the transfer case lever. Maybe a sensor completely encased in ice?

Had it checked tonight, and the following codes were in there

P1604
P1605
C1241
C1406
C1407
C1410
C1415

They seem to be mostly related to ABS and speed sensors. Hoping it's just related to the 20 inches of snow over the last 3 days, and sub-zero temperatures causing sensors to ice up.

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Maybe the cold as hell temps in the upper Midwest triggered the error codes? Maybe the warmer (for us) temps will help.

So this happened again last night while driving in 2 wheel drive on the highway. Temps were still only around 10 degrees. From everything I see online, it seems like a wheel speed sensor. The trouble codes showed 3 different wheel speed sensors and 2 ABS sensors among other things. I find it highly unlikely that 5 sensors went bad in 1 day, so i'm hoping that everything is just packed with snow/iced up. Since it's warming up today i'll probably run it through a car wash a few times to get as much ice and snow out from under it, clear the codes and hope it doesn't come back.

The lower # is the viscosity when cold, so quit spreading falsehoods, as his list of codes verified.

He would be just fine with Mobil 75w90 Synthetic in both the transfer in differentials. If you're overly anal, run the Delvac Synthetic 75w90 in the transfer case. Over 165K happy miles on our 2014 SR5 running these fluids

The speed sensor and ABS sensor are the same thing. Could be the cold made the metal brittle in the wire and it cracked when you were driving. Buy three (I would do all 4) new ones and be on your way.


As for the transfer case, I too have the same issue of it being hard to shift but I don't live in the cold. I think mine is due to lack of shifting it. Remember you should put it in 4 wheel drive for 10 miles to lube things up every month.