4 wheel drive indicator flashing

[rutledj]

My daughter is out of town with her 2002 4runner and is having a problem with the 4 wheel drive indicator flashing. She has the auto type 4 wheel drive selector with the push button on the side. I asked her to try putting it into 4 wd and she said nothing happens with the light or the car (doesn't seem to switch to 4wd).

I also think she knocked it out of H gear because she called saying the car wouldn't move. After getting her to put it back in H it ran ok but the light is still flashing.

Any ideas as to what might be going on here? She will be home tomorrow so I'll have a chance to look at it.

Thanks,
Rut

 

[Singtoe]

Sounds like the ADD is stuck. Need to chk to see if it is locked up.

 

[imhighlander]

This is the thread you need. It saved me a pant load of time and money.

4WD won't disengage on 99 4Runner LTD - YotaTech Forums

It needs to be re-written up here for sure. The short of it - your kid can drive it as-is but when she gets it back to your garage, replace the errant switch on the center diff. The part cost me $130 bucks at the stealership, but the problem was fixed in 30 minutes with simple hand tools. (Didn't even need a jack!)

This is a known issue on 3d gen 4Runners, but it's an easy fix.

 

[pinchshopper]

This is the thread you need. It saved me a pant load of time and money.

4WD won't disengage on 99 4Runner LTD - YotaTech Forums

Link not working ?

 

[rutledj]

I was able to get to the site but just tried it again and it timed out. Must be a server issue on their side.

I also found this thread where some folks found a cheaper alternative to the switch listed in the above thread. They got it from Napa. Here is the thread link:



Napa sells them for about $24 vs the $70 at the toyota dealership. It appears to be a common switch used for a lot of different purposes. Hope this helps and thanks for the earlier link.

Rut

 

[rutledj]

There is also the same switch at amazon:

Amazon.com: Beck Arnley 201-1788 Back Up Lamp Switch: Automotive

 

[imhighlander]

Here is some of the salient text from that thread:

Okay fellow yota owners;

I went to Toyota today and they had to order both sensors that I wanted. I wanted the Center diff lock sensor which is on the passenger side of the transfer case, and the sensor for the front diff.

Here's the part # for the front diff sensor - 84222-35070 and I got it for $36.94.

You guys will be happy. The parts guy at Toyota let me look at the FSM for a 99 4Runner and he photocopied what pages I wanted out of it.

The "BLUE" ADD solenoid is your 4WD solenoid, and the "BROWN" ADD solenoid is your 2WD solenoid.

I got the wiring schematics for the 4wd system with the 2-4 select switch (M/M) transfer case, the exploded diagrams of the t-case, and the description page of what each sensor does. I'll get them scanned and posted in the thread so that all of you will have some good reference material for troubleshooting.

My local Toyota dealer said that they haven't seen any 4wd failures on the 3rd gen 4runners and the tacomas in my area. They said that they have ordered 2 front actuators for people but that was it.

 

[imhighlander]

BTW, I was able to click the link in the thread above and it worked just fine. I don't know if - as you suspect - they were having server/bandwidth issues, or if you might not be logged in. I don't find that forum quite as good as this one, but there is some good stuff to be found there so it's worth registering, IMO.

Good luck. I'm not one of the hard core wrenches on the forum. I do a lot of stuff but have far more limitations than skills. But this was a really easy fix. It took me far more time to drive down the hill to get the part from the dealer than it took me to swap the switches.

 

[rutledj]

I just purchased the switch from NAPA for about $22. I'll let you know if it works out ok.

Rut

 

[99SC4Runner]

I'm the guy that created that thread on Yotatech. I'll create one here and clean it up/condense it into just the troubleshooting and diagnosis that I did to fix my 4wd issue, so that there will be a local copy on this great forum as well.

Doug

 

[awdjunkies]

I'm the guy that created that thread on Yotatech. I'll create one here and clean it up/condense it into just the troubleshooting and diagnosis that I did to fix my 4wd issue, so that there will be a local copy on this great forum as well.

Doug

Excellent idea kind sir.