4th gen stuck in 4Lo. Help!!

[bobp315]

Hi everyone.

My brother has a 2004 4-Runner V8 Limited 4x4. This afternoon he shifted into 4Lo in the driveway while the transmission was in drive to see if he could get the center diff lock to engage since it hasn't been working. He then shifted into neutral and the car went into 4Lo with a very loud clank. We've spent the past 3 hours trying to get it out of 4Lo with no success. We've tried jacking all 4 wheels off the ground, reversing, and letting the truck roll backwards in neutral. None of these worked and the 4-Runner is still in 4Lo. The 4Lo light is on and the center diff. lock light is blinking rapidly. When the switch is turned from 4Lo to 4Hi it seems like nothing is even happening. I own a 3rd gen. so I know nothing about the 4th gen. 4x4 system but according to my brother there is usually an audible beep that accompanies the blinking center diff lock and 4Lo light that is not there now. If any of you could help, my brother and I would really appreciate it. I'm afraid this one is sounding like a pretty expensive problem. Thanks again.
-Bob

 

[BoxerSport06]

Do you have the Emergency Brake set? If not, try putting the transmission in Neutral and set the parking brake. From there press the center diff lock and chage to 4 Hi.

 

[bobp315]

Tried it. Still nothing. I'm thinking there might be some sort of actuator motor that puts the transfer case in 4Lo that could have gone out? My brother does take it in the mud and water a lot. Does that make any sense to anyone?

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Hi everyone.

My brother has a 2004 4-Runner V8 Limited 4x4. This afternoon he shifted into 4Lo in the driveway while the transmission was in drive to see if he could get the center diff lock to engage since it hasn't been working. He then shifted into neutral and the car went into 4Lo with a very loud clank. We've spent the past 3 hours trying to get it out of 4Lo with no success. We've tried jacking all 4 wheels off the ground, reversing, and letting the truck roll backwards in neutral. None of these worked and the 4-Runner is still in 4Lo. The 4Lo light is on and the center diff. lock light is blinking rapidly. When the switch is turned from 4Lo to 4Hi it seems like nothing is even happening. I own a 3rd gen. so I know nothing about the 4th gen. 4x4 system but according to my brother there is usually an audible beep that accompanies the blinking center diff lock and 4Lo light that is not there now. If any of you could help, my brother and I would really appreciate it. I'm afraid this one is sounding like a pretty expensive problem. Thanks again.
-Bob

Ok, lots of stuff sounds goofy to me.
1) Is the truck truly in Low Range?
2) Is the center diff truly locked?

Mode changing shouldn't be this hard. The beeping should, in theory, never be heard. 4Hi to 4Lo should be done in N, stopped or very near stopped. If attempted while in gear you get the beep. Center diff lock and unlock should be as easy as push the button (in 4Hi or 4Lo). If the vehicle has been driven on a semi-hard surface with the center diff locked it may have a load on it and need to be massaged with a little fwd/reverse action and some shallow weaving.
:cheers:
4WD on the V6 - Toyota - 4Runner . org Forum

 

[bobp315]

Ok, lots of stuff sounds goofy to me.
1) Is the truck truly in Low Range?
2) Is the center diff truly locked?

Mode changing shouldn't be this hard. The beeping should, in theory, never be heard. 4Hi to 4Lo should be done in N, stopped or very near stopped. If attempted while in gear you get the beep. Center diff lock and unlock should be as easy as push the button (in 4Hi or 4Lo). If the vehicle has been driven on a semi-hard surface with the center diff locked it may have a load on it and need to be massaged with a little fwd/reverse action and some shallow weaving.
:cheers:
4WD on the V6 - Toyota - 4Runner . org Forum

The truck is definitely in Low Range. I can tell by the way it drives. I'm not sure if the center diff. is truly locked since according to him the center diff lock hasn't been working for the past few months (the center diff light blinks continually)

 

[CJ3Flyr]

The truck is definitely in Low Range. I can tell by the way it drives. I'm not sure if the center diff. is truly locked since according to him the center diff lock hasn't been working for the past few months (the center diff light blinks continually)

If you push the switch can you get the diff lock light steady? If so take the 'steady'. Once steady try to get it in high range.

 

[bobp315]

If you push the switch can you get the diff lock light steady? If so take the 'steady'. Once steady try to get it in high range.

Cannot get the diff lock light steady. 4Lo light is steady. Even if I put the truck in gear and try to shift to 4Hi there is no audible beep like there apparently should be. It's like the 4WD switch isn't sending the message to the transfer case to go back into high range.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Cannot get the diff lock light steady. 4Lo light is steady. Even if I put the truck in gear and try to shift to 4Hi there is no audible beep like there apparently should be. It's like the 4WD switch isn't sending the message to the transfer case to go back into high range.

Last trick prior to spending money...

Disconnect the battery for 30 minutes or so. Who knows, maybe the computer is confused.

 

[bobp315]

Last trick prior to spending money...

Disconnect the battery for 30 minutes or so. Who knows, maybe the computer is confused.

Going outside right now to try it. Thanks for your help. Will let you know what happens.

 

[bobp315]

Also if anyone else has any other ideas they would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bobp315]

Well, we tried disconnecting the battery and that didn't change anything. No matter what I do as far as turning the 4wd knob and pushing the center diff lock button nothing seems to be working. Guess my brother will have to take it somewhere tomorrow.

 

[mosha20]

Well, we tried disconnecting the battery and that didn't change anything. No matter what I do as far as turning the 4wd knob and pushing the center diff lock button nothing seems to be working. Guess my brother will have to take it somewhere tomorrow.

A similar thing happened to me as well, did he hit the center diff lock before shifting it into 4LO? If so, turn the knob back into 4LO, while in neutral, then push the center diff lock, turning it off and then switch back to 4Hi. The procedure is supposed to be 4H, then 4LO while in neutral then Center Diff Lock and when switching out you turn off the center diff lock then 4LO then 4H. If this is done any other way you will have the problem it seems your brother is having. Hope this helps, if not good luck with the fix.

 

[Cape 4RUNNER]

The issue here is most likely the actuator that enables the transition from 4Hi to 4Lo. The actuator is similar to a motor that controls windshield wipers and overtime can get jammed up- frequent exposure to mud and water without being cleaned could do it. The cost of replacing this motor is around $450.

One solution (worked for me) is to locate the motor and hit it with a hammer a few times (nothing crazy, just a few good hits) to free up the motor. You should then be sure to exercise the motor by going into 4Lo every month to prevent future seizing up. If not you might be looking at replacing the whole thing.

Good luck!

 

[bobp315]

A similar thing happened to me as well, did he hit the center diff lock before shifting it into 4LO? If so, turn the knob back into 4LO, while in neutral, then push the center diff lock, turning it off and then switch back to 4Hi. The procedure is supposed to be 4H, then 4LO while in neutral then Center Diff Lock and when switching out you turn off the center diff lock then 4LO then 4H. If this is done any other way you will have the problem it seems your brother is having. Hope this helps, if not good luck with the fix.

No, center diff lock button was pushed after shifting into 4Lo. I've been around 4x4 vehicles quite a bit and I've never seen anything like this. It's hard to describe but the truck just doesn't seem to be trying to come out of 4Lo. My brother's been calling around this morning (We live in Little Rock, Ar. by the way) and nobody, not even transmission shops, will work on the t-case. Last time I talked to him an hour or so ago he was pretty close to taking it to the dealer...which is the absolute last resort. Anyone happen to be from my area that may know somebody around here that will work on the transfer case?

 

[bobp315]

The issue here is most likely the actuator that enables the transition from 4Hi to 4Lo. The actuator is similar to a motor that controls windshield wipers and overtime can get jammed up- frequent exposure to mud and water without being cleaned could do it. The cost of replacing this motor is around $450.

One solution (worked for me) is to locate the motor and hit it with a hammer a few times (nothing crazy, just a few good hits) to free up the motor. You should then be sure to exercise the motor by going into 4Lo every month to prevent future seizing up. If not you might be looking at replacing the whole thing.

Good luck!

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that has to be what it is. My brother is a big duck hunter and is constantly driving through mud and water. Is $450 the price with parts and labor or is that just the part. If it's just the part, how difficult is this actuator motor to replace yourself? Thanks.

 

[scottm]

Maybe a wild guess, but is there a fuse for the transfer case? I'd go out and look on mine, but I'm supposed to be working.

 

[bobp315]

Yeah I should be studying for my finals next week but this is bothering me. We checked all the fuses last night. It's got to be that actuator motor. Will probably be checking that when my brother gets off work if he hasn't taken it to a mechanic somewhere by then.

 

[Cape 4RUNNER]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that has to be what it is. My brother is a big duck hunter and is constantly driving through mud and water. Is $450 the price with parts and labor or is that just the part. If it's just the part, how difficult is this actuator motor to replace yourself? Thanks.

To be honest I don't remember what the tech said in regards to this. He said if the motor is gone then its $450 so it sounds like the total cost. You could probably find the part online for cheap and then have the dealer put it in which would be around $250.

From what your saying the motor is definitely the issue and I hope the hammer strikes will be enough to do the trick. I am not sure of the difficulty to replace this part either, Id assume you would need a strong mechanical skill set to do so.

 

[jharris2]

Anyone happen to be from my area that may know somebody around here that will work on the transfer case?

PM sent.

 

[MercuryEvo]

happened to me in my 07 as well. Just drive in reverse then put it into neutral, then switch from 4lo to 4hi. It might take a few times, but you need to drive it in reverse and keep trying to switch it out either while in reverse or while in neutral