4wd won't engage trick?

[tobers]

I proudly drove my "new" 1999 4runner from NC to Colorado so I could hit the trails here. To get ready for the trip I serviced dang near everything according to this site. Today I drove to the trail head, and suddenly I had no 4x4!

I came back and read through the site. Someone, somewhere suggested putting it in reverse, and braking hard a few times. I went out and tried the reverse/brake hard a few times. Then engaged and disengaged it a little and shazam: it is fixed.

So this is my question: assuming the reverse/braking trick did it, what does this do to bring about healing? And: how do I know that next time I'm about to go up a steep hill it will work? Have I really fixed anything? Anything I should do?

 

[19963.4lsr5]

You have the push button 4wd? I exercise mine every month in the driveway along with the diff lock.


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[tobers]

no. It's an auto that shifts with a "stick shift" like shifter. The previous owner perhaps never engaged it. I, however, did use it a couple of times on a trailer ramp, but certainly not often, nor for very long. Perhaps that was my problem: it just needed use.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

no. It's an auto that shifts with a "stick shift" like shifter. The previous owner perhaps never engaged it. I, however, did use it a couple of times on a trailer ramp, but certainly not often, nor for very long. Perhaps that was my problem: it just needed use.

I would still exercise it once a month.


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[JayRolla]

Excersize it like man. On the trail or dirt road.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Excersize it like man. On the trail or dirt road.

I have a long stone driveway so on the limited I just hit the 4wd button on occasion. On the SR5 I just throw it in 4hi.


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[phattyduck]

no. It's an auto that shifts with a "stick shift" like shifter. The previous owner perhaps never engaged it. I, however, did use it a couple of times on a trailer ramp, but certainly not often, nor for very long. Perhaps that was my problem: it just needed use.

You are specifically (called out in owners manual) supposed to use it for ~10 miles every month.

If you aren't going to be off road, use 4H on a straight (ish) section of pavement.

-Charlie