5th Gen: 4WD shift lever grinding getting out of 4L

[Cytronus]

Is anyone else having this problem with their 5th Gen 4Runner?

I have a 2016 Trail Premium. For the first few months of ownership, going from H2 to H4 to L4 and back out via stopping the car, putting the automatic transmission shift lever into Neutral, then maneuvering the 4WD shift lever between H2-H4-L4 and back out was smooth and easy. All of a sudden now, it goes smoothly into L4 but trying to get it from L4 to H4, it grinds badly. Again, while the car is stopped, foot on brake, auto shift lever in Neutral. My 1999 4Runner doesn't grind either.

I took it into the dealership, still under warrant with 2200 miles on it, and the master tech there called and said it's "perfectly normal for it to grind", to which I replied and told him it wasn't because it wasn't doing that before. I told him to go test out other 4Runners on their lot and he called me back saying they all grind when going from L4 to H4. I'm willing to bet he's lying to get the car out of their hair since it's a warranty vehicle and not a paying service customer. Rotten!

I'd love to hear your experience specifically on shifting the 4WD lever from 4L to H4. Any grinding guys?

 

[Brandonium]

I try to pop mine into 4H once a month. Early on when I first started exercising the system when trying to get it back into 2H there was a loud noticeable thunk/thud/jolt but nothing since (this was in November). I get no grinding on the way in or out of 4H but I only pop it in when moving (normally around 35/40 mph).

 

[Good Nite]

No grinding here. Maybe you should sit in with tech as he "tests" other 4runners for the grinding noise.

 

[metanight]

500km on my 17 trd, no grinding in or out of 4H or 4L.

 

[Ol'Baditude]

I've never experienced this in my 4Runner.
In my 75 and 85 Jimmy's, yes, but not the Runner.

 

[e60ral]

For the first few months of ownership, going from H2 to H4 to L4 and back out via stopping the car, putting the automatic transmission shift lever into Neutral, then maneuvering the 4WD shift lever between H2-H4-L4 and back out was smooth and easy.

Leave it in gear to go from H2-H4 and from H4-H2. After in H4 stop, put in neutral and shift to L4 in a smooth motion without delaying with the transfer case in N

 

[Cytronus]

Getting into 4L from 4H is smooth. Going from 4L to 4H it grinds, when stopped, in neutral, foot on brake. It didn't do this when I first bought the car.

 

[e60ral]

make sure you aren't delaying with the transfer case in neutral, don't stop there just move right through it

the main point of my post though was that you were not shifting into and out of 4hi correctly

 

[Cytronus]

You're right...I do shift from H2 to H4 while moving. I should've specified just H4 to L4 and L4 to H4.

 

[Got2bpro]

You have to be in neutral in order to shift to 4lo


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[Saker]

While stopped and in neutral, do not baby the shifter when going from 4Hi to 4Lo and vice versa. Shift it like you mean it!

 

[CbatEngineer1371]

the xp trail I test drove before purchasing my trail did this on the lot with 2 miles on it. the guy didn't really tell me what or how to do it properly. but after my trail came in a toyota supervisor came out and went in detail about all the goodies how to use them and when. most was basic information but it was good for my wife since it's hers but he said try to avoid being stopped when you put it in 4H and make sure when going into 4L that you place the transmission to N and fluidly without hesitation throw the shifter to 4L. He said the manual transfer case is slightly heavier duty and the ?syncros? I think was the wording he used where slightly different from the electric system to minimize the vibration of the transfer shifter inside the cab. I dunno if that's bs or not but it works for me and it makes since really

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[WallyT4R]

Leave it in gear to go from H2-H4 and from H4-H2. After in H4 stop, put in neutral and shift to L4 in a smooth motion without delaying with the transfer case in N

This is it right here, you cannot stop in neutral on the t case or it will grind. I try to go as fast as I can. Eventually it will get easier as everything breaks in.

 

[Jeremy556]

You're shifting too slowly. There is a transfer case neutral position between 4lo and 4hi.

 

[Cytronus]

Hey guys, update from the dealership. The techs checked the transfer case fluid and noted that it was much darker than it should be on a car with 2000 miles. They replaced the fluid. Shifting from 4 low to 4 high, while in neutral and foot on the break, is much better now. I tested it on a 2015 TRD pro that was in for service, which was clearly offroaded a number of times and it shifted much more smoothly than mine probably because it's broken in. I think I just might need to break mine in but I have also noticed that shifting it forcefully and quickly helps a lot.

Thanks for all the feedback guys! I think we're all good!

 

[bofa]

Hey guys, update from the dealership. The techs checked the transfer case fluid and noted that it was much darker than it should be on a car with 2000 miles. They replaced the fluid. Shifting from 4 low to 4 high, while in neutral and foot on the break, is much better now. I tested it on a 2015 TRD pro that was in for service, which was clearly offroaded a number of times and it shifted much more smoothly than mine probably because it's broken in. I think I just might need to break mine in but I have also noticed that shifting it forcefully and quickly helps a lot.

Thanks for all the feedback guys! I think we're all good!

They let you test in someone else's vehicle?

 

[Ol'Baditude]

While stopped and in neutral, do not baby the shifter when going from 4Hi to 4Lo and vice versa. Shift it like you mean it!

This is true. Well said.

 

[Ol'Baditude]

I tested it on a 2015 TRD pro that was in for service, which was clearly offroaded a number of times and it shifted much more smoothly than mine probably because it's broken in.

Wait, what??!!

 

[keller]

Ive noticed both ends of the spectrum. Long deliberate shifts have yielded the beginning of a grind (i stopped as at the time it was almost new) while "oh shit, im about to get stuck" shifts have been smooth and without issue...

That being said, vehicle in neutral, brake pressed, their shouldn't be movement in the transfer case unless im not understanding something. The transfer case is south of the transmission and there should be no rotational force on the input shaft.

**** As i wrote this i remembered the torque converter and while i don't know the specifics of the toyota 5speed there might be some free spin of the fluid coupling that could cause it. Could explain it.

 

[Boyds4Runner]

I have almost 50K and have swapped out the fluid around 30K. I off-road maybe 4 or 5 times a year (dedicated day long trips) so the 4-LO has been used for long duration during those trips.

Recently tested going into 4L and it was grinding when shifting from 4H to 4L and back out. If I put the trans shifter in P (Park) it transfers quietly. If I do this in Neutral however it grinds, even when shifting quickly and with purpose.

I regularly shift into 4H when I know I'm going down a relatively straight road at least once or twice a week to keep the fluid flowing in those systems.

I have noticed lately, with my parking brake not holding at all that I end up leaning the weight of the vehicle fully on the Parking Pawl of the automatic trans. Shifting out of Park in those situations takes a bit more effort to move to Drive. Could this be causing some issue with the Neutral on the transmission not being fully...neutral?