Actuator Replacement
- Thread starter nvestor88
- Start date
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BlackWorksInc
New member
If you can, I would have someone get under there and TAP (not wail on it) the actuator and transfer case with a hammer/mallet (a deadblow would be preferable) while you're shifting the vehicle in and out of 4WD.
That's usually a good way to get the actuator to "unstick" if it hasn't been used in a while.
montijo505
Senior Member
My 08 used to have a hard time engaging, I would turn the knob and it would sit there for over a minute with the lights blinking. I started cycling it more regularly between 2hi 4hi 4lo. After a LOT of doing that over a couple months it engages in a few seconds without a problem!
CookieRoe
Senior Member
Use it or loose it
I engage my 4x4 every month now. She engages quicker that way. I've found she engages almost instantaneously when I put her in neutral, switch over to 4x4, then put her in drive. 4x4 light comes on instantly. If I do it "on the fly", takes a bit longer (20 sec +). Having that said, I never switched over to 4lo, and I'm willing to bet my life my truck has never seen it. She's 9 years old now so it's a safe bet the actuator frozen (for the 4lo) which is fine by me. I don't wheel anymore and when it gets really bad, I just don't go out. But yeah, I'm dying to know if she will switch over......................
I engage my 4x4 every month now. She engages quicker that way. I've found she engages almost instantaneously when I put her in neutral, switch over to 4x4, then put her in drive. 4x4 light comes on instantly. If I do it "on the fly", takes a bit longer (20 sec +). Having that said, I never switched over to 4lo, and I'm willing to bet my life my truck has never seen it. She's 9 years old now so it's a safe bet the actuator frozen (for the 4lo) which is fine by me. I don't wheel anymore and when it gets really bad, I just don't go out. But yeah, I'm dying to know if she will switch over......................
montijo505
Senior Member
Depress the knob and turn!! Lol mine also takes about 30 seconds if I do it on the fly, when I do it stopped in neutral about 5 seconds, both 4hi and 4lo.
CookieRoe
Senior Member
you talking about switching over to 4lo??? I've seen people (on this forum) do that and the actuator doesn't work, or gets stuck on 4lo forcing you to have it towed to the stealer (or garage or wherever) to have it fixed. From what I understand, the 4lo actuator is different from the 4hi actuator.
montijo505
Senior Member
When mine used to have a hard time engaging 4hi i would sit there with the lights blinking and after a few times I just said f*ck it and turned it to 4lo. Surprisingly it switched over to 4lo fine, switched back and then it finally went into 4hi. Don't recommend you do the same as mine was maybe just slightly stuck, and I have a warranty from the dealership I bought it from so I figured if it was gonna break might as we'll be now not later.
CookieRoe
Senior Member
Don't worry about 4lo, make sure 4hi works and keep it "working". If 4lo continues to "not" work, don't worry. At least you can drive your truck with 4hi.
Did the hammering (mallet) work?
AusTex4x4Sport
Member
I HIGHLY recommend if you haven't used 4Lo to try it outside your favorite repair shop because it truly might get stuck in 4Lo. I tested mine for 4Lo quite stupidly just after making the purchase of my 06 (did the 4Hi test before purchase and figured if that worked the rest would). Had to have a lengthy tow back to the selling dealer that fortunately, after a lot of wrangling, honored the 3 month/3,000 mile powertrain warranty and eventually bought a brand new unit from Toyota (took almost a month to come in, maybe from the mother country?). Now I test it monthly.
Toyota shop said, other than non-usage, the most common cause of hanging in 4Lo is operator error from not coming to a complete stop and having the vehicle in neutral when shifting in or out.