Discussion: how to make 4wd more reliable in the 5th gen

[wadle5]

I don't know about you, but some codes can be reset by just disconnecting the battery for a period of 15 mins are so. While this doesn't correct this situation it should give you time to place into 4wd? :lookout: :lookout:

This is of course a direct fix to the exact example the OP gave of being miles from nowhere with no service at least.

edit: just saw on page 8 that someone else recommended the old factory hard reset to the vehicle. Cheers

 

[wadle5]

And yes, I also consider this a reliability issue. The whole reason I bought a 4Runner is because I wanted an off-road capable SUV that I could rely on. If any minor, totally unrelated issue, is going to disable 4wd at any time, that is NOT reliable!

What are YOU doing that someone else hasn't already done in their 4runner multiple times and come out unscathed and fine. The reality is they are reliable in fact so much so that the 5th gen is on pace to outsell the 4th gen. So you do have an off-road capable SUV, but its also only as capable as the driver.

2. How common is this? I will do a poll. I like polls...

#thatswhatshesaid

And to my point above, what I was thinking is it clearly can't be that big of an issue.

 

[AdmiralAugbar]

The reality is they are reliable in fact so much so that the 5th gen is on pace to outsell the 4th gen.

Well I'd hope so with an extra year of sales over the 4th gen.

 

[Grug556]

I guess you could just buy a limited and not worry about part time foolery :whip:

 

[wadle5]

Well I'd hope so with an extra year of sales over the 4th gen.

Sorry I guess I should have said the run rate for the 5th as compared to the 4th gen is better?

 

[nevada]

Ah, yes, but my point was that this whole thing is much ado about nothing when all you have to do is disconnect that battery for a few and everything resets.

So as the OP stated being 1000's of miles from home and pre-planning for how to handle this type of 'emergency' would require nothing more than a 10mm or pair of pliers that you probably already have.

Making overrides, manually pulling cables, hacking the CANBUS, writing code and all the other crazy stuff mentioned above is just plain nuts. Besides being nuts it will just add another degree of unreliability to the system.

Call me crazy, but I will just carry my standard set of tools and be just fine.

and if its a code that resets on the first start? that's not going to help much.

the OP has a legitimate concern. having a reliable workaround would be a great idea.

 

[e60ral]

do people worried about this kind of thing also carry extra belts, alternators, axles, etc... with them?

 

[JBurt]

Belts - yes
Axles - yes
Alternators - probably not, but you can drive with a shot alternator for quite a while.

 

[1engineer]

Belts - yes
Axles - yes
Alternators - probably not, but you can drive with a shot alternator for quite a while.

Battery?
Key?
short block?
Radiator?
Water Pump?
Fuel Pump?
Transmission?


The point is ANYTHING can cause you to have a bad day on the trail and you can't carry everything.
The reality of this happening is about the same odds as those items listed above.

Sometimes we go way too far on this forum.

 

[4Reak Show]

Dude it's best to just tow a spare truck. Everyone knows that!

 

[JBurt]

Battery?
Key?
short block?
Radiator?
Water Pump?
Fuel Pump?
Transmission?


The point is ANYTHING can cause you to have a bad day on the trail and you can't carry everything.
The reality of this happening is about the same odds as those items listed above.

Sometimes we go way too far on this forum.

Sure anything could give you a bad day, but a cel disabling 4wd is kind of ridiculous. I don't own a 5th gen, but I'm sure many people would be happy to know a way around it.

 

[SATSTRAIL]

Ah, yes, but my point was that this whole thing is much ado about nothing when all you have to do is disconnect that battery for a few and everything resets.

So as the OP stated being 1000's of miles from home and pre-planning for how to handle this type of 'emergency' would require nothing more than a 10mm or pair of pliers that you probably already have.

Making overrides, manually pulling cables, hacking the CANBUS, writing code and all the other crazy stuff mentioned above is just plain nuts. Besides being nuts it will just add another degree of unreliability to the system.

Call me crazy, but I will just carry my standard set of tools and be just fine.

I don't know about you, but some codes can be reset by just disconnecting the battery for a period of 15 mins are so. While this doesn't correct this situation it should give you time to place into 4wd? :lookout: :lookout:

This is of course a direct fix to the exact example the OP gave of being miles from nowhere with no service at least.

edit: just saw on page 8 that someone else recommended the old factory hard reset to the vehicle. Cheers

Simply disconnecting the battery on an OBD2 equipped vehicle is not a 100% guarantee at the trouble codes will clear. This was a viable option on the OBD1 System many years ago.

It's been a while since I have tried clearing the code by simply disconnecting the battery but I will give it a try again as soon as I can. Hopefully within the next week at my shop.

 

[greatape]

Battery?
Key?
short block?
Radiator?
Water Pump?
Fuel Pump?
Transmission?


The point is ANYTHING can cause you to have a bad day on the trail and you can't carry everything.
The reality of this happening is about the same odds as those items listed above.

Sometimes we go way too far on this forum.

Extra key on a neck chain?

 

[wfo9]

and if its a code that resets on the first start? that's not going to help much.

the OP has a legitimate concern. having a reliable workaround would be a great idea.

Many codes will not clear with a battery disconnect. Your call. good luck... I would personally carry a code reader at a minimum. That way you at least have some clue to what the issue is.
.

 

[1engineer]

Many codes will not clear with a battery disconnect. Your call. good luck... I would personally carry a code reader at a minimum. That way you at least you have some clue to what the issue is.
.

It would be nice to know what codes or errors disable specific functions.

 

[wfo9]

Sure anything could give you a bad day, but a cel disabling 4wd is kind of ridiculous. I don't own a 5th gen, but I'm sure many people would be happy to know a way around it.

You are using unbiased logic... That is not how this forum typically works. You need to blame the user and not Toyota...Just stupid owners trying to make the truck do things it was not designed for...

It's designed to not engage 4wd when the gas cap is loose. Makes perfect sense to me. :crazy: Why would you need a way around that. That would obviously be the first thing you would check... right?

 

[wadle5]

Simply disconnecting the battery on an OBD2 equipped vehicle is not a 100% guarantee at the trouble codes will clear. This was a viable option on the OBD1 System many years ago.

It's been a while since I have tried clearing the code by simply disconnecting the battery but I will give it a try again as soon as I can. Hopefully within the next week at my shop.

While not 100% guarantee of clearing the codes, the MIL light will go away long enough(again this is temporary as the OP was requesting a workaround for an extenuating circumstance) , but if you didn't have a code reader this would be my go to, because the reality is I have done it on my Runner(4th gen) and I have done it on my Dad's Wrangler(2015), obviously both OBDII.

The OP was claiming a worthless code throwing a CEL like an evap or loose gas cap , I'm saying a disconnect of the battery will clear most codes so he could switch into 4wd. He has been given 2 solid legitimate "work arounds" , but it seems like people want to keep over thinking the situation and ignoring the path of least resistance.
:fishing:

 

[wadle5]

You are using unbiased logic... That is not how this forum typically works. You need to blame the user and not Toyota...Just stupid owners trying to make the truck do things it was not designed for...

It's designed to not engage 4wd when the gas cap is loose. Makes perfect sense to me. :crazy: Why would you need a way around that. That would obviously be the first thing you would check... right?

The irony of this all is you state you are apparently out in the boonies doing things of epic proportions that no other t4r owner has done and you get a CEL? If you are truly doing the adventures you say, wouldn't you already be in 4wd?

A CEL won't disengage 4wd if you are already in it, so my advice would be if in a place you are not familiar with or don't know where it leads pop it into 4wd just to be safe. EVERYBODY is winner! :usa2:

 

[jrandom]

The irony of this all is you state you are apparently out in the boonies doing things of epic proportions that no other t4r owner has done and you get a CEL? If you are truly doing the adventures you say, wouldn't you already be in 4wd?

A CEL won't disengage 4wd if you are already in it, so my advice would be if in a place you are not familiar with or don't know where it leads pop it into 4wd just to be safe. EVERYBODY is winner! :usa2:

Huh so...

Long forest road (2wd) -> river crossing (4wd) -> long forest road (2wd) -> desert road (2wd) -> wash out (4wd) -> desert road (2wd)

Don't know where you drive but that is the stuff I usually encounter. It is a waste of fuel to stay in 4wd all the time and certainly not necessary BUT when you need it you need it.

And honestly my biggest fear is rodents chewing wiring while camping out in the boonies.

 

[wadle5]

Huh so...

Long forest road (2wd) -> river crossing (4wd) -> long forest road (2wd) -> desert road (2wd) -> wash out (4wd) -> desert road (2wd)

Don't know where you drive but that is the stuff I usually encounter. It is a waste of fuel to stay in 4wd all the time and certainly not necessary BUT when you need it you need it.

And honestly my biggest fear is rodents chewing wiring while camping out in the boonies.

If you were truly concerned about wasting fuel, would you really be offroading? Plus come on everyone at least has a jerry can when going on extended trips. Like I said there are numerous ways around the scenario the OP explained. Also for me if in 2wd and I get stuck I can't diff lock or bypass ABS and throttle out(experience in Moab thankfully I had a set of Maxtraxx) for this reason I now just go down trails in 4wd. I guess just my personal preference.

x2 on the rodents....or moreso Bears.