Locking Center Differential

JTM2014

JTM2014

New member
New owner of an 02 4runner. No owners manual. First time driving it in the
snow. I am not new to 4wd, but have a question on the Toyota setup.
After moving the 4runner out of my driveway so I could plow it with my
other rig, I had the 4wd on and also locked the center differential just to
see how it worked. The orange light was lit on the 4wd diagram. I left the
4runner running in park at the curb. When I got back in to move the truck
the orange light was out. My question is does the center differential
automatically unlock after putting the gearshift into park? Or do I have a
malfunctioning switch?
Thanks for the help
 
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when your center diff locks you will see a light on the dash that says "VSC off"
thats when you know your locked.
 
My diagram light does not work, but when I engage the center diff, which is by turning off the VSC TRAC, as was said, the VSC TRAC OFF light will come on and should stay on as long as it is locked. Did that light come on as well as the middle of your 4wd indicator diagram?
 
Yes the center differential locked and the light was on.
My question is does the center differential unlock automatically when the transmission is put into park and the engine still running? The light was out when I got back into the truck after it was idiling in park for 15 minutes,
 
JTM2014 said:
Yes the center differential locked and the light was on.
My question is does the center differential unlock automatically when the transmission is put into park and the engine still running? The light was out when I got back into the truck after it was idiling in park for 15 minutes,
Click to expand...

To my knowledge no, but then again, not sure that I have ever left it locked, put it in park, and left the vehicle for any amount of time. Not sure why it would be designed to do that, except for some safety or maintenance purpose. Mine is an 02 limited, and I would look in the manual tonight and let you know, however, my 4runner about 45 minutes across town having a new bumper installed.
 
Thank You, I am at work and left the 4runner for my wife to get around with. I just wanted to let her know how the locking center differential worked.
Appreciate your help.
 
JTM2014 said:
Thank You, I am at work and left the 4runner for my wife to get around with. I just wanted to let her know how the locking center differential worked.
Appreciate your help.
Click to expand...

10-4, from what I am seeing on the news, you guys will need all the help you can get.
 
Problem solved-I must have hit the locking switch by accident and turned it off.
It works like LINY4runner says his does- Thanks
by the way--where are you on LI?
 
I'm down on she south shore, brookhaven...but I get around...do you wheel at all? I need some 4Runner buddies, I have all Jeep friends and I'm such an outcast (especially when I'm the only one not getting stuck)
 
Gonna bump this.. May not be the same issue but it's along the topic.

I have a friend looking at a '01 4runner and it has the center lock button, in the spot where a rear elocker button would be. My question is, if 4hi locks the center diff anyways why do you need the button? What's its purpose? I guess, with me owning a '99 I know nothing about the button.
 
Hmmm.. Ok so for instance, I have a '99 with the push 4wd on the lever which acts like a Awd and no center diff lock button. Then if I drop the lever down it locks the center. Would the same operation on the '01 not do the same thing?
 
Last edited:
ARKRWLR said:
Hmmm.. Ok so for instance, I have a '99 with the push 4wd on the lever which acts like a Awd and no center diff lock button. Then if I drop the lever down it locks the center. Would the same operation on the '01 not do the same thing?
Click to expand...

That's how mine worked as well, makes more sense than a seperate button on the dash for the center diff lock IMO.
 
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