My 4x4 didn't engage on my TEP
- Thread starter hikenbike
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Antman
Elite Member
you have to have it in drive and move around a little. You know that, right?
???
I posted about mine doing this a few months ago as well. It was in the snow again. My FJ has no problem slipping in and out of 4X4 but the T4R has an issue for some reason. I have found that if i take my foot totally off the gas for a second or two then on, and if it doesn't engage I'll take it off again trying to maintain speed that it will pop in. You have to change speed a bit but again in the FJ it's just a quick blip and the '16 TEP we own it's a bit of a process.
hikenbike
New member
I drove it for about 15 minutes and tried engaging while driving slowly on a snow covered road and then again at a full stop. That lever doesn't travel very much when you shift down. But in any event it wasn't engaging but yet it did this morning. If when I disengaged I was in reverse and then the light went off when back in drive, does that matter?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
BlackWorksInc
New member
How often do you use 4WD? The actuator does get "sticky" over time from lack of use, cold weather and a non-warmed up vehicle don't help either.
I've had it where you basically have to rock and back and forth until it finally engages, do that a few more times and the actuator starts working perfectly fine afterwards. A LOT of people fail to realize that engaging 4WD about once every month or every other month and driving it in 4WD for a short distance (anywhere from a hundred feet or more is plenty) is a good habit to get into.
I've had it where you basically have to rock and back and forth until it finally engages, do that a few more times and the actuator starts working perfectly fine afterwards. A LOT of people fail to realize that engaging 4WD about once every month or every other month and driving it in 4WD for a short distance (anywhere from a hundred feet or more is plenty) is a good habit to get into.
Jeremy556
New member
Sounds to me like you aren't shifting the transfer case into 4HI. Pull harder on the lever, you won't break it :whip2:
BlackWorksInc
New member
GreyLife
Member
Now hold on a minute....I got that snow storm today like many of us did and I got into my 4R, started it up and waited about a minute or so, pulled back on the lever to put it into 4 wheel drive and it engaged instantly. No issues. No need to vary the gas petal, no rocking needed, no clunking, nothing. Put it in reverse and went out joy riding in the snow. Had a grand ol time.
Of all the issues I take with this gen 4R, I have no issues to deal with getting it into 4 wheel drive and moving around like there was no snow on the ground. Am I one of the lucky ones that has a perfectly performing 4 wheel drive shift?
BlackWorksInc
New member
Sometimes they work perfectly and other times they don't, the key thing here is that as I said they have a tendency to get sticky/sluggish when not exercised properly.
*sigh* This is why manufacturers are going to the buttons and switches instead of the good old manual gear selector.
in the first post you mention no light. If you pull the selector back all the way, the light comes on. It blinks until the actuator up front reaches its position. If you get no light at all, you either didn't pull the handle back far enough or the switch inside the transfercase is bad.
in the first post you mention no light. If you pull the selector back all the way, the light comes on. It blinks until the actuator up front reaches its position. If you get no light at all, you either didn't pull the handle back far enough or the switch inside the transfercase is bad.
Simpleman74
New member
press the gas pedal
Maybe this is just me, but doesn't the need to be rolling negate some of the need for 4WD.
"Help, my truck is stuck in the snow and I can't get 4WD to engage"
-"try rolling it a few feet in drive"
(Face palm)
I find the more often I put it in 4HI, the easier it goes in. At least once every other week, just click it in, drive 100 feet, pop it out. Matter of fact, sometimes I have more trouble getting 4HI to disengage than to engage.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
"Help, my truck is stuck in the snow and I can't get 4WD to engage"
-"try rolling it a few feet in drive"
(Face palm)
I find the more often I put it in 4HI, the easier it goes in. At least once every other week, just click it in, drive 100 feet, pop it out. Matter of fact, sometimes I have more trouble getting 4HI to disengage than to engage.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
BlackWorksInc
New member
Not really, since the operator should be assessing the terrain/conditions and determining the appropriate time to use 4WD.
Ideally you should already be in 4WD if you're going to be in a situation where you think you may need it, rather than resorting to it after you've gotten yourself stuck beyond all help.
Also, almost all 4WD systems require you to move a bit to fully engage the system. Even manual hubs need a bit of roll to make sure the splines are fully engaged.
1engineer
Moderator
One of my friends by the name of Schrodinger claimed that, when the 4Runner is not moving, it is in both two and four wheel drive...
Lindenwood
New member
Teehee!
Jeremy556
New member
You should be in 4wd before you get stuck. When you are stuck, at least one wheel will be spinning, so that will allow everything to line up and engage, without the vehicle going anywhere.
