New member needs advice asap (4wd actuator)

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realmadrid

New member
New member needs help asap (4wd actuator). Advice would be greatly appreciated big time.
I bought a very nice 03 black v8 4runner w/ 55k mi at a local dealership and I looked it over pretty well before I bought it and everything seemed to be okay. So the day i took it home I had a weird feeling that oops!!! I forgot to check the 4hi-4lo switch and so I did and guess what? ...the truck will not engage 4lo. So i took it back to the dealer where I bought it (a bmw dealer) and they were kind enough to say lets get it checked out and fixed at the local toyota on us. So i made the first available appointment with them a week later and they determined it to be the actuator and they told me its a 1000 dollar part and the labor is very involved with about 15hrs plus of work ...OUCH! Anyways I got back to dealer where I bought it and they before they do anything they are going to have their lead technician look at it.
Anyways we are going on the 3rd week since I orginally bough it and the window for the lemon law is closing. I got a killer deal.. ie paid 13500 for it with a bunch of dings and scratches on outside. It has some "driveline clunk" otherwise it runs super. Interior is mint.
Should I :
a: Pushed to have it fixed at toyota at the bmw dealers expense.
b. Return it under lemon law.
c. Forget about the actuator and see if they could reimburse me some "cash back" i.e hopefully $500- 1000 with the arguement that the trucks 4wd system is messed up and keep the truck.

I dont really need 4lo. ALso last question if I choose option c: do i run the risk of it ever switching into and getting stuck into 4lo in the future... (now that would be a disaster).

Your help and advice would be greatly !! appreciated . Thnaks
 
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realmadrid said:
New member needs help asap (4wd actuator). Advice would be greatly appreciated big time.
I bought a 03 v8 4runner w/ 55k mi at a local dealership and I looked it over pretty well before I bought it and everything seemed to be okay. So the day i took it home I had a weird feeling that oops!!! I forgot to check the 4hi-4lo switch and so I did and guess what? ...the truck will not engage 4lo. So i took it back to the dealer where I bought it (a bmw dealer) and they were kind enough to say lets get it checked out and fixed at the local toyota on us. So i made the first available appointment with them a week later and they determined it to be the actuator and they told me its a 1000 dollar part and the labor is very involved with about 15hrs plus of work ...OUCH! Anyways I got back to dealer where I bought it and they before they do anything they are going to have their lead technician look at it.
Anyways we are going on the 3rd week since I orginally bough it and the window for the lemon law is closing. I got a killer deal.. ie paid 13500 for it with a bunch of dings and scratches on outside. It has some "driveline clunk" otherwise it runs super. Interior is mint.
Should I :
a: Pushed to have it fixed at toyota at the bmw dealers expense.
b. Return it under lemon law.
c. Forget about the actuator and see if they could reimburse me some "cash back" i.e hopefully $500- 1000 with the arguement that the trucks 4wd system is messed up and keep the truck.

I dont really need 4lo. ALso last question if I choose option c: do i run the risk of it ever switching into and getting stuck into 4lo in the future... (now that would be a disaster).

Your help and advice would be greatly !! appreciated . Thnaks
Click to expand...

Dumb question but you wouldn't be the first... Are placing the vehicle in N, then selecting 4lo (engine running, of course)?

:cheers:
 
First choice would be to let the BMW dealer take care of it, as he said he would. If he backs out on his promise, then return it under lemon law.

I would NOT recommend trying to use this as a way to get some cash back.
You may not need 4Lo at this time, but you might later, and it would lower resale value of the truck.
 
Annoyed said:
First choice would be to let the BMW dealer take care of it, as he said he would. If he backs out on his promise, then return it under lemon law.

I would NOT recommend trying to use this as a way to get some cash back.
You may not need 4Lo at this time, but you might later, and it would lower resale value of the truck.
Click to expand...


:iagree: Annoyed, in your avatar, "Peoples Republic Of NY" :lmao: :lmao:
 
This is EXACTLY the #1 thing wrong with Ruffian the day I went to pick her up. Only I did remember to check out the system. I refused to leave with the vehicle until someone had given me concrete evidence that they would cover the fix. I sat in the "war room" for over 4 hours before my patience ran out and I really started making alot of noise. Those city boys learned not to piss off a country girl! Esp. one who knows how to operate vehicles. Anyway, Ruffian's actuator AND the 4Lo gear box was bad. The previous owners just NEVER put it into 4Lo, so everything was all gummed up. That cost the dealership almost $3,000 in parts and labor. Took them 4 days to fix it, and that was 4 days of a free rental for me. Yeah, I still don't like being in Camrys. So add that on top of them not telling me Ruffian had X-REAS too boot, I figure the good guy finally got one on a dealership. Oh, and as thanks for their lack of knowledge not only will I never go back to buy a car from them, Ruffian will never set tire in their shop EVER again, nor is anyone ever getting a reference out of me. Actually the only good report I had was on the shop manager. He was the only one honest 100% honest with me. Sales were a bunch of snakes.
I agree with the previous poster. Get them to fix it, and if not, return it. Why did you get a 4x4 if you're never going to use it?
 
Lemon Law?

Can you return a used car under the lemon laws? I thought that was only for new cars. And you appear to have a dreaded transfer case actuator issue - 1K+ for the part, and at least the same for labor. I replaced mine because of a leak between the transfer case actuator and the transfer case - no o-ring, just a built in seal in the actuator, so you have to replace the whole part. Pitiful design engineering...
 
Also

In Ruffian's case, the most likely culprit was the actuator box - the gears won't gum up if there is enough oil in the t case to keep 4Hi running - both sets of gears are in the same box...so unlike a part time system, it doesn't require using 4Lo to keep it in shape. Sounds more like there was a lack of oil that contributed to the problem, typical of the fairly common actuator box issues on the V8 full time 4WD's.
 
Re: Also

4RunnerV8 said:
In Ruffian's case, the most likely culprit was the actuator box - the gears won't gum up if there is enough oil in the t case to keep 4Hi running - both sets of gears are in the same box...so unlike a part time system, it doesn't require using 4Lo to keep it in shape. Sounds more like there was a lack of oil that contributed to the problem, typical of the fairly common actuator box issues on the V8 full time 4WD's.
Click to expand...

Ok, I need to figure out where the T case is located to keep an eye on that. I think I know where it is, just don't ask me to tell you as I'm not sure.
As much as I love the V8, I have this feeling that the AWD is not worth the wear and tear. I think I'd still prefer to have the V8 AND the option of when it's in 4 Hi.
If by the time I'm ready for my next 4Runner and Toyota hasn't changed this, I may be switching back to a Tacoma.
Now onto my issue of weaping CV joints....she's at the shop right now getting those repaired/replaced. Yeah under warranty!
 
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