Normal AWD/4wd procedure?

[Qyota]

Be gentle on me, this is my first awd/4wd vehicle!

If I'm driving along (or stopped, in gear), and I press the "4WD" switch on the t-case shifter, the lights on the dash blink with green tires and an orange center dot. I hear things moving below me, but the dash continues to blink, until I take my foot off the gas for a second (disengaging the drivetrain momentarily), then the lights stay solid green (and center dot turns off). At that moment, there is one more "click" I hear. I assume then that I'm in AWD.

Question is, is it supposed to require this slight release of the throttle in order to engage? Is there something wrong? If so, I'd like to take care of it while I still have warranty (3 months/3,000 miles).

Thanks very much.

 

[KellyJ]

What you described is normal. I go through that procedure in my 2002 as well.

To engage 4WD, I will gather some speed on a straight road (anywhere between 15-30 MPH is my comfort zone, although it can be shifted into AWD at speeds up to 62 MPH) , hit the button, let off the gas and coast. The system lights will usually blink for a couple of seconds, then will stay lit.

To disengage, I will drop my speed to the same 15-30 MPH range, hit the button, and again let off the gas. If I'm on the gas, 90% of the time it won't disengage. So I just lift my foot of the gas for a second and I'm back in 2WD. Hope this helps

 

[maine runner]

The process is normal.

Depending on where the gears are lined up, it can be a quick "clunk and click" to engage. On occasion, it may take longer. Stepping on the brake or gas, or shifting can help it, sometimes. It is not required. If you drive, eventually, it will engage.

When you select the button on the shifter, you are going into "AWD" with the center differential (orange dot in the middle) open.

Have you read the thread titled "99 AWD"?

 

[KellyJ]

The process is normal.

Depending on where the gears are lined up, it can be a quick "clunk and click" to engage. On occasion, it may take longer. Stepping on the brake or gas, or shifting can help it, sometimes. It is not required. If you drive, eventually, it will engage.

When you select the button on the shifter, you are going into "AWD" with the center differential (orange dot in the middle) open.

Have you read the thread titled "99 AWD"?

I wonder if he has the rear locker?

 

[4runner32]

Read this---


http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?threadid=12&highlight=Disable+VSC/TRAC

 

[p nut]

The rear locker does not affect the engagement of the 4WD system. The center blinking orange dot is for the center differential lock, which if he pulls down on the lever (H4L) the orange dot should come on and stay lit.

I sometimes have to drive forward a bit if I'm stopped to get the 4WD to engage. Nothing out of the ordinary. Even the manual states this.

Kelly J

 

[KellyJ]

The rear locker does not affect the engagement of the 4WD system. The center blinking orange dot is for the center differential lock, which if he pulls down on the lever (H4L) the orange dot should come on and stay lit.

I sometimes have to drive forward a bit if I'm stopped to get the 4WD to engage. Nothing out of the ordinary. Even the manual states this.

Kelly J

 

[Qyota]

I think there are 2 lockers...if pulling the t-case shifter back into 4H-L locks the center diff. Because I have the switch on the left side of my dash for the rear diff.

Thanks everyone!

 

[p nut]

So 99-00 4Runners can have two lockers from the factory then?

And regarding speed while having 4WD engaged, I don't mind slowing a bit to engage 4WD. Can't hurt right? Also I can't really think of a specific situation in which someone would have to shift to 4WD/AWD at 60+ MPH, but it is nice to at least have that feature. I have no problem hitting the limiter in 4WD, but every time I engage it, I'm always at low speeds

Well, the CDL (center diff lock) isn't a locker, per se. Real lockers are much stronger and placed in the front/rear diffs instead of the center diff. But to answer your question, 99-00 Limiteds can have a center diff locker (all have them) and a rear locker (some have them).

 

[4runner32]

alright guys latley somthin has been pi@@in me off l......whenever i put it on 4 wheel unlocked.. i come to a complet stop or i come to a light at a intercestion to turn left or right.. the vsc and trac will come on and it seems like i lose all my power.. i mean i will be moving but not as fast as i should be from prssing down on my gas....im really nervouse about this gettting me into a accident..

i have posted this promblem before and people have said that it is normal..but it cant it is not safe at all..even when i have put the 4wheel drive on unlocked on DRY pavement i will come to a stop sign or a light at a intersection and the lights will come on even though the pavement is DRY as can be..

so since no lights have come on telling me that there is somthing wrong with my AWD system..Could there be somthing wrong? i really want to get to this promblem its not safe. i dont want to loose my car in a accident over somthing like this

 

[Stick Figure]

alright guys latley somthin has been pi@@in me off l......whenever i put it on 4 wheel unlocked.. i come to a complet stop or i come to a light at a intercestion to turn left or right.. the vsc and trac will come on and it seems like i lose all my power.. i mean i will be moving but not as fast as i should be from prssing down on my gas....im really nervouse about this gettting me into a accident..

i have posted this promblem before and people have said that it is normal..but it cant it is not safe at all..even when i have put the 4wheel drive on unlocked on DRY pavement i will come to a stop sign or a light at a intersection and the lights will come on even though the pavement is DRY as can be..

so since no lights have come on telling me that there is somthing wrong with my AWD system..Could there be somthing wrong? i really want to get to this promblem its not safe. i dont want to loose my car in a accident over somthing like this

The computer is sensing something slipping, drives me nuts on my IS, luckily that has a button to turn off the traction control. The traction control compares vehicle speed signals between the wheels. You could have a problem w/ a wheel speed sensor giving a false signal and cause the computer think a wheel is slipping.

 

[Rock Slide]

alright guys latley somthin has been pi@@in me off l......whenever i put it on 4 wheel unlocked.. i come to a complet stop or i come to a light at a intercestion to turn left or right.. the vsc and trac will come on and it seems like i lose all my power.. i mean i will be moving but not as fast as i should be from prssing down on my gas....im really nervouse about this gettting me into a accident..

i have posted this promblem before and people have said that it is normal..but it cant it is not safe at all..even when i have put the 4wheel drive on unlocked on DRY pavement i will come to a stop sign or a light at a intersection and the lights will come on even though the pavement is DRY as can be..

so since no lights have come on telling me that there is somthing wrong with my AWD system..Could there be somthing wrong? i really want to get to this promblem its not safe. i dont want to loose my car in a accident over somthing like this

There's nothing wrong with your vehicle...This IS normal with '01 - '02 4Runners. It is however the downside of having vsc/trac equipped 3rd gens.

I've experienced this problem your describing quite often before too. Pisses me off to no end. In dry conditions, trying to turn at an intersection, the vehicle begins to creep thru and you're just praying the oncoming traffic doesn't kill you.

IMO, it's simply a design flaw in the system. Toyota created it too overly sensative. It will detect the very slightest amount of wheel spin...small enough that even you or I cannot detect it.

If you plan to drive around town with in 4wd unlocked mode, consider doing the "andy mod". It's a mod that allows you to turn off vsc/trac/abs all at once with the flip of a switch. With the switch engaged, you can drive around town in 4wd unlocked with zero issues from vsc/trac. I've done it to my '02 and love it. (Only downside is, in order to bring vsc/trac/abs back online, you'll have to turn off the vehicle and then restart it. It allows the systems to reset and come back online. Turning the switch itself off will not bring the systems back online.)

Link to the Andy Mod: Click Me

Otherwise, if you don't want to do the andy mod, BE CAREFUL driving around town in 4wd unlocked. I'm sure you'll experience the issue you're describing again quite often.

 

[4runner32]

There's nothing wrong with your vehicle...This IS normal with '01 - '02 4Runners. It is however the downside of having vsc/trac equipped 3rd gens.

I've experienced this problem your describing quite often before too. Pisses me off to no end. In dry conditions, trying to turn at an intersection, the vehicle begins to creep thru and you're just praying the oncoming traffic doesn't kill you.

IMO, it's simply a design flaw in the system. Toyota created it too overly sensative. It will detect the very slightest amount of wheel spin...small enough that even you or I cannot detect it.

If you plan to drive around town with in 4wd unlocked mode, consider doing the "andy mod". It's a mod that allows you to turn off vsc/trac/abs all at once with the flip of a switch. With the switch engaged, you can drive around town in 4wd unlocked with zero issues from vsc/trac. I've done it to my '02 and love it. (Only downside is, in order to bring vsc/trac/abs back online, you'll have to turn off the vehicle and then restart it. It allows the systems to reset and come back online. Turning the switch itself off will not bring the systems back online.)

Link to the Andy Mod: Click Me

Otherwise, if you don't want to do the andy mod, BE CAREFUL driving around town in 4wd unlocked. I'm sure you'll experience the issue you're describing again quite often.

hmm i have no experience with electrical work on a car... i would try this mod but i dont want to ruin anything...would a shop no how to do this?...or anyone from the cleveland area would like to help me to do this mod and ill pay them...

 

[Rock Slide]

hmm i have no experience with electrical work on a car... i would try this mod but i dont want to ruin anything...would a shop no how to do this?...or anyone from the cleveland area would like to help me to do this mod and ill pay them...

Trust me, it's really hard to screw this mod up...but if you don't feel safe doing it yourself, have a friend do it for you. Sure, an audio shop would know how to do this (and they'd have the tools to do it), but I doubt they'd do it due to liability reasons.

Yes, installing a switch is the best route to take when doing this mod...however if you'd rather, you can can just unplug the pressure sensor connector to disable trac/vsc/abs. I tend to refer to this method as the "poor man's" version of the andymod . Installing the switch just saves you time from having to hop out and back in the vehicle every time you want to disengage and reengage vsc/trac/abs. But just unplugging the connector achieves the same goal. Just remember to plug the connector back in when you want to reactivate your vsc/trac/abs.

 

[4runner32]

ok thanks Rockslide ur helping me out alot....just a quick question...when i put the 4 wheel on and lock the center diff..what lights should come on? when i do it the vsc light comes on thats it...is this correct?

 

[Rock Slide]

ok thanks Rockslide ur helping me out alot....just a quick question...when i put the 4 wheel on and lock the center diff..what lights should come on? when i do it the vsc light comes on thats it...is this correct?

No problem.

You are correct. When you you depress the 4wd button, then depress the Center Diff Lock button, the "VSC OFF" light should appear on your dash. Also, when you depress the center diff lock button, an orange dot should begin to blink in the middle of the 4 green lights on your dash letting you know your center diff has just been activated. Once the center diff is locked, the orange dot will quit blinking and remain lit. This orange dot and 4 green light representation is displayed in between your tach and speedo at the top.

 

[Qyota]

Well, today I was traveling at about 50mph when i attempted to engage the AWD (via the button on the shifter). The lights on the dash blinked (as usual), but nothing happened. I let off the gas, and still nothing happened. I did this a few more times, and it still didn't engage. Then I slowed to about 15mph to enter a side-street, and then it clicked into AWD.

I'm thinking there's something wrong here.

Later in the morning I tried the switch before taking it out of park, and it engaged right away...no blinking.

Maybe I'm being too sensitive about this?