Seized into 4W low. New actuator needed? Who's at fault?

[JB.]

I can say that when we initially got in the car to leave the dealership, the diff indicator was on (which it had not been when we got out of the car). The woman says she did not push it on. Later it was reported from service that the diff indicator on the dash was randomly flashing off and on at will. Any thoughts on that?

I'm coming at this from a simple perspective.

(1) The low range actuators can get sticky from non-use, but an actuator that will go into low range is unlikely to be unable to disengage.

(2) On the center diff lock, however, a well known symptom of a bound transfer case is one that is hard to disengage.

Number one suggests rare bad luck but no dealer liability. Number two suggests a clueless test driver.

 

[scottm]

Nothing to add about who is liable since everyone is correct in that it is the dealership. To get it to disengage they could put the 4runner on blocks and run it in forward and reverse a few times to take any tension off the drive train and then try shifting in and out a few times to see if it will disengage if they have not already tried this.

Usually one wheel is raised and turned by hand (not by engine) to try to unbind a drive system and allow diffs to unlock. Make sure no fuses are blown.

 

[Gatafly]

Usually one wheel is raised and turned by hand (not by engine) to try to unbind a drive system and allow diffs to unlock. Make sure no fuses are blown.

My thought is to take all tension off the entire drivetrain.

 

[scottm]

My thought is to take all tension off the entire drivetrain.

One wheel should do it unless he added locking axle diffs. There should be a fuse for the center diff lock, on my Land Cruisers it is labelled "DIFF". Pulling that fuse used to keep the center diff locked the way yours is, came in handy when I broke a driveshaft or sheared a hub drive plate. I'm 3500 miles from my 4R, can't check for you.

 

[08t4rUR]

Has anyone ever tried heat to unstick the actuator? You could use a heat gun and get the actuator to about 200 degress and that might allow it to move...