Stuck in 4HI!!!

[Dark Lord]

Please don't flame me, but I've searched and read a lot of threads on here and Yotatech about 99+ getting stuck in 4WD/AWD mode. I was out on the beach today, and put it in 4HI to get through some soft sand. Had no problem engaging and disengaging. Then when I drove back, when I went to disengage when I hit hard sand, the 4WD lights started blinking, and now my 4runner is stuck in 4HI. I ended up driving an hour back to the house on the highway going 55mph in 4HI trying to be as careful as I could.

Things I've tried to fix:

-Forward/reverse combination of switching from 4HI to 2WD
-Figure 8's combination of switching from 4HI to 2WD without trying to bind it up too bad

This is a huge deal for me right now because I'm currently in Texas, and live in Indiana. I'm driving back 17 hours to Indiana in this truck on Saturday, so I need to get this baby back into 2WD by then. Hell even if it were stuck in AWD I really wouldn't care, just not 4freakingHI!!! Any help or ideas will be GREATLY appreciated!!!

NOTE: It is a 2000 4runner Limited. When I'm talking about 4HI I mean pulling the lever out of 2WD and into 4HI, not pushing the 4WD button.

UPDATE!!!

Well, I figured it out before I left Texas. I officially drove back to Indiana in 2WD. I searched around for a couple of hours reading through some threads on T4R and Yotatech. Finally, I stumbled upon this random post on someone's thread where this guy stated that he had this issue for 6 or 7 years. All he did was jack up the rear and front ends, then attempted to shift out of 4HI. I couldn't get it to unlock with the rear jacked up, but it did work with the front jacked up. Pretty easy stuff. I guess this was the miracle post I was looking fo

 

[sprchrgd_4x4runner]

4hi is AWD check your vaccum lines

 

[HiluxHunter]

Without knowing what transfer case you have, from the sounds of your post you have AWD therefore you have the center locking diff button on the dash or your center diff lock engages when you pull the 4wd lever into 4hi. If this is the case your best option is to check your vacuum lines for your ADD system. (automatic differentiation disconnect). If you do a search on here regarding ADD 4wd I am sure you will be able to find some great info.

Just a thought... (and anyone on here who know more about the system feel free to correct me) if you push your 4wd lever into 2wd your center diff might still be unlocked even if your ADD system is not working and causing dash lights to flash. That would leave you in AWD and should be ok anyways.

 

[Stockwell45]

If you can't figure it out immediately, get under there and pull the front drive shaft, then figure it out later once your home.

 

[Dark Lord]

I definitely don't think the truck is in AWD. I think it is stuck in 4HI because when I was attemtping to do figure 8's in a parking lot, it was binding real bad, and I could barely even accelerate with my wheels turned. I've had the truck in AWD before, and it was nothing like that. I didn't even use AWD mode at all today anyways. I don't understand how it could get stuck in 4HI if I move the lever back forward. I don't see why Toyota would use electronics to engage mechanical things.

 

[3rd gen king]

I'd be happy with being stuck in 4wd.... I'm stuck in 2wd FOREVER! /,:

 

[tbst]

I'd be happy with being stuck in 4wd.... I'm stuck in 2wd FOREVER! /,:

Yes a problem you will never experience.

Stockwell was right. Pull the drive shaft worse case scenario.

 

[BrianSD_42]

If you can't figure it out immediately, get under there and pull the front drive shaft, then figure it out later once your home.

Just make sure you mark / notch it.

 

[Dark Lord]

I guess worse case scenario I could pull the front drive shaft. Good idea. I was just hoping someone would eventually chime in with some sort of miracle fix like, "Yeah, just get under there and tap on this spot with a rubber mallet, should fix it."

 

[Dark Lord]

Well, I figured it out before I left Texas. I officially drove back to Indiana in 2WD. I searched around for a couple of hours reading through some threads on T4R and Yotatech. Finally, I stumbled upon this random post on someone's thread where this guy stated that he had this issue for 6 or 7 years. All he did was jack up the rear and front ends, then attempted to shift out of 4HI. I couldn't get it to unlock with the rear jacked up, but it did work with the front jacked up. Pretty easy stuff. I guess this was the miracle post I was looking for!