Tried to engage AWD in snow...indicator still blinking...

LINY4Runner

LINY4Runner

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Wondering if anyone has experienced this...my 4WD has been working perfectly, been wheeling quite a few times since installing the front diff.
Last week we got a little snow, so I clicked the 4HI (AWD for us MultiMode guys) and it's been blinking ever since.
Now it feels like the transfer case is turning the front driveshaft, because I feel it in the driver's front wheel. The truck will pull passenger when on the gas and pull driver when coasting, leading me to believe the ADD front actuator isn't locking the passenger wheel to the drivers.
I figured I'd try it again when it got [slightly] above freezing- but to no avail.
Has anyone had this problem and what have you done to fix it?
 
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you know mine was doing that coming off the mountain the other day. It would not turn off, or turn on it just kept blinking. It was probably about 1 degree outside so im thinking the temp may have something to do with this?
I tried putting in reverse, turning the truck off etc,

what finally worked for me is when i got to the bottom of the mountain i parked it and put in Neutral and then shifted from 4hi to 4lo (not going anywhere) and then back to 4 hi and it finally shut off.
 
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pull the ADD actuator off the diff housing and make sure it will move freely when you apply some vacuum to it. if that all checks out, check that one vacuum line is pulling air in 2wd and that it switches to the other one when you put it in 4wd. if they don't switch, replace your VSV.

thats all for the non multi mode setup. i don't if or how much different the multi mode setup is.

:cheers:
 
GottaBeTRD said:
you know mine was doing that coming off the mountain the other day. It would not turn off, or turn on it just kept blinking. It was probably about 1 degree outside so im thinking the temp may have something to do with this?
I tried putting in reverse, turning the truck off etc,

what finally worked for me is when i got to the bottom of the mountain i parked it and put in Neutral and then shifted from 4hi to 4lo (not going anywhere) and then back to 4 hi and it finally shut off.
Click to expand...

tried this a few times, I'll keep on it

steezemcqueen said:
pull the ADD actuator off the diff housing and make sure it will move freely when you apply some vacuum to it. if that all checks out, check that one vacuum line is pulling air in 2wd and that it switches to the other one when you put it in 4wd. if they don't switch, replace your VSV.

thats all for the non multi mode setup. i don't if or how much different the multi mode setup is.

:cheers:
Click to expand...

no vacuum on AWD trucks...all electronic...too freakin cold to climb under there now...hoping it does like my Fiero and fixes itself...lol
 
I have this problem all the time, pisses me off so much. Actually, this last weekend when I hit the slopes was the first time in a long time that it worked perfectly for me right away, in both engaging and disengaging (both were at around 15-20mph). I usually have the problems when I stop before trying to activate 4wd. I tried a few other times this past week, and every time I engaged it while moving, it worked.

If it starts blinking on me, I usually just turn the truck off for a few minutes, or try shifting the transfer case like GottaBeTRD mentioned.

Be sure to update us if you find anything. I hope its nothing too serious though.
 
well the truck's been on and off a few times, it's been doing this just about a week now...I'm gonna have to get it up in the air and inspect some things
 
LINY4Runner said:
well the truck's been on and off a few times, it's been doing this just about a week now...I'm gonna have to get it up in the air and inspect some things
Click to expand...

watching this thread, my multi-mode does this as well, on demand isn;t on demand, it's when the truck feels like it....:lightsaber:
 
I would try engaging / disengageing it a couple of times, while alternating betwen forward and reverse. Sometimes those finky actuators will let go when you put them in reverse.

If not, standard stuff, like driving figure 8s.

Then you can pull the actuator off... :)
 
I was going to say, you work for Toyota right? Throw it up in the air and go through the inspection procedures on TIS and see what ya find and let us know :wink2:
 
Victor said:
I was going to say, you work for Toyota right? Throw it up in the air and go through the inspection procedures on TIS and see what ya find and let us know :wink2:
Click to expand...

I no longer work for Toyota, but I still have friends with access to TIS...that's my next step...


Okay so an update after running the truck on the lift...here's where I stand

Front Driveshaft is powered, driving the driver's front wheel (LSD). Front ADD actuator is not engaging the passenger wheel. 4LO and Center Diff Lock make no difference. Even if I unclick the 4WD button, the front driveshaft is still powered, and drivers front wheel still spins.

Does anyone actually know how this system operates?

Here's what I think: I feel like the transfer case locked as it was supposed to, and the light continued blinking- pending communication and comfirmation with the front ADD actuator. The front ADD actuator has not engaged, therefore it has not relayed the information to the ECU and set the light solid. I think the ECU will not disengage the transfer case until it has heard word back from the front actuator.
Does anyone know if this is correct? It's like the whole system is waiting to hear back from the front diff, who is not answering his phone at the moment.
If this is the way the system operates, could I power the lead on the front diff that tells the ECU it's locked, then unlocked so that it allows the transfer case to unlock?

My next step would be to remove the front actuator and see if it operates as designed, then if it operates with direct manipulation, correct?

I'm starting to think this may be an ECU issue...that's a $1200 ECU... :sobbing:
 
LINY4Runner said:
Wondering if anyone has experienced this...my 4WD has been working perfectly, been wheeling quite a few times since installing the front diff.
Last week we got a little snow, so I clicked the 4HI (AWD for us MultiMode guys) and it's been blinking ever since.
Now it feels like the transfer case is turning the front driveshaft, because I feel it in the driver's front wheel. The truck will pull passenger when on the gas and pull driver when coasting, leading me to believe the ADD front actuator isn't locking the passenger wheel to the drivers.
I figured I'd try it again when it got [slightly] above freezing- but to no avail.
Has anyone had this problem and what have you done to fix it?
Click to expand...

I had a similar problem when I bought by 2000 Limited used. It plagued me for a year, the AWD would sometimes engage and sometimes would blink at me for miles. the front wheels were engaged but I could tell the diff was locked when i turned. On slick surfaces it was less of a problem and a speed bump would often get it to work and the light would stop blinking.

The problem..... the front and rear tires were different manufactures and were almost an inch difference in diameter ! A new set of 4 tires fixed the problem.

Hope that helps.
 
What ever happened here LINY?

I just spent several grand regearing and putting a Tru-trac LSD in my front diff, I get it back together and it goes right back to doing the same thing in 4wd.

Before I did any work, driving in 2 was fine. I pulled over, put it in neutral and shifted into 4wheel drive. as soon as I started moving the 4runner would pull to the driver side HARD. I would have to hold the steering wheel at 90 degrees to keep going straight. and the further I went the stronger it got. Finally I switched out of 4hi and back to 2hi and everything was fine.

I knew that my diff was shot, so I replaced my spider and ring and pinion gears in the Front diff with 5.29 and regeared the back also.

I get it back together today, go to a straight road and pull over, switch to 4Hi and sure enough, it starts pulling immediately to the driver side. I didnt make it 200 feet before I had to switch out of 4wheel.

when I got home, I jacked up the front of the 4runner, spun the driver side wheel... passenger doesn't move...
spun the passenger wheel,, driver doesn't move.

The vaccuum lines are hooked up to the right sides, as this is acting the same as it did before anything went wrong. obviously, the ADD is trying to switch to 4wheel, But maybe there is something wrong with the collar or something not fully catching...

any advice?
 
I've been dealing with this problem for almost a year and haven't been able to figure anything out. Would love to see if anyone has figured anything out on how to fix the flashing lights.
 
I chatted with LINY on facebook this am. he says it was a bad actuator, he bought a new one from toyota, 280$...

luckily, you dont have to pull the diff to replace the actuator.
 
That is my thread over there on YotaTech. I'd almost bet money that it is probably one of the transfer switches causing it to partially lockup into 4wd mode.

Take the one sensor/switch out of the front diff and test it. If it tests fine with no failures with a few tests, then move on to the transfer case and test each one in the same manner.

If you have one sensor that doesn't give you a continutity beep for an Ohms check each and every time, then you might be able to clean it or just replace it with a new one.
 
puppetz007 said:
Any idea how difficult the actuator is to swap?
Click to expand...

from what I was told by a few people, disco the 4 bottom LBJ bolts, pull the axle, and there are 4 bolts holding the actuator onto the front diff..

Ill let you know, im probably pulling mine tomorrow afternoon. (err this afternoon)
 
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