How to use 4wd in 01 Limited?

Hey guys,

Got my new truck today wooo!!

A 2001 Tacoma Double Cab Limited.



Also found out I have no idea how to use 4wd, and there was NO MANUAL in the truck.

My options are: 4L - N - H. There is a 4wd button on the side of the 4wd shifter. There is also a locking rear diff and ECL.

My questiona are these:

Can you provide the step by step procedure to engage 4wd and the rear diff?

I understand that the rear diff locks the rear axle so the rear tires spin at the same rate.

What do 4L (4wd lo speed i'm assuming), H, and ECL mean?

What does ECL do?

Thanks!

 

what is it?

 

How did you miss this?: "...and there was no manual in the truck."

 

2001 tacoma double cab limited

I edited the orig post, sorry bout that.

 

I had a 2001 4WD Off Road TRD Tacoma... great truck, never broke down in 136,000 miles!

The transfer case shifter is the lever next to the standard tranny shifter. A transfer case is what puts the drive to the front (and rear) tires... it is located right behind the transmission.

The choices are to push the button to go into H4 (4WD high range... same gearing as you have in 2WD, normal speeds). Then to go into L4 (4WD Low Range) you move the lever into that position while STOPPED, in NEUTRAL (or clutch fully pushed in if manual tranny).

Low range is low gears for max. power, and slow speed... Use this for steep grades, off road, deep mud, and any situation where you need the most power... Max. speed in high gear will be 30-40 mph... You would usually never go close to that in low range.

High Range is shift on-the-fly, while moving (up to 60 mph), or still... a few feet of movement may be needed to engage or disengage the 4WD. Light goes from blinking to solid when engaged. Do not use 4WD on DRY PAVEMENT as the front and rear drive shafts are locked together, and when turning, they need to move at different rates. Use for wet, icy, snowy roads, low traction conditions, and deep sand (lowering tire air pressure may also be needed for sand).

The RR Locker (Rear Locker) works ONLY in Low Range... light goes from blinking to solid when locked. This is for climbing or really poor traction or uneven surfaces where one tire may be off the ground... with the rear locked, the other tire will continue to work at moving you. Without the rear locker, one tire off the ground will just spin and the other will do nothing (open differential). Having 4WD will at least give you one or two tires in front pulling you. An aftermarket front locker can be added to give you true 4 wheel drive... or the newer Tacomas have A-TRAC to provide full traction.

 

Ok should I be driving around in N or H? Currently there is no light on (the little green frame with 4 wheels and the front wheels are turned).

If i'm cruising along in the winter and I hit some snow, I can just push the 4wd button the side and then I would be in 4high? Or do I shift the into H then press 4wd button?

 

Ok the "N" stands for neutral, you don't want that keep it in "H" for high

this is normal driving mode & yes you can push the button on the fly (while driving) to engage from 2w to 4w.

 

Umm... you can push the button while still/ stopped... it may not click in until you move a bit. There should be two shifters (levers)... one for normal driving and a second that looks like a joy stick or emergency brake with a button on the side of it... There should be TWO HIGH positions... H2 and H4, you are only mentioning one...? Normal driving is H2... Canadian winters will be H4 or maybe L4!!! Button unclicked is 2WD Hi and Button clicked is 4WD Hi. Lever pulled is 4WD Low... while stopped, in Neutral on your regular tranny.

 

Umm but I don't have a button just lever for transfer

Whats going on old man !!

 

On my 2001 TRD O/R Automatic... there was the joy stick lever next to the tranny shifter, and a button on it, thumb activated. Push button for H4 and pull lever for L4.

 

To shift into 4wd all you do is press the 4wd button. The fastest you can go and shift from 2hi to 4hi is around 60mph. if you're going too fast, it'll buzz at you.

To engage the locker you have to go to 4Lo unless you do the grey wire (search for it)

You can go from 2Hi to 4Lo with just shifting the tcase up--it's designed to shift into 4WD whenever the tcase is shifted into low range (this can be changed tho, gaining you 2Lo)

Shift the tcase when stopped. Engage the diff lock when moving under 5mph.

The diff locks only when the axle shafts line up. If they arent aligned and you're just going straight the axle wont lock. If thats the case, just turn the steering wheels back and forth slightly so one tire spins faster than the other.

 

Um... here is the owners manual for $6.99: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2001...80346960178QQptZMotorsQ5fManualsQ5fLiterature

 

There were two types of shifters. Push button and JShift.

Pushbutton was a straight line, H up to N up to L4

J shift is 2H, then shift the lever down and right (i think) to 4H, then up to N then up to L4.

 

That's because you have an old ass truck. Get with the program...

Starting with the '01s (I think), we got a cool little button on the lever. So we Elite guys only have to press it to get into 4Hi.

 

OK!

Thanks so much guys, I believe I understand the system now. Like I said, I received the truck TODAY and there was no manual. I am definitely going to purchase a manual ( I was always going to). I just wanted this question answered quicker than ordering a manual from ebay and waiting 2 weeks or a month to get it.

Rep all around, thanks again guys, TW comes through again..stay tuned for my next noob question, whenever that comes

 

Have u tried flipping down ur drivers side visor...You should find a little card in there that explains how to use 4WD...

 

I don't have the button either and glad of it,button means solenoid>means failure.

 

I didn't know there was a change between the '01 (button for H4) and '04?

 

What method do you use on your '04 to shift into 4 wheel drive, high range?

 

of course he has the button...he just doesn't know it