Help! 2001 tacoma 4X4 will not engage front end

I just pulled my truck down a steep grass hill to the lake to winterized my boat. Got ready to leave, put the truck in 4 low and I'm still in 2 wheel drive, rear spins, nothing from the front. Will hubs engage in reverse? . I know the 4x4 works, or at lest I thought it did. Now I'm stuck at water edger and cannot back up. Damn!

 

Might have to bump it. Otherwise is start at obvious places like vacuum lines. Relays/fuses for 4wd ecu

 

Hubs are locked in either direction. The Tacoma uses an ADD system, not auto-hubs. (which I despise now) There has been a thread I saw before talking about the motor for the ADD having loose internal connections causing a lack of engagement in the front. Others have had issues with Vacuum lines.

 

Thanks, by the way, manual 5 speed

 

Just got pulled out, time to start searching for the "why"

 

Check what we said. Has it ever worked?

if so, it should be something easy.

start with obvious. Fuses and relays under hood and dash.

Then check for vacuum leaks. The diffs unless you converted were all vacuum actuated that year.

do you have a front driveshaft? (they do yet stolen....)

Transfer case in good shape? Fluids full/healthy? Sensors not broken/wires? Same goes for diff. Less the sensors.

Finally, is the lever in the right location? ALL the way engaged?

Hope this helps!

 

Thanks everyone !!

I drove home after getting pulled out and put the feller in 4low to go up a hill on my property and it worked…dang. I did notice the 4X4 indicator on the dash was lit up, it was not when I was stuck. Now I'll be forever wondering if its gonna let me down when I need it the most.

 

just cause the T case goes into low range doesn't mean your front diff is working now.

The actuator on your tacoma to engage the front diff is electronic. They do fail. Earlier tacomas where vacuum run. you need to either get in a bad hill climb or other sticky situation so you can for sure see the fronts turning or get the truck on a double post lift or jack stands and get all 4 wheels off the ground to make sure the actuator isn't dead.

hopefully it isn't as they are kinda pricey.

 

Thanks Blackdawg,

The front end was engaged when I went up the hill that I cannot go up in 2WD. It just started working. When i was stuck down at the waters edge I never saw the 4X4 picture light up on my dash but I did when I got home.
Thanks again for all the help.


Happy Thanksgiving!

 

I have a 98 4x4 that has the same problem. Every once in awhile when I try to engage the 4x4 system I hear nothing but a clicking coming from the front right, probably in the dash. I am assuming this is a relay problem. I just need to tear into it to find out for sure... Did you fix the problem?

 

I have not had a chance to look although I have used 4X4 a few times since and it works fine.