2013 weird noise and feeling in 4WD

Last night put my yota in 4WD the first time was awesome but it made a weird popping sound and had a bumpy feeling it the brake pedal when I was trying to get out of a huge soft spot I stumbled across.... Any suggestions on what that might be? Thanks

 

Was it a thunk right when you engaged it? or was it a continuous thing as you were in 4wd?

 

It was continuous noise and feeling. It would only do it when I would change gears and or give it more rpm. It felt like tapping on the break petal and popping sound. As Soon as it went back down to lower rpm after getting out of the hole it was fine again. Seemed worse with traction control on, but would do it a little less when it was off.

 

Sounds like the traction control they work by breaking the slipping wheel al part of the ABS.

 

Still did it with it off I'm hoping it was just the truck breaking in

 

A-Trac perhaps was engaged?

 

Idk for sure I'm just hoping its all ok

 

Anyway to test it to make sure it's good to go?

 

Not to be a D, but are you sure you had the traction control all the way off? Put it in park and held the button down for a few seconds? Sounds like it was still on to me. If you just push the button it doesnt turn all the way off.

 

Did you just press the button once to turn off traction control, or did you hold it down till it says TRAC OFF and shows the truck with the squiggly lines behind it? If you just press the button slightly it shows on dash LSD off, but if you hold it down for a second, the dash shows TRAC OFF.
To me it sounds like some type of traction assist is still on, trying to stop the wheel that's not getting traction. Did you have the ATRAC button pushed? Were you in four high or four low?
Like what he said^^^

 

1) Going into or out of 4WD, while moving, there is a 'thunk' noise and feel (sometimes) and that is normal. Do so only off road or on slippery roads. 4WD on dry pavement will be stressful if you turn, specially sharply or slowly, like parking. 4WD is for extra traction where 2WD won't take you... use it wisely. However, using it will get you used to how it works and keeps the parts 'lubed-up'... so use 4WD a little or a lot, every month.

2) The traction controls (TRAC/AUTO LSD) only work if you get into a rougher situation where one tire wants to spin while the other on the same axle is on solid ground. traction control is a limited slip system that will apply brake pressure to the spinning tire so that power will be shared with the traction tire, so you can move ahead. There is a beep-beep-beep and light activates when you begin to spin out and the VSC/TRAC activates to correct the slide. You can get further off road with traction control than without. To see how soon you can get stuck without traction control, stop the truck and press down and hold in for a few seconds the VSC OFF button.

The above is for 2WD and 4WD-HIGH... In 4WD LOW, there is no traction control unless you have the Off Road TRD, and that comes with A-TRAC (works only in L4) that can be turned on or off with a button push. Pushed, when in L4, and your Tacoma will be the most capable factory stock truck around as A-TRAC is on a level much higher than TRAC/AUTO LSD is controlling wheel spin. If one (or more) tires leave the ground or get into a slipping surface... with just one tire on a solid surface, A-TRAC will pull the truck ahead... A-TRAC matches tire rotation across the axle (in the manner of a locking differential) except it is using the brakes and sensors that free up the wheels locked once out of danger, so steering isn't affected. A-TRAC works on all 4 wheels.

Finally, there is a rear differential locker if all else fails (and Toyota is clear it is for emergency stuck situations)... or you just are comfortable off roading with the rear locked (I do find it works well in snow and when pulling others out of their stuck)... and I have used it with A-TRAC so the two front tires have equal traction if there is a bad spot that stops the truck or almost (<3mph).

The short version is that A-TRAC does make some weird loud noises, and if you read your owners manual, you will see that is NORMAL!

 

Thanks for all the help everyone! First tacoma and just trying to learn the ins and outs! Thanks again!

 

Always feel free to ask... we love our Tacomas, and while we may fight over what is better, we all agree it is one great truck... I am on my third, and converted its lease to a purchase... so maybe my last Tacoma!?

 

Very similar situiation to OP, but in my case it is while in 2WD on a manual 4WD TRD off-road rig. When going around a corner on icy roads and giving it some gas, tires begin to spin but it makes a grinding/clunking noise and the truck jars around. The VSC/traction indicator comes on, but I didn't know if this is normal/if there is a way to disable the feature?