Unless I'm an idiot, got a warranty issue already

Less than 300 miles and the locker won't engage.

So I go out to a deserted country dirt road to make sure the various 4x4 features work. So I switch to 4hi at about 15mph. Good to go. Stop truck and put shifter into neutral, switch to 4lo. Put shifter into drive, good to go. Stop truck, press locker button, light flashes and will not engage. Upteen tries later following same procedure, locker engages. However I can only get the locker to engage a couple more times. Every other feature works as far as I can tell (crawl, MTS). Locker will not reliably engage. So am I an idiot or do I call dealer?

2019 TRD off-road automatic

 

There's lots of suggestions if you search hard enough on the forums, but... Try driving in an S-pattern (turn the wheels to one side or the other). That should get it to engage.

Unless it's broken.

 

I say call the dealer.

 

The locker teeth need to align before it will engage. This usually requires driving in a slight turn to allow inner and outer wheels to turn at different speeds to line things up. Driving straight will not allow it to engage unless it just happens to be lined up before the button is pushed

 

I was stopped with foot on brake. I will try slowly moving the truck and see what gives.

 

You need to be facing/going East when engaging your locker.
Definitely a warranty issue.

 

The rear wheels have to turn different speeds to each other to engage the locker unless it is magically perfectly aligned when you press the button. You must either steer and roll forward slowly, or if you are in a situation where you actually need the locker (one rear wheel wants to spin), it will lock as soon as one wheels turns further than the other.

The locker, typically will not engage right away driving in a straight line on firm ground. You could actually drive for miles in a straight line before it has its chance.

 

Too funny, you know how long it took me to learn that... I had my truck at a dealer up in PA and they checked it out and it worked with no issue. I drove off and couldn’t get the bloody thing to work for love nor money, and the next year I was back in PA and my buddies friend just happened to mention this and Iv never had an issue since... That was 3 years before I got it sorted... sad I know...

 

Damn, I knew I was doing something wrong all these years!

 

I don't care how good the vehicle is... you can't get it to work until the teeth engage. Sometimes you just have to move something.

 

It is because it is a strong system that there is an engagement process. Knowing how it works, if it just “popped in like nuthin’”, I wouldn’t trust it.

 

I have a second gen and mine works every time but ocasionaly needs a lil coercing. Usually turning and rocking does the trick but ive never had it not engage.
I would not be concerned yet.

 

OK I'm the idiot. I apparently am unworthy of driving an OR Tacoma. Just tried it 6 times with the truck barely moving this time and it engaged and disengaged properly every time. I was trying to be too 'gentle' with it earlier. I see where my error was trying to engage it while stopped. Thanks to all for the help.

 

Well at least you learnt a whole lot faster than me....

 

No worries I think everyone tries it at a dead stop first .

 

This is the TW I know and love!


*also enjoy long walks on a moonlit beach*

 

Yeah, I'm amazed I wasn't roasted alive over a bonfire.

 

Meh these threads are important for the next guy .

 

Me too! I'm glad you asked before I eventually did!

 

Lol see helped already.