2wd-4wd mode change failure

Interesting. Bent pin?

 

Ok I don’t usually sign up for these things but I feel the need to help my fellow Taco drivers.
So, you’ve got a “shift change failure” indicated on your menu screen. My truck started alerting me to this.
I went to the dealership. Nope my truck isn’t under warranty.
Of course they want the money to look at it. 300 bucks.
I’m like fine I’ll bring it in next week.
feeling like sucker.
I get home. throw some cardboard under my truck, grab a flashlight and a hammer.
Yeah. A hammer.
There’s a little black box bolted to the transfer case. The solenoid control I’m assuming. it has a multi pin connection.
So I remove the connection. Inspected the points on both the the plug and socket.
Slip it on and off a couple of times. I also just gave the box a couple of light taps with the hammer.
Light taps only.
Get back in truck.
Drive up the block. Turn the switch to 4Lo.
Boom it works now.
The end.
A Quinn/Martin production.

 

this worked for me! Little hammer tap did the job!

 

Anyone got a photo of what I’m looking for? This same warning popped up on me today… ready to crawl under and have a look but no idea what I’m looking for…

 

Give that black box a little tap tap tap

 

Tap Tap Tap and I unplugged/dielectric greased/replugged that plug on top. Magic! Thanks so much for the assist!

 

The taptaptap will sometimes free up the solenoid spool.

 

Not sure even how/why it happened... I drove to town (30minutes) in 4Hi cuz ice and snow just to get gas. Stopped at the pump. Filled up. When I cranked her back up, got the warning... drove home, came to TW for research. Which was obviously the right thing to do

 

I had the same error once after a day of wheeling and water crossings. I unplugged, cleaned, and lubricated with dialectic grease all the electrical connections on the diffs, transfer case, and transmission and the error went away and never came back.

 

Check out this video. Duder takes you through exactly what happens when you turn the dial and engage/disengage 4WD. The solder joints are known to be defective which requires reheating/re-soldering the connections on the worm drive. The fork is what engages and disengages the transfer case, the motor and worm drive are what move the fork. The solder joints on the motor and the electrical connector to the motor are where I would start. This vid should be mandatory viewing for any 4WD Taco owner IMO - just so owners know exactly what is happening in their T Case when the 4WD knob is rotated.



Credit: @ClassyTacos Sub to his YT Classys Garage you'll learn a lot.

 

This has been happening to me for a times now needing 4wd. So finally today went underneath and tapped the blk box a few times w a hammer and 4hi kicked right in!! The breather hose is a super bad connection, loose fit and my hose has two splits in it. So I’m sure it’s got corrosion inside the box as I’ve done numerous water crossings and we have super wet winters here. Crazy design, you would think it would be more water proof. Needs a hose clamp. I’ll post a pic up.

 

Mine popped up when I haven't even tried to drive in 4 wheel drive. I try to find an excuse to use it every month, I'll admit i use it every other month for at least 10 miles or so. But I got the message when I just started my truck. Didn't touch the switch or anything. I have the 2016 trd offroad but with the manual transmission version. So it's not push button start. I have to crank the key like in the older models. I had this pop up before, but I went away. However when I went to use 4 wheel drive with it a few days later it wouldn't switch and the warning kept coming on every time I started the truck. It went away after about a week and when I went to use 4wh drive again the 4wh engaged like it's supposed to. Skip forward a month later to today, I got in my truck this morning and started it and there was the warning symbol flashing again, I checked to see if the switch had been turned, it was in 2w. But this time the warning came on along with a TRAC OFF and a check engine light. I'm gonna go see what the check engine is about. My gas cap is on tightly and I made sure no Knicks or anything else that could make my gas cap not seal properly were present, but that's clean as a whistle as far as I can tell. Anybody have the 4wh transfer failure pop up without having to switch to 4wh like in my situation? I brought up needing a key, because should i worry about someone who might be trying to steal it and accidently hit the 4wd button? Especially when it seems to only occur when people try to use 4wh/4lo on their trucks?

 

As suggested earlier in here: inspect/exercise the electrical connector and check to see if it has been resolved. If not: lightly tap the black box. Do these steps separately and check so you'll know which one fixed it.

I have a small light weight ball-peen hammer in the tool box for things like this. (relays, solenoids, etc) I always try it (taps) with a small block of wood between the component and the hammer.

 

Dealer wanted $2700 to replace actuator. Came to TW … tap tap > fixed.

 

3rd gens have diagnostic capability. Take it somewhere that can access it and identify the code/error, if any. However, before I did that I would crawl around and under scrutinize the wiring for any obvious damage or broken connectors and especially for any critter damage.

 

Dealer diagnosed. Short in actuator. $1,100 for actuator and 9.0hr rate. $2700 total.
Tapped the box. It works now.

 

How in the heJJ could this work take 9 hours?
That’s insane……it can be done in an hour, two if one drains and refills the diff

 

I'm almost positive they want to remove and replace the entire transfer case for the rear ADD. Thats why most people just upgrade to the FJ transfer case to remove the electronics, ADDs from the system. This requires some work to the Trans tunnel and a new non ADD front diff section with out the stub shaft.

 

Hi All,4wd has been working,Used it a few times now.Forgot to follow up with the breather hose. 5 min fix just cut splits off hose and reattached.

 

just had this error pop up and can’t get into a shop until next week, how exactly should i try tapping the black box with a hammer???

also just had my diff oils changed at the shop i’ll go back to, maybe it’s loose from that??