Engaging 4WD Question

Sometimes when I go to 4W high the engagement light continues to blink and the only way I can make it engage is to let off the brake pedal and let the truck nudge forward and then hit the brakes and it normally will engage and light go solid, is the a common issue and nothing to be concerned about?
Thanks

 

That’s normal

 

Probably normal at least when I had my tundra. My tacoma has been instant, and quiet. Big change from my tundra.

 

Keep it moving and turn the wheel a little. This will help the gears sync up. Sometimes you'll get lucky and it will just pop right into 4wd, but typically I have to move and turn.

Don't do this for 4lo. You need to be completely stopped.

You may need to do this to help the locker engage/disengage, but go slower and turn tighter. Mine is quite finicky.

 

4H can be engaged up to I believe (don’t have the manual in front of me) 69mph. You don’t have to be stopped. I routinely engage 4H on my way to work on a straight stretch of road, usually moving about 55mph.

As the other poster said, 4L requires vehicle to be stopped and in N.

There is also a usage recommendation in the manual, I believe it’s 10 miles a month.

Alan

Edit: forgot to add, when I engage 4H while getting to work, sometimes I get a blinking light until I ease off the gas, that little unload of the system lets it fully engage and the light goes solid.

 

Wow I didn’t know I could be moving and engage to 4W high.
thanks folks

 

Just saw you’re in God’s country, what part?

College in Jacksonville, 20s and early 30s in Birmingham here.

 

In the book.

 

I think "Push Button Shift on the Fly 4WD" was originally rolled out by Ford in the late 1980s. Since then it has found its way into almost every 4WD vehicle. Same with shifting out. I remember when you had to back up two truck lengths to get the hubs to disengage.

 

Thanks for all the info. Folks.
I’m 30 miles south of Montgomery Al.
Small town called Greenville

 

My first Tacoma was '96 that I bought new with manual hubs and this was the case. It was a pain if you were somewhere like the city. When it was supposed to snow I'd go out and lock my hubs beforehand as it would usually start as a mix and there was always a chance that your hubs would freeze open. Never had it happen on my Tacoma but there were some bad experiences in a Samurai lol.

 

Sounds like your issue has been solved.
Shift on the fly for high 4 and stopped in neutral for 4 Lo.
I engage 4 Hi while rolling and then stop and into Neutral then turn the knob into 4Lo.

 

Yep got it now, thanks for all the info.

 

I’m my opinion, best thing for shifting in to 4H- moving, slight wheel, and not engine braking or accelerating,,, you do not want a load on the drivetrain.

 

Thanks for all the info. folks this will make life easier

 

Now that we solved that, can we discuss why Toyota limits the locker to 4 Low only? I can think of plenty of times where I needed a locker in 4 Hi or even 2WD. But noo..... Gotta use the E-Brake Lever to fake a locker.

 

I thought that it just blinks to notify you of the change and then stays lit solid. Is that not the case?

 

^^ Not for me... ^^
It comes on and then goes off.

I'll go try again and see but as far as I've been able to use it, locker only works in Lo.
Since I never use Lo, I'll never use the locker - which is fine, because I've never had one before and I've done fine without them. But since I paid for the damn thing, I'd like to enjoy it.