Going into L4 and getting rapid L4 4x4 blinking indicator, but no low range.

Yes, if I search a hundred pages... I am old and in pain, so just hoping for a quick answer, like it's a fuse.

My almost flawless 2010 Off Road 4x4 (135,000 miles) goes into H4, no problem.
When stopped, going into N, and rotating the dial to L4, the L4 indicator blinks rapidly and the truck stays in H4. No beeping, like if I wasn't in N.

This has happened before (posted in 2021) but when I repeated the steps, it went into L4... Just not this time. As they say, "use it or lose it" and for sure I have not used 4WD or L4 in awhile, even monthly as we all lectured each other to!

Thanks for any quick solutions!

 

Actuator is probably stuck if you haven't used it in a while, try rolling it slowly while it's blinking?

 

Yes... but not a lot of rolling... this in the low range transfer case and not the rear locker that is sending the blinking light. It's not getting from H4 to L4. No noise. Going into L4 is done at a stop and in N neutral on my automatic. Once the light goes on or blinks slowly, I roll ahead to complete the engagement.

To stop the blinking, I have to restart the truck, if that helps. H4 works fine, but it's not going into L4. After it gets into L4, then I would test the Rear Locker and A-TRAC.

 

Probably a limit switch that isn't working properly, check your limit switch voltages as outlined in the thread below and post your results.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/4wd-system-operation-help-thread.742420/

 

yeah probably something with limit switches.

That stated, try coming down under 3mph still rolling in a slight arch and switch to 4low while in neutral.

 

If it goes into 4H with no flashing, we can probably assume it’s NOT the front A.D.D.
It’s likely the the transfer case actuator. Process of elimination there.


That said, follow the link Dm93 posted.
You’ll know for sure if you check the switches.

 

Right, it goes in 4WD high as it should, but from H4 to Low 4WD (go to N, rotate dial to L4) all that happens is the Low Range indicator light blinks rapidly.

If I go into D (Drive) and slowly move and turn the wheel, I can feel that I am in 4WD High still but not in the lower gears.

The L4 light continues blinking rapidly even when I turn the dial back to H4 or H2 (and I feel the transfer case disengaging from 4WD after turning to H2). Only by restating the truck will the L4 indicator turn off.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUGGESTIONS!

 

I was hoping this happened with someone else's second gen taco... anybody else get the rapid blinking 4 Lo indicator light?

 

I think that happen to me one time when I forgot to first push the dial selector in before turning it to 4L.
I think you can turn it to 4L without first pushing in, but that’s a no no. Thus the blinking light.

That’s what I remember…….. I think.

 

Yes. Lots of people have had it happen.
That’s why Dm93 made the post he linked above.

You’re going to need to break out the voltage meter and test power and grounds.

 

Thanks, but that is not the case for me... been driving 4x4 Tacomas for 23 years now. Your procedure gives a slow blinking and will beep if not in Neutral. My procedure is a very fast blinking. Thanks for participating, still!

 

I will have to dig around to find my old volt meter... Never used it on my truck!

 

Unfortunately there's not really any silver bulllet fix for the 4wd system, everything has to be tested manually to see what's out of range.

Or you can start throwing parts at it as others have and still possibly not have a working system.

 

Well, surprise, surprise; truck went into L4 just fine... and the rear locker, as well.
BUT... when turning the dial back out of L4 to H4 and H2, the rapid flashing L4 indicator light was lit!
As before, restarting the truck turned it off.

Does this create any "light bulb" thoughts?

 

Yeah, it’s not unusual.
When you turn the switch to 2WD, the 4WD ECU command the truck to go into 2WD.
If the limit switch don’t report back to 2WD status, the light just flashes.
That’s it. The truck doesn’t “try again”. It just sets there and flashes.

BUT……if you turn the truck off. The next time the truck is started.
The 4WD ECU sees the switch in 2WD, it will then try to put the truck in 2WD.

Basically, you got luck.

If you want to fix the problem. You are going to have to test the limit switch.
See the link in post #4……..

 

Be aware that turning off the truck (restart) before the 4x4 ecu completes a shift in either direction (2H -> 4H or 4H/L back to 2H) will cut power to controller possibly leaving the entire works in limbo. You may get lucky and it will switch back to 2H on re-start. This happened to me when I made this mistake and it finally clunked back into 2H on a second re-start try and giving it a little throttle.

It left a helluva impression on me because I was out in the woods when I made this mistake and the truck was stuck in 4L miles from the main road. I can't imagine I'll ever make this mistake again.

 

Time for a FJ cruiser or T4R manual tcase swap.

 

To be clear (or clearer), the truck is either back in H4 or H2 while still flashing rapidly L4. I don't turn off the truck if it's in limbo.
Thanks for the concern!

 

Understood: My pleasure! I made the mistake when I switched back from 4L to 2H and turned the key off before it had actually finished the command. When I started it again, it had the blinking light show and it was still in 4L. Shut it off and started it up again and with a little movement forward, and a loud clunk, it was back in 2H and blinking light out.

I now make the changes one click/step at a time now, and pause to think before I turn off the key. I like to leave things in a base mode when I shut down: ready to start the next time. It's a pilot thing. I also never exercise the system to engage 4L anymore unless I'm in my driveway: if it acts up or gets stubborn, a quick call to AAA and they don't have to come 50 miles for an off-road tow thats gonna come with a huge fee: in advance. I don't need to be experimenting with 4L 5+ miles from the main road if I don't need it: makes for a long slow drive home at about 5 mpg. I have had four 4x4 trucks over the years and only really needed 4L two times: once in mud and once in two feet of heavy wet snow to slog through snow banks left by plows.

 

That’s exactly what I do in my gravel driveway to exercise Low switch. I even drive in reverse for 75’ back and forth in low.