question about 4Lo and rear diff locker

So I recently purchased my 05 Tacoma and I noticed that my 4Lo light continues to blink after it has been engaged. The 4Hi light goes solid but not the 4Lo. Is that normal? Also, my rear diff locker won't engage and the light continues to blink on that too. I've read the actuator could have seized but I wanted to get some input in case the blinking 4Lo light has anything to do with it. Thanks for the help!

 

most of the time when you put it in four wheel drive and engage the locker , you need to go forward a few feet then put it in reverse and go a few feet and it should engage .

 

If the 4L light is blinking it is telling you that it has not went into 4L and the locker will not engage unless the 4L is engaged.

 

I doubt you messed anything up, and start by reviewing the manual.

 

Did it ever go into 4lo? Couldn't tell if you were in with the light still blinking or just not at all

 

OP. Your profile says MANUAL transmission. You can switch to 4Hi on the fly, but 4LO you need to be stopped and have the CLUTCH depressed. Your light will stop blinking when it engages, and I promise you, you will know that you are in 4LO.

 

and if you are an auto... you need to put it in neutral and be below 3mph before you can flip the switch to put her in 4lo.

 

Auto must be stopped with foot on brake in neutral when going from 4h to 4L, at least it's that way on my 05'

 

So I am in my truck right now and I have it in neutral with the clutch pressed in and when I put it into 4lo the light keeps blinking. I know the 4lo is engaged because I just drove it down the street but why is my light still blinking? I can even hear a click when I put it back in 4hi. Bad relay somewhere?

 

This is supposed to be in your sun visor pocket...

 

Hello Troy,
Again, if the light is blinking it is NOT in 4L. When it is in 4L the truck will be extremely slow compared to 2H or 4H. It first must be in 4H which you can do with the truck moving up to 55 MPH in a straight line by just turning the switch although I suggest it be moving much slower.

Once it is in 4H and if you are moving you need to come to a stop. On a manual shift you do not have to have it in neutral for it to shift into 4L, but it is not enough to just push the clutch in. After putting it in 4H, and you should stop the truck, or be barely creeping ( two or miles per hour max), push the clutch all the way to they floor before you turn the dial to 4L, and sometimes. if totally stopped, you have to rock the truck back and forth a little to get it to engage (to get the light to go solid). It is properly engaged when the light turns a solid color. To disengage it from 4L you should be stopped, or again creeping, and again push the clutch all the way to the floor and sometimes, if completely stopped you have to start moving very slowly to get it to disengage and to get the light to go out.

Also do not engage the rear differential lock at all on a hard surface. It will only engage IF 4L has been properly engaged (no blinking lights) and you follow the same procedures as when engaging 4L, Stop, push the clutch all the way to the floor and rock the truck if necessary, but this time you may need to turn the steering wheel back and forth a little while moving VERY slowly.

One last thing. It is not advised to drive the vehicle on hard pavement while in 4 wheel drive unless you are going in a straight line and never on hard pavement with the rear differential lock engaged.
I hope this helps.

 

I understand what you guys are saying that if my 4lo light is blinking then normally it is not engaged but what I'm saying is that the 4lo does engage but the light keeps blinking on my truck. I know it's engaged because I can start the truck in 4th gear without much problem but when I turn it off, it bogs down in 4th. So is there something I'm missing? Or is there an issue where the truck is going in but maybe the computer doesn't think it's in?

 

Take it in to the dealer and have it looked at.