First time in 4WD Low...question

A light came on the dash letting me know it was in 4WD Low and a beeping sound...Normal ?

 

Was it flashing or solid 4WD light?

 

Yes. That’s one of a million beeps on Tacomas.

If the light was solid 4WD had engaged; if it flashed it didn’t engage. Try again.

 

It might not have been in 4 low if it was still beeping

 

You were not in 4 low if it was beeping.

 

Yes. Or it could have been beeping for a million other reasons, including hill assist kicking in, a door was ajar, a bee landed on the hood...

 

So what do you do ?

 

Have to put it in 4 low in park or neutral

 

Use park or neutral when selecting 4 low. Then when going into 4 low you have to push the selector in and turn - at least on a second gen. Even when I do everything right mine will sometimes still beep and flash - you have to try again.

 

Come to a stop, put it in Neutral, and let off the brake (ideally you're on flat ground). Then switch from 4Hi to 4Lo.

If you're on a hill or would otherwise be rolling, 'ride' the brakes until you're just hovering at that transition between moving and coming to a stop. Basically you need to allow a little play in the gear box for everything to line up smoothly. For this reason you really want to be in Neutral and not park

 

I thought Toyota swapped a simple lever for an electronic switch with lights and beeps precisely to make it easier...

 

WOW.. Sounds like there's many reasons this is not going work simply by turning the switch to Low from a dead stop in park.

 

Has anyone got it to switch in a manual mobing less than 2mph? I know i havent.

 

holy crap, 4h can engage at 60 mph?!? My old sierra it had to be in neutral or park to go to 4h, not used to this switching to 4x4 while moving

 

There's probably a bunch of reasons why that really doesn't work that simply.

 

It does work that simply.

Under 60, select 4 hi while foot is off the gas and it engages very smooth.

 

I know from experience that you can not go directly from 2H to 4Lo. Took me a while to figure out that you had to put it in 4Hi and wait for it to engage before switching to 4Lo. Sucks when you just want the gearing for backing up a trailer on a hill. The manual transmission is way hi geared in first and reverse.

 

Forget the manual? Just look up for the answer, its on your visor.

 

Yeah, most 4WD systems are shift-on-the-fly these days, even Jeep’s lever actuated transfer case.

One nifty feature on Colorado/Canyon, Wrangler Sahara/Moab with SelecTrac, and on most full-size pickups is an “Auto 4WD” setting by which the truck drives in RWD mode and automatically engages the front wheels when it senses slippage. Sort of like AWD, but still retaining the 2WD, 4-H, N and 4-L settings of a true 4WD system.

 

There is a mod to engage low gear with no 4wd. 2lo