Add stuck engaged. Tcase is not engaged. Is it safe to drive until I fix it.

I have scoured the forums, no one seems to have had this issue quite in the same way as me.

Just another guy having a hell of a time with the 4wd actuators. So I took both of them off to diagnose. Looks like the add actuator took on some water (Toyota should really put the breather tubes higher in the engine, I might diy a longer tube one day). My tcase actuator looks great.

when I diagnosed it I didn't have a replacement on hand. I tried cleaning the corrosion but it didn't seem to work, motor seems to be fried. So I made sure everything was in 2wd mechanically so I could go about my life until I order parts.

Then I did something stupid. On my way home I couldn't resist that stupid little knob. To my surprise I heard a clunk and it was in 4! Like actually in 4! Tried going back to 2 and we have a problem...

It's PARTIALLY in 2. The rear prop and front prop are disconnected meaning the tcase is in 2wd mode BUT the Front prop shaft and the front tires are bound meaning the add is in 4wd mode.

Finally we arrive at my question.... I will fix this... but can I commute until I do? I know alot of jeeps and other cars don't disengage the front diff so the front prop is always going. Saves jeep money, costs the consumer Some MPG. But the Tacomas weren't designed to have the front diff and prop shaft always spinning so... will I be okay?

Manually sliding the add fork back into 2 is a pain because you lose all that oil and I go to a diy shop about an hour away. This happened 5 minutes from home coming back from said shop.

 

You should be fine as long as the Transfer Case is in 2wd, the ADD is for fuel economy and to save a bit of wear on the front driveline.

BTW according to your profile you have a 2020 which would be a 3rd gen, this is the 2nd gen section.

The 3rd gen 4wd system will talk to a full function scan tool (not a generic OBD reader) so you can pull codes and data which makes it easier to diagnose than the 2nd gen system which had to be checked manually with a meter.