4x4 question.

Hello I have a quick question. when i put my truck in 4hi on the fly it engages within 2 seconds and works great! When I stop and try and get it to engage 4hi it just blinks and won't engage am I doing something wrong it's just wierd that it works on the fly but not when I'm stopped. Help would be greatly appreciated it's a 2008 trd sport

 

I think you need to be moving for it to engage. But lets let others chime in too

 

Yea you might be right I just don't understand. It's the first Tacoma I have owned

 

Confirmed. Switching in or out of 4HI needs to be done while moving. It may work standing still, but probably not. However- 4LO can only be engaged/disengaged while stopped.

 

Thanks a lot

 

In my experience with two years in my Taco with lots of 4wd, it varies. Sometimes goes in real quick and easy, sometimes takes longer. I find that I sometimes need to apply a tiny bit of throttle to get it to drop in as I'm rolling.

Pro tip: be in 4wd before you get into a situation where you could get stuck. See a suspicious puddle coming? Don't wait to find out it's hub-deep and greezy when you're in there and the rears start to slip. Go for 4wd before entering it.

 

Mine always engages pretty quickly I never have to hit the gas I just didn't understand why it won't engage at a stop

 

When you engage the 4X4 switch the gears in the transfer case may need a moment to be able to engage. The teeth of one gear have to slide into the notches on the other. If everything just happens to be properly aligned at the time you move the switch it will engage instantly. If not the gears will have to rotate slightly for things to line up. The wheels will have to rotate slightly for this to happen. It works best to do so BEFORE getting stuck. If you're already stuck the rear wheels will have to spin just a bit before the 4X4 engages and it may do it with a loud clanking sound as the front wheels suddenly get power while rear wheels are spinning. Occasionally at slow speed shouldn't hurt,but it is best to avoid. The odds of everything being lined up at the time you flip the switch are about 50/50.

When you get ready to disengage the gears may be in a slight bind, especially if you've been doing a lot of sharp cornering in 4X4. It often takes longer for the stresses to be relieved enough for the gears to disengage. This is especially true after running in 4 lo. Sometimes it helps to put it in reverse and back up a few feet if it doesn't want to disengage.

None of this is just with Tacoma's, but really with any 4X4 vehicle.

 

So there is nothing wrong with my truck cause it works and it has engaged before at a stop I think the teeth weren't aligned this last time

 

that's great

 

Nothing wrong with your truck. This is just how it works.

 

My dads f150 can engage at stop and moving. Mine engages faster than his while moving