4x4Hi and 4Lo Lights Flashing Without Attempting to Engage 4x4

Hi Folks -

Looking for some insight on why my 2005 Tacoma 4Hi and 4Lo has been randomly flashing without attempting to engage 4x4. Seems to happen most frequently after coming to a stop. If truck is shut off, it resets the flashing and it lights go off. 4x4 does not engage if attempted, when lights are flashing. When lights are off (normal situation) and I attempt to engage 4x4, it works. Toyota had a quick look yesterday and no codes come up, even when lights are flashing. They did say not to engage 4x4 until situation is resolved because it may stay locked in. Have an appointment coming up to course the problem but don't like going into the dealer blind.

Any thoughts and help in diagnosing would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

I had a 4WD LOW light flashing for several months. It was a bad ground. Never found it. Shop repaired it by running a new ground wire along the affected harness and tying it into the connecters on each end.

 

So a little for more followup after an appointment with he dealer. Replaced ECM above glove box and checked front dif. actuator with a known working unit. Still green 4x4 and 4Lo flashing intermittently with and without the truck running as long as ignition is turned on. Any suggestions please?

 

Most likely a bad ground !

another circuit is grounding back through the 4x4 circuit causing the light to flash

Does it always happen with the brake pedal pushed in?

 

My guess as well--faulty ground.

 

Must be a common Toyota problem, because its happening to multiple 2014 Landcruiser GXR V8s intermittently.

Seems to get worse when batteries start to get pooched and stops for a while when new ones are put in.

 

Thanks everyone. I'll try to see if my foot on the brake has any relation to the lights coming on. So far, I hadn't noticed that it did. Keep the ideas coming please and I'll fill you in as I can.

Here is a link to a quick video of the lights flashing if anyone is interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGldE_Phwp0

 

This happened to me in November last year and it was the front actuator. $300 problem solved. Then it started happening again a month ago. I took the black cap off of the actuator on the t case and it was all corroded inside. I cleaned it up and the 4wd and 4lo lights stopped blinking, but I'm afraid if I use 4wd it will get stuck. This actuator is more than double the price of the front one and you have to split the t case in order to replace it. I decided to go with a manual shift FJ t case since it was only a little bit more money than the actuator. Check the t case actuator cap. Very easy to take off. This is what mine looked like after I cleaned it up.

 

Just wanted to share an update with everyone after the situation was resolved. After having a few other issues pop up, including service engine light (indicating problems with the charcoal canister) and the intermittently working cruise control, we determined that the problem was in fact a bad ground, with multiple
other items on the same ground. A new ground was installed under the passenger dash and everything is working as it should now. Hope that this can save some headaches for others.

 

Hi, I know this is a old thread but I am having the exact same problem. When you say the problem was fixed but running a new ground, what ground was it? Was it for the 4x4 control module? The front or t-case actuator? The ECM? Any help is much appreciated!

 

To anyone having this problem https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/4wd-system-operation-help-thread.742420/ has the solution. Look at posts 236-300. It is a very easy fix.