Another 4WD Problem Thread (2007)- FIXED W/ SUMMARY

Hello! I was hoping someone could help me with my 2007 Toyota Tacoma. She has 180000 miles on her now. I have read a lot of threads about 4wd issues and the actuator problems. I cannot find anything on a thread that matches exactly what mine is doing. Hope someone could give suggestions before I try to take the actuator off and inspect it. I have never had trouble with it before.
-It will not go into 4Lo at all. It will start blinking in 4Lo but does not engage or start beeping.
-I cannot easily get it to go between 4hi or 2WD. When I try to switch it the dash will start blinking but I hear no click under the dash. If I turn the vehicle off and turn it back on I hear a click and it will engage whatever the knob is turned to. But I cannot get it to go between 4hi or 2WD without turning the truck off and on.
Anyone have any suggestions on what could be causing the problems? thanks for any input!!

 

Assuming you have tested the connections for the ADD, maybe it could just be an actual bad selector switch? If you can get the solenoid to fire, then it has the ability to operate. So something is causing the control module to think it shouldn't engage, wiring, or a sensor. Again, assuming you have fully went down the ADD path, maybe give this a shot.

https://imgur.com/a/vXFe3Lf

 

After not having much luck getting any improvement I took it to the dealership. Although I can get it in and out of 4wd by turning ignition on and off multiple times until it works I figure the problem will only get worse. Dealership found the actuator limit switch is stuck in the closed position. They are recommending I replace the actuator at 769.00.

 

Dam!

Well, if it works after replacement, and the old one is stuck, I guess thats cheaper than getting stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Sorry bout that price but good job dealing with it.
4wd is must around here.

Happy wheelin!

 

Is that for just the actuator or for the whole install?
Srry Ive never done one, no idea how much $$ they go for.

Can you get the part and do it yourself?
Save yourself a lot of coin...

 

I can get a new one for about 200. But I do not have the best setup right now to work on it and I want it fixed ASAP for spring fishing. haha

 

Gotta do what you gotta do.

Springers are gathering in the ocean at the mouths right now hollering take me! Take me!!! Fighting for position over which one I get to bbq/smoke first!

Totally get it

 

Dealer ordered actuator, replaced it and still not working. Afrer they tested the new one they found it was defective. I did not want to wait and decided to order it myself. Took off the old one. Motor works fine when i put power to it. Gonna solder the connections. Anything Else I can do to it? New one will be here tomorrow if I cannot fix this one.

 

Replace all the grease in the actuator, spray some lube in and push the ball bearing in and out on the limit switch. If the motor works, every other part in the system is replaceable. I would not, under any circumstances pay the dealer to put in a new actuator. If you look on ebay, used but perfectly working units are available for around $200. It is 3 bolts to take the thing on and off- dont need jackstands or anything. The dealer told me they wanted to replace all my actuators and the transfer case!!! I said no, cleaned and lubed all actuators, and they all work well now. I bought a spare on ebay in case they go out eventually. I am less than $400 in and now I know how it all works. No idea why they thought it would be appropriate to replace transfer case- best answer the tech could provide was "sometimes they cause shifting problems too"... Good lord.

 

Great job guys!

 

HELLLPPPP!!!!!
I worked on this thing most of the weekend. I put a new front actuator on it and it still was doing the same thing. So I think the odds of 3 different units being bad is unlikely. Maybe the dealship is wrong. I took off the back actuator (on transfer case) and it is full of water.

 

So I cleaned it up, put new grease in it and put it back in place. Still not working right. I decided to take it back off and try and make sure I removed enough corrosion. Upon removing it the gear system falls out. I dont know where to position it as the contacts as reference.

 

Now it is in the wrong place and I am stuck in 4 low after messing with it a few hours. Any ideas what to do? Even if I get it back into 2wd my problem is still mot fixed. The motor in the rear actuator works fine. Not sure if I have a bad switch in it, too much corrosion, or maybe the ecu.

 

SUMMARY
Problem: It became difficult to get my Tacoma to switch between 2wd and 4wd without repeatedly turning the ignition on and off until I could hear the actuators shift into the correct position.

Diagnosis: I checked all connections and could not determine a faulty connection. I did notice the vacuum line to the rear actuator (transfer case) was slightly split so I trimmed it and put it back in place. I took the truck to the dealership and let them do a full inspection. They concluded that the front actuator (differential) was the problem and had a faulty switch in the front actuator. I did explain to the service rep the rear actuator vacuum hose was slightly cracked and I did not know for how long. I decided to let them fix it for me.

Solution: Here it gets complicated. The dealership had to order a new front actuator and then I left it with them. At the end of the day they called me and said after they put the new front actuator on the truck it was still not working. After everything was double checked and verified again they realized the new actuator was faulty. At this point I decided to get my truck and fix it myself. I ordered a new actuator from Amazon.
-First I took off the old one and the motor worked fine when I put 12v to it. I soldered the connections and put it back in place and it still was not working correctly.
-The next day the new part arrived and I put it in place and the problem still was not solved. By this point two different front actuators did not fix the problem nor did trying to solder the connections on the old one. So I began to wonder if the problem was with something else.
-I took the case off the rear actuator and it was full of water. I felt I knew this had to be the problem. I cleaned everything very well and applied some new grease. This did not fix the problem.
-After trying to remove the case from the rear actuator the second time the spindle came out with it and this is where it really became a PITA because the 4wd was not working and I could not tell how to place the spindle correctly.
-I took the truck back to the dealership and told them everything. They put the new front actuator on the truck that they had reordered and everything worked correctly. They also took the cover off the rear actuator and adjusted the spindle for me. Everything works well now.

Conclusions:
-IF YOU EVER TAKE THE COVER OFF THE REAR ACTUATOR BE VERY CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THE SPINDLE DOES NOT COME OUT WITH IT. IT VERY EASILY CAN PULL OUT AND IS A NIGHTMARE TO PUT BACK IN PLACE BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY TO LINE IT BACK UP CORRECTLY UNLESS YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH IT.
-IF THE REAR ACTUATOR GOES BAD THE TRANSFER CASE HAS TO BE OPENED TO CORRECTLY REPLACE IT AND THE COST IS OVER $2000. THEREFORE KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON THE VACUUM LINE WITH PERIODIC INSPECTIONS TO MAKE SURE IT HAS NOT COME OFF THE NIPPLE OR DRY ROTTED. IF WATER GETS IN, IT WILL LEAD TO A VERY EXPENSIVE PROBLEM ON THE REAR ACTUATOR.
-JUST BECAUSE THE MOTOR WORKS FINE IN THE FRONT ACTUATOR DOES NOT MEAN IT IS NOT FAULTY.
-I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF I HAD ORDERED THE PART FROM NAPA OR TOYOTA INSTEAD OF AMAZON I WOULD HAVE FIXED THE ISSUE MYSELF. (BUT THEN I WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE COVER OFF THE REAR AND DISCOVERED ALL THE WATER. MAYBE IT WAS A BLESSING).
-CAREFUL WITH PARTS FROM AMAZON.