Drove in 4H in rain - slow turn

I am a new truck owner - my first tacoma!

It has been raining a ton in southern california and I wanted to check out the 4H mode in the rain on the freeway

Forgot to take it off and drove about 20 miles in the rain in 4H taking normal turns. Didn't feel/hear anything

BUT later in the day I took a tight U-turn which sort of locked up the axles and I didn't get any power to the wheels. Then I put it back into 2H which allowed me to turn but then i did hear/feel a small sound from the gearbox as my wheels straightened.

I want to know if I should be worried that anything was damaged (long term). Should I have it check out?

I barely have 500 miles on the car so I rather not... what do you guys think?!

 

Nothing to worry about, it happens! None of my trucks or jeeps have imploded or exploded due to forgetting to take them out of 4wd and doing some pavement time. Do no under any circumstances take it to a dealer to be 'checked out', that could prompt an asshat of a dealer to flag your truck for abuse, which this wasn't but there are some very 'special' ppl at some dealerships.

 

#1 Dont use 4x4 at freeway speeds

#2 4x4 should not be a requirement for rain

 

That turn where you felt the tires lock up was actually them binding up from having too much traction in 4wd. That is exactly how you snap a CV axle or worse, but if nothing happened then you're probably fine. The binding just stopped the truck and you put in into 2H rather than forcing it so you should be okay. But I wouldn't make it a habit

 

Welcome to the forum! You’re not the first person to do that! You should be okay as long as it goes in and out of 4 wheel drive.

 

You're fine. And also, you don't need 4x4 in rain...

 

He didn't say he used it at freeway speeds, he said he used it on the freeway in the rain. Big difference.

I was on a snow and ice covered freeway in 4WD last week, doesn't mean I was going 75mph.

BTW you can go as fast as you want with 4wd already engaged, not that it's always a good idea for those around you.

 

Thank you for the assurance! I will definitely remember to take it out of 4H next time especially if I am on pavement at low speeds/turning...

 

Yes.... I understand that rain does not warrant 4x4 - I just wanted to play around with the modes and just forgot to switch it back... definitely will not be making this mistake again especially on pavement making turns

 

How did you forget to take it out of 4H? There is a light on the dashboard specifically for this...do you not pay attention to the lights on your dashboard?

Also, you don't need 4wd in the rail. Slow down and don't drive like an idiot, you should be fine.

 

Yeah I tried to accelerate a bit but then realized I should go out of 4H and then I was fine. But like i said after I straightened I felt/heard a small clink in the gearbox. probably the gears going back into place.

I have made sure it goes in and out of 2H to 4H and visaversa so I think it is fine... just wanted to know if i should be worried lol

thanks for all the support! this place is great!

 

Really dude? Have you never made a mistake?

 

Manual suggest 10km a month in 4WD to help maintain the drivetrain. Straight drive on a wet highway is a fine way of doing it. The only speed limitation on 4wd is switching to it. You are gonna suck gas like crazy at high way speeds though.

 

If done this before. It happens. Our 4X4 systems are very beefy, so I wouldnt sweat it. Just because you made a mistake dont be afraid to use the system again in the future. I learn the hard way with most things in life!

 

You’re not supposed to go over 60 while in 4WD, but as you said... why would you be going that fast in bad conditions anyways.

Edit** jk ignore me

 

Yeah did that mistake on my (sold) FJ Cruiser.. Many miles and some offroad trips after that with no issue with the drivetrain. Like others had said, would not make a habit out of that. The clink you heard is probably the gears unbinding in the TC.

 

hearing and feeling a 'clunk' when switching in & out of 4wd is normal...if there's anything binding in the system at all, which there usually is unless you're driving on frozen ice all the time, then it will clunk a bit especially when it disengages.

I was driving up the Sierras last week and they got hit with tons of snow and ice, freeways were either covered in it or 75% covered in it, but there were sections of highway with turns that were dry. I wasn't going to switch in and out of 4x4 constantly so I just kept it in 4wd the entire time unless I came up on a section that was mostly dry for a long while. Never had any issues and my 4wd works fine.

I have on the other hand blown a CV axle when I was turning into a gas station off of a snow covered road once - the gas station was covered and dry and I didn't think to switch back into 2wd since it was snowing outside. Felt the bind up so bad it stopped the truck, I switched it to 2wd but damage was already done...when I got back on the road and tried going back into 4hi the passenger side axle just flopped around like a broken drumstick. Changing out a CV in the snow is fun let me tell you

 

That is false. Per the manual, you have to be going under 60 to engage 4HI, but there is no limit to how fast you should drive once engaged.

 

You're not supposed to engage 4wd over 60mph...once it is engaged you can go 90mph if you want, but yes...typically if 4wd is needed then you shouldn't be going anywhere near that fast.

Racing trucks with IFS 4wd go over 60mph in 4x4 all day long on desert tracks.

 

Everyone has their own opinions. I have never had any issues. I let my girl drive it in the rain or snow bc she feels safer in a truck. 4wd. Never had an issue. Over 200k on my 2006 and never had an issue.