E Locker Truble on 02 tacoma

Hi guys, I'm new to TW but hoping to stay for awhile.

So I'm Hoping to get some help on my 02 Tacoma e locker. I understand how it needs to be placed in 4L before it can be turned on unless you have the Grey Wire mod. And there are issues of it not engaging. My problem is when I'm in 4l and push the RR locker button the motor makes a noise but my dash light doesn't stay on or blink its just off. But if I push the button and hold it, then it will blink until I let it go. I thought maybe the locker works and its something with the switch but after peeing out on gravel I only had 1 rear wheel spinning out. Also tried rolling the truck back and forth to see if my spindles didn't line up, and still nothing happens.

Side note: I had the truck towed not long ago and the tow company unhooked my drive shaft without making any marks, I'm wondering if it might be misaligned and causing this issue.

Let me know what you guys think

 

Check the wiring and grounds? When it doesn't want to engage it should blink on the dash.

 

I haven't checked the wiring but will probably do it today. light only blinks when I hold the button down other wise it stays of even though I can hear the motor doing something.

 

You said that if you hold the button down the dash light will flash? Is the button actually latching when you push it in normally? It should sit further into the dash when you "engage" it. Have you tried holding it and then driving slow while turning to see if it will engage? This makes me think it's an issue with the switch.

 

Yeah probably something with the switch, check the pins and all that.

 

The button dose latch but only flashes when I push and hold it. I haven't tried holding it and trying to drive. Ill have to give that a try.

 

OP, when you roll the drivers side window down, engage the switch, do you hear a "POP" from the rear axle?

Also, yes. Above you state you have yet to hold the button and drive. Do that, listen for the "POP" and see if its engaging. They can be finicky and may need just a bit of servicing. I don't think its the tow truck issue, sounds like a switch issue.

 

I only hear motor what sounded tried to engage but no POP. Ill try the driving and holding the button to see what that will do.

 

hmm..

take it to a wide open parking lot.
roll down drivers window
hold button
start driving slowly in a straight line
IF you hear a POP, its on
IF you don't, try turning the wheel anyway. You should get some wheel hop, stay under 10 mph and away from traffic. You want to see if its engaging and the truck will do funky things on pavement (which is what you want in this exercise).

Report back.

 

So I was digging around last night and found 2 chopped wires. Not sure how it happened but hopefully this will fix my issue. Sad part is I wont be able to know if it will fix my problem until mid next month. I'm leaving to Brazil for work trip and have to delay fixing the wiring until I get back.

 

strange, they look mangled and not deliberately cut/taped. Is that the wire pack running next to the door under the floor carpet? Not sure on the wire colors but it could certainly be the problem.

 

yes this is the wire pack running along the side of the driver door.

 

So I've been trying to fix the diff lock situation and not much luck. The 2 wires I have reconnected but turned out it was wires to seat belts so nothing to do with Locker. I pulled the Locker out and checked all wires for continuity and everything checks out. So kinda stuck. Not sure if it's computer or the swich.

Check out the video at this link:
https://youtu.be/8O7g5eon4H0

 

Pull your switch out, unplug the pigtail. If you look at my pic, you'll see two black mark, it's for the motor. Take a paper clip, electrical wire and jump it and watch your dash RR lock light. Should be flashing. If you can, AT the same time, have the rear end up on jack stand and slowly drive to spin the rear end. Can take 1 full tire spin before locker is engaged. Once engage, your RR light will be solid. If this work, your switch is bad.

Or pull the actuator and jump the pigtail as mention to see if your motor will engage

 

After looking at your vlog, seemed like your switch is bad

 

I believe your switch is the issue. On my 04, when I press the switch, it sits farther back when its on, then when I press it again, it comes out to be flush with the bezel around it. I can make a lil video if youd like to see. But u didn't see this happening to your switch and that's what makes me think that's the issue.

 

I was messing around with the actuator yesterday trying to bench test it and think I fired the resistors. Ill stop by and get new ones at radio shack and hopefully get the actuator working again.
Once I figure that out ill try the switch trouble shoot. This may take a few days but Ill up date you guys once I give it a shot.

 

Switch doesn't stay on.

 

@v5ensx, I finally put together my actuator. Tested it with a 9v battery this time. Had to learn my lesson the hard way. So actuator works and the button I took apart and found that the spring had popped out and wasn't allowing me to press it in all the way. Installed the button back in to place and it seems to work just fine. 1 click and the light on dash lights up and starts blinking. Second click and it turns off. Now my new problem is i hooked up the actuator and clicked the button to test it before I put it back in the diff and nothing happens... I checked the actuator again with 9v battery and it works just fine. Then I checked for 12v from the connector coming into the actuator and there is no power there. So moved on to the switch. Removed it and stripped it down completely to make sure I didn't miss anything and sure enough everything looks good. Next I checked the for power coming from the plug to the switch and my multi reader shows -12v? when I checked far left wire with second and third wire from the right side. I did find out a few strange things. If I connect the far right wire to the 3rd from the right it turns on my dash light? And if I connect the far right to the far left wire then the diff light turns on and blinks on the dash. But if I connect far right 2nd and 3rd wire well the I blow my fuse
Good thing I have an extra one. Any how non of those combinations turned on the actuator. Then I thought maybe when I did the grey wire mod I might of not grounded it properly. So I checked that out and it checked out. And last thing I did was go threw all the fuses to make sure. I thing else was blown and found nothing. Kinda stumped right now. Any guesses what I may be missing?7

 

Here try the FSM diag procedures. see attached pdf