Front Differential 4WD Actuator Warranty Denial and Victory

Did you read all that?

 

Yessir

 

Can you fill me in? I started reading it yesterday and so far I’m only on chapter 27

 

No cheating!! Professor is gonna fail you!

 

Snape kills Dumbledore

 

spoiler!

 

Unfortunately this is the reason I had to get rid of mine. I can't have that thing failing on me.

 

What was the issue that you experienced with yours?

 

Long story short, I tried to shift from 4LO to 4HI doing some mild offroading on vacation down in Florida last week. After all the lights switched off and I felt the standard "clunk" associated with 4wd actuation,I switched into drive and made it about 10 feet before the tcase shreded itself. I believe the actuator failed to fully disengage. I was then stuck in 4wd until the dealership pulled my transfer case and dropped the drive shafts.

Here's my post right here. (With pics of the tcase): https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/farewell-taco.598234/

 

I actually read your thread a little bit ago! Sorry to here that! I've strongly considered doing the FJ manual t-case conversion, but I've got a nearly $40k truck with ~40k miles... Tough to start cutting into it.

 

If it's going to make it a better more reliable truck.... then should be no issue

 

If I also wanted to get rid of the ADD actuator - would I have to go to manual hubs, as 05Taco4x4 mentioned?

 

I was getting a 4hi light blinking and went to the dealer they told me 2k to replace the actuator. I said Hell no. Talked to the technician and he said these truck are notorious for having condensation build up in the actuator. I opened mine up and water started pouring out. I cleaned all the electrical components and now I'm trying to put it back together .

 

Good for you, glad you got the win in the end of all that. You certainly put in the work for it.

 

Sounds like it may be a larger issue than they'd like to admit... That's pretty much exactly what happened to mine.

 

I love seeing the customer get the win. So rare anymore.

 

Mine was a different situation. Mine was damaged while wheeling. But I've heard there is a issue with the actuator.

 

I'm going through the same issue at the moment, but apparently mine was damaged while wheeling. I had a look under the truck and the connector to the transfer case actuator was partially broken which I'm guessing they assumed the actuator had been hit as well.. You've given me inspiration OP, even if it is partially my fault

 

I had a 90 HiLux 4X4 that had a CV joint problem where Toyota tried the same defense. They said I had used the truck off road, that I used it for a purpose that it was not designed for and this voided the warrant in this matter. I ended up speaking with a regional service manager about it. I showed him Toyota's brochure for this truck and pointed out that it only showed the truck being used off road and in tougher conditions then I had ever used my truck in. I also had a VHS tape with a Toyota commercial for the 4X4 truck showing a similar usage. Toyota practically marketed these things as a race ready vehicle. I pointed out the truck was brand new, had few miles on it and this was noting more than a defective part they should replace. He decided to replace it when I asked who was the next person to speak to, and he could see I wasn't going away. You always have to be your own advocate when you deal with "The Man" 'cause he will always try to screw you.

By contrast, I worked as a warranty administrator at an Acura dealership when I was in college. We warrantied lots of things that were clear customer abuse and misuse because Acura wanted them to buy from them again. They set my expectations a little high for the other makes I've owned.