Shifting into 4H.

I have a brand new 2023 Tacoma. Today while driving on the highway I attempted to switch to 4wd but light started blinking. I let off the throttle and then it went solid green. I was traveling below 62, but was slightly accelerating. I tried it again later and same thing, had to let off the throttle and coast to go in. Is this normal? Is it normal procedure to have to let off the throttle before engaging 4H?

 

Yup coast, no load, straight line.

 

It flashes when it is engaging, and is solid when it is fully engaged. This is normal.

You do not have to take your foot off the gas, but I wouldn't flog it......

For best results, read your manual.

 

Practice makes perfect.

 

Normal. In the 3 years I had my Tacoma I never had a 4wd engagement with load. Always had to coast.

 

Yep agree. Read the manual ask questions if you don’t understand. If not you will be back in here in a few months asking why you hear a loud grinding and why it won’t go into 4 hi or lo.

 

Don’t over think it. The 2hi <=> 4hi transition is very reliable when moving in a straight line at a constant hiway speed. It’s a very frequent thing during winter in places where it snows.

 

completely normal and not just unique to toyota.

 

Don’t disengage 4hi when the driveline is under load. You’ll get a big bang from the transfer case driveline. Always engage and disengage when coasting

 

I prefer engaging at a standstill. Thoughts are fewer moving parts fewer possibilities for something to go very wrong.

 

Behavior is normal.

^- This is it exactly.

 

I prefer to take it easy and coast as shifting into 4-high. Very simple and much better than the old days when you had to get out, backup and lock the hubs.

 

I thought the manual said to do while moving.

 

All good advise. Just don’t forget to engage 4hi at least once a month. Even in the city on asphalt. Just make sure you are driving straight. Do it a number of times. Keeps everything working.

 

That’s unreliable and impractical in my experience.

 

4H to 4L or vice versa, yes….2H to 4H and vice versa, no, not at all.

 

The system shifts the transfer case pretty much immediately. The remainder of the shift is typically the ADD moving the fork over on the front diff. Turning the steering wheel slightly can help with this because the fork has to match the right side axle shaft splines up to the intermediate shaft which is going the same speed as the left wheel and rear wheels. Turning just slightly takes away the misalignment and lets the fork slide over to do its thing. Otherwise you may experience 3-5 seconds of blink before the ADD completes the shift.

 

This is true but I’d do anything to have those hubs back on my Tacoma.

 

You planning to do a solid axle swap then? I mean, you did say you'd do "anything" to get them.

 

If you have a locker, I'd also advise to exercise engaging that periodically too.... for the same reason. Just do it under proper conditions for locking.

.... Like me trying to scare Mrs. Arc going up our 400+ foot driveway locked and backwards in the snow as fast as can.... just cuz I can