Transfer Case Actuator

Just a heads up so you can watch out for this problem.

I purchased a 2017 TRD off road 4x4 access cab with premium and tow package with Quicksand paint. Cat help but love this truck.

Problem is I have only driven it 465 Miles and now it's in the service department as it won't come out of 4Lo.

Picked it up Sunday, drove around Monday, drove to work Tuesday and took it up a dirt road in 4Hi and down again. All fine. Wednesday at lunch took it up a hill in crawl and at the top tried to get it back to 4Hi or 2wd. No go. Flatbed to dealer.

That was last week and I'm still waiting for answers. I'm told the transfer case will need to be split and a new actuator installed. It was an electronic failure, I was told.

Is this right? Why so new and a problem, any one else had this happen?

 

You aren't the first to have this problem. Others with similar experiences had the same diagnosis. Doesn't seem too common but looks like you just got unlucky.

There are a small amount of bad parts in every production run, that's what the warranty is for. At least it is a problem that is easy to diagnose and fix.

 

Geez you really have to split open the transfer case to replace the shift actuator?

 

The way i see it, the more things go wrong the more fixes/tsbs/recalls. So i thankyou. My 16 has/had its fair share of issues. The more we complain and take it to get work done the more benefit for future taco owners. Would be nice to not have issues . But its the way she goes.

 

Just got off the phone and the part has not yet arrived but should be in today or tomorrow.

The best news was I finally got the process info for the repair. It will not be as involved as I first thought, read, or assumed. It is an electronic actuator on the back of the transfer case and will only need to be removed and replaced. No removal of the transfer case and no opening of it either.

For the past week I've been dreading the repair, mainly because no one supplied the information from any of Toyota's personal. Finally today the Assistant Service Manager led me through the process. When the part does arrive the old one will be removed, the new one bolted on and then tested. This should take about three hours from the time the part comes in. The longest part of the process is waiting for the part to arrive.

 

My prediction is that a lot of us are going to be doing this after warranty runs out. An electric motor and associated solder/contacts in that location is just asking for long term issues after enough miles of vibration, wet, and cold. The good news is it's an easy DIY and there will be plenty of junkyard units from other Third Gens (Smittys, the one that got Dukes of Hazzarded by the escaped inmate, etc). I just replaced the actuator stepper motor and computer on the wife's Cayenne. It took 4 hours, and going by the general German-to-Japanese repair shitshow conversion, this means the Tacoma should only take about 45 minutes!

 

This could be a problem in the boonies. Is there a way to manually get it out of low range to avoid a tow? Is anyone familiar with this actuator/motor and how to work it manually?
Thanks, J

 

Haven't had to do it - not even on my '05. An idea: tap the actuator with a hammer, like you would a failing starter motor, and then apply power directly using a battery. Next get back home and work on your real repair.

 

Sure do miss the second lever. Stupid buttons.

 

Totally agree...buttons stupid. Had issues w/actuators on gm trucks I have had too.

 

The trick is just where to check for power- or apply power in that bunch of wires, in case you just lost a switch- or how to manually move the servo actuator- anyone had this apart?

 

My actuator went out after about a month after buying the truck. Took about 2 weeks to get the parts. The transfer case does come apart but it's not that bad. Works great now. Covered under warranty....

 

I told Toyota corporate that there should be a way to manually shift all components if the electronics fail. If, or when, this happens outside of warranty I will surely find out, if not sooner. What was wrong with mechanical levers?

I used to spend months at a time doing exploration work in Australia and we relied on our Toyota Land Cruisers and sometimes we used a Hilux, but not for extended work. I would do repairs in the field but if now days if an electrical component goes out and you don't have a spare one would be SOL. There are ways I have seen of moving some components but that was on an earlier model. For my 2017 I have only driven it for a few days and am not that familiar with all the workings. Does anyone have detailed diagrams of the transfer case and other mechanicals as factory workshop manuals are too hard to find?

 

Eliminating Levers has got to be financially related, I would much rather have a mechanical lever over switches!

 

No way is a button cheaper then a lever. Keyless entry, keyless ignition, very George Jettson but not cheaper.

 

They follow Kaizen and each Action Work Out is to make it cheaper, eliminate weight, parts reduction, and faster cycle time. The switch may be a few pennies more but weighs less, uses fewer parts, and speeds up the assembly process, so yes Cheaper.

 

I asked the Toyota mechanic that replaced my actuator that very question.

He said most people want a button to push, not levers to move....Beats me, I like the levers.

 

I was told it has to do with interior design. Being forced to work around the shifters is limiting for them. Probably also has to do with speeding up assembly, too. I dunno, I wish trucks were just trucks again, mechanical levers and actuator with just enough technology so I don't get bored listening to tires humming.

 

It keeps getting worse too, the trend now on Automatic equipped Vehicles is doing away with the shifter and going with a Dial or a couple Buttons, seems like a bad idea.

 

What else would he say? Asking a mechanic a question for an engineer and a CFO.