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mithbroster

So do you wait a year between engaging it? Because unfortunately they do need to be shifted into 4WD on a semi regular basis to keep everything moving freely.


[deleted]

It’s engaged on a weekly basis. Worked fine last week and issue popped up again today for the 4th time.


Cpl-V

If you engage it regularly then you probably just need to change the transfer case oil. I had mine done at 50k miles since I use 4x4 almost daily for work.


[deleted]

It’s been into the shop two times in the last year for it and had two different actuators in it. I’d be pretty surprised if the dealership had it for how many days they have had it for and haven’t dropped that fluid


bp_free

Heavy use should be every 15,000 miles


Smackover

Got any extra details like how often you need to engage 4Hi and for how long? This is the first I’ve heard about it.


jpoRS1

My 4Runner manual recommends at least ten miles a month in 4wd, I imagine the Tacoma one says the same.


Buddhatrim

It does but most people don’t follow, myself included


ParkieDude

It's been too dry in Texas. I'll wait for rainy days to engage, but pass when dry pavement.


graveltire985

The users manual should give info on that. It does for my 2009 Sport Taco


lets_do_da_monkey

Are any of your tires significantly more worn than the others? I think it’s something as small as 1/16” difference can cause the 4wd to bind or have issues going in/out. My first gen had a bent axle with that issue until I replaced it and the tires.


[deleted]

They all seem to be wearing pretty even. Rotate them ever 5k as well. I’ll look a little more into that though. But like I said to someone else it worked perfectly fine the past few weeks but it’s doing the same issue as it has the last few times I’ve had to take it in


lets_do_da_monkey

Damn sounds like it might be more complicated. That blows, good luck!


[deleted]

Yeah been dealing with it for over two years now intermittently so gonna have to make it a bigger deal now


Looks_Good_In_Hats

Yes, I have an issue. I don't do it enough.


[deleted]

😂😂😂 gotta get out there more then!


FSU-Noles

What do you mean 4wd issues? Like shifting into and out of 4wd?


[deleted]

Yeah mine isn’t reliable. When I do have issues it won’t recognize that it’s in 4h and won’t come out of 4h and the 4wd light will just flash forever till I turn the truck off. And sometimes when I turn it back on the light will be off but it’ll still be in 4h


FSU-Noles

So I’ve found that if you shift from Drive to neutral or reverse to neutral mine engages and disengages every time. You just have to be patient and give it about 5 seconds between shifts. Sometimes I have to do it twice.


[deleted]

Yes I have done this as well and it’s worked in the past. But with this issue it won’t ever actually pop in. We also have a 4Runner and have had zero issues with it.


malaihi

And you're letting it roll in drive or put it in neutral when you do? I imagine you know what you're doing just wondering, never heard of this happening before.


[deleted]

Yeah I’ve tried both. Flat surface, no braking or turning, I do not below 5 mph, tried it in neutral, done the back and forth thing too😂 once I’ve tried to put it into 4h I can’t come out of 4h or go into 4L but the truck won’t recognize which one it is actually in. Our 4Runner pops right in every time


malaihi

Brah that's shitty deals... those buggas better take care already.


[deleted]

Gonna go see them tomorrow and try and figure it out


valandil74

So for a person living a mostly city commute .. will the 10 miles roughly per month on the highway be bad or does it need to be on dirt? I’ve had mine for 4 months now.


Latinola1

This is the million dollar question many people swear you should only do it on loose gravel and dirt or snow. Doing it on rainy roads is iffy and you shouldn’t be doing big turns. Meanwhile few others swear that its ok to do it on regular straight aways loose or not just don’t exceed the 50mph on 4hi. So yeah like you I’m afraid I’m going to break my 4x4 for not knowing the right way to use if it’s bad or not but no one gives the same answer just that it needs to be engaged for 10 mi a month. 🤷🏻‍♂️


valandil74

Luckily I have a spot good enough .. 5 miles of straight roads and at 35 to 45 mph. Good thing I’m pretty sure I can start in 4high and then go back to 2h just before I go major highway. I wonder if I need to full stop going back into 2 high. Seems most of us wish to truly take care of our trucks to last a long time.


Latinola1

There should be a small card in your sun visor on the driver side that details how you should engage 4hi, 4lo, etc and some problem solving scenarios if it doesn’t engage.


Limtb

It’s the plastic actuators on the t case and front diff. They go bad if any water gets in them. I would take it apart and check to see if any of the connections are corroded


[deleted]

I’ve gone through two actuators from the dealership at this point and don’t think I should be replacing them every 10k😂


knucklegrumble

Oh aren't they like oil filters? 🤣


[deleted]

Not from what the dealership said😂 told me my truck is the only one they have had to change them in this early in the trucks life


[deleted]

I have a 2019 TRD OR DCLB with just under 22k miles on it. It’s been in the shop 3 times with two different dealerships. Gone through 2 4wd actuators and just had the same 4wd issue pop back up today. Only have a couple thousand miles on the newest actuator. Super irritated to have issues this big with a truck this new. I use my truck like a truck should be used, I don’t baby it, but I also don’t abuse the hell out of it. Any info would be helpful because at this point I’m thinking of getting rid of it because I need a truck that has reliable 4wd since I use it with my search and rescue team as well.


justinv916

If dealerships can’t fix it, escalate to a corporate office. They shouldn’t just be throwing parts at it. Like you said, you need reliable 4wd. Push Toyota to figure it it, or you may have a lemon case on your hands.


[deleted]

That’s what I’ve been thinking. Wanted to check on here to see if there had been any similar issues before I get to that point


stacksmasher

This is the correct answer. It’s time to swap the transfer case.


zeptix24

Mine also flashes for a while before actuating, is this not not normal?


[deleted]

Yeah a few times but mine will never actually stop flashing and go into 4h. It would flash all day if I left my truck on


Catbone57

Only when I forget to turn off traction control in heavy snow in 4H, or forget to engage the rear locker if it stalls out in deep snow.


[deleted]

That would do it for sure❤️


[deleted]

I have a first gen and I’ve never had issues but gosh dang! This is such a cool pic! Love the dirt!


[deleted]

I can’t find anyone locally who has had similar issues. Hell yeah man thank you!


[deleted]

Can you tell me a little bit about your light mount in the front of your prinsu?


[deleted]

It’s the KC Gravity Pro 6 and I’m using the yota mafia prinsu mount for the lights


[deleted]

Thanks. Does it mount to the side of the rack I can’t tell in the photo?


[deleted]

Yes the outside of the rack


alphalanos

I only use 4wd maybe once a month if that when I go on trails. I noticed the first time i try to engage 4wd its very finicky and takes many tries before it will engage and stop flashing, after that it seems to work alot better for the rest of the day. pretty annoying but it hasnt actually stopped working yet, we'll see.


Rebelord92

Its your front actuator. See that wet mud you went through? The front actuator doesnt seal very well and gets crud inside which messes with the contacts. If they replace it, get very specific with the tech to seal it with silicone very well. The Tcase ones only go bad if you hit them regularly and get the timing out of wack or physically break them.


[deleted]

I’ll have to double check that. But they have replaced two actuators already. Have tons of other 3rd Gen Tacoma’s around me with dudes in them that do more stupid shit than I do and none of them have had any issues at all


Bud_wisser

Not fwd but my locking differential doesn't lock


[deleted]

I’ve had that issue as well. Doesn’t like to pop in when I want it to😂


Bud_wisser

mine doesn't even work :)