billybob

My wife is having trouble getting the 2001 4runner into 4wd. She drove 10 miles on icy roads the other morning and the indicator on the dash flashed the whole time.
Sometimes if you let off the gas it goes in easier, but nothing would work when she really needed it.
Dealer checked it out and could find nothing wrong.
We have no problem at all with the 2001 Tundra. Are these two different systems?
I've seen other post about this and was wondering if everyone has this problem?:cry:

donc

My 95 4Runner was difficult to shift until I switched to synthic gear oil.

Darren

The hard shifting isn't what he was asking about, donc. Well, kind of, but not in that sense.

I guess I'll take a stab. First of all, welcome Billy. Usually, the easiest way to engage 4WD is to be going straight and let off the gas. Works for me every time and is immediate. If you have constant pressure on the accelerator, it can take awhile to do its thing. Similarly, if you're turning the slightest bit, it probably won't engage. 10 miles is certainly pushing this over the top, and it should have engaged by then. I guess you'll have to keep playing with it out on the street to see if this method works. If not, it does not sound normal to me.

When I first got mine, I thought enabling the part-time system was kind of stubborn. It was (is) no where as difficult to get to engage as locking the center diff which can sometimes take an act of God! After an outing or two, I realized what the magic touches were that it requires.

Good luck!

donc

Yep, that's what I thought he said - his wife couldn't get the rig to shift into 4WD. Mine shifts into 4WD better than with stock gear oil. I also stop and shift as it is much easier to get into 4WD while not in motion.
Just my .02 worth.....

Darren

A '95 and '01 are totally different.

The '01 doesn't require manual shifting. It has a button.

billybob

My Tundra is also push button and it goes in as soon as you push the button, even on dry pavement at 50 mph. My wifes 4 Runner is a different story. Letting off the gas helps, but I wish it would engage like the Tundra. (She needs all the help she can get when it comes to driving)