I purchased an 08 tacoma, TRD Offroad package 6 cylinder yadda yadda....anyhow the only thing I wanted from the TRD offroad package was the locker; so I sucked it up and bought the whole friggin trd deal just to get the locker. Toyota bought my old tacoma and it had a lockright for 6 years with no troubles whatsoever. I get this brand new (2 miles on the odo) truck home, enjoying every minute of it, and decide to pull into my 20 acre cut hay field and check out the new e-locker. Long story short, it DOES NOT WORK. It will not engage, everyone I talk to at Toyota, and at the Dealership act like they've never had an e-locker issue in any new model tacos.

Does anybody have in information on my situation? I am a mechanic by trade and really would rather fix the problem myself if I could just get it troubleshooted for me by using other 08 tacoma locker-experiences.

Might I add also: the in-dash indicator light for the locker flashes constantly: meaning the truck knows it is not engaged. When the locker engages this indicator is supposed to light up and quit flashing.

ps- 4x4 works perfect.

Just an aggravated new tacoma owner.....who doesn't want to take the truck back to the dealership.....unless absolutely necessary.

 

Why not just spend the money on an ARB locker?

 

No warrenty? If my 2mile old truck had a problem with its locker I would be back at the dealer so damn fast their heads would spin!

Go back and make them fix it!!!!!!!!

 

Hey Chad, congratulations on the new rig.

The only time I have seen the flashing red light is if I try to engage the locker while in high.
With my rig it only engages while in 4WD low.

They should be able to diagnose it I would think, maybe a loose wire at the motor?

 

Good point corey...

remember, stock yota lockers will ONLY engage in 4WD low.

Don't touch your rear end, you paid for a 3\36,000 mile warranty when you got the truck..use it!

 

X2. Make the dealership deal with it.

 

Yes, Low range only and, you must not be moving. Just in case you didn't know. Not that I don't think you know how to operate it, but some don't so........

 

im curious as to the outcome on this, why wont it work in 4H ??

 

Probably a safety issue so you don't drive fast and forget its on then roll...

 

Set the Parking brake.
Put it in Neutral.
Engage 4WD-Low.
Now engage the locker.
I may require driving forward and swerving back and forth to get the splines to line up so the collar of the elocker and slide over.

It won't engage from Park, Reverse, Drive, ect. Only while stopped in Neutral, at least that is what worked for me when I test drove a TRD DC Taco last week.

Good luck.

 

WOW, It has been such a long time since I've been here on the site. I make one post after years of MIA and you all are here to help a "brother" out. Thanks for the replies to all of you. Tonight I crawled underneath my truck and removed all the vaccum? lines, as well as the electrical connector that plugs into the locker.
I let the truck sit for about 20 minutes, then started it up without any lines connected to the locker module, and then shut her off, plugged the stuff back together, started it up and WA-LAH...good as new.
Dunno...maybe a loose connection when they put it together at the factory.
Anyhow....I am soooo relieved. Tonight while fishing I backed my 14 ft john boat down into a river and went extra far just to have an excuse to test the locker out. Needless to say I am one happy tacoma owner again. PHEW.

You all asked why I just don't have the dealership work on it well:
I work 70+ hours a week....by the time I get off work I'm ready for bed....I don't have time to deal with the bs involved with the dealership diag'n my truck, getting me into a loaner vehicle, then fix'n it...by the time all that is said and done I could have taken care of it myself....and know it was done right...I don't trust any tech I don't personally know so I feel extremely leery of letting them tear apart my 29,674 dollar truck.

To answer the question on why I didn't just buy an ARB air locker: Toyota gave me a RIDICULOUS amount of money for my old buyback tacoma and after the financing and the massive rebates ontop of the 10,500 dollars I was given toward this 08 I just pretty much said to myself: "what the hell" I'll get the full blown trd offroad package

HMMMM...now to find the thread on the "GREY WIRE e-locker MOD"....off to the search button I go. I love this site.

 

damn i wish i had an old taco, then i could get a new one for cheap

but congrats on the new buy, and no sweat for the help, hell what are we all here for anyway..

EDIT:
(Although i was no help)