Aright I tested the front diff sensor and it was good (used my mm, placed the + on one plug and - on the other and pressed in the sensor and it beeped). Then, I tested the two sensors furthest back on the transfer case (driver's side) and the both of them tested bad (no beep when pressing in the senors). Should I just order them and see if it works? BTW a parts guy from the dealership told me there are a total of four sensors on my tc, where are the other two? Thanks in advance. LMK asap

 

Good Luck... The hardest part was finding the right switch... Mine on the 2002 4runner was on rear actuator top side.. not sure on the 2000.

 

I used a contact cleaner to repair mine.. a can of cleaner should run about 10 to 15$ . I pressed in the switch end sprayed contact cleaner inside and then kept pressing the switch several times while my MM was hooked up. When it starting beeping switch was good but I sprayed in a bit more worked switch a bit more and bingo works GREAT... has been a few months now no problems .. and I do test it once and awhile.
Seeing the switches are about 150$ each it's worth a try..
Not sure where the other 2 are ... I only found 2.

Good Luck

 

I went to the dealership after class today and had one of their techs test the sensors. One tested bad (way too high) and the other one was iffy. So I just ordered both of them. Part #s are 84222-12010 & 84222-60081 (Transfer Ind. Switches 1 & 2)=$150. The parts guy printed a layout of the sensors for me (look at pic below) the other two sensors (3 & 4) are right next to each other (same side as 1 & 2 but closer to the front end) and the Center Diff sensor is on the other side. I will be checking these out tomorrow. In the pic, 3 & 4 have pigtails and 1 & 2 don't.

Another question regarding testing the actuator on the tc. Is the actuator (switches from 2wd to 4wd) the one buy the 1 & 2 sensors? Do I perform this by having the truck on (running with it in N) or off? Never tested anything using a battery charger and don't really want to mess anything up.

Thanks for the quick reply dvanty. I read your post after ordering them

 

hi- thanks for the diagram...do you have names of the other sensors? thanks again.

 

The two sensors fixed the 4runner

lekiboy,

84222B & D are the other two Transfer Indictor Switches (3 & 4)
84222E is the Center Diff. Sensor and 84222F is the Front Diff. Sensor.


I want to thank Doug for making this thread and everybody else who posted on this thread, you guys were a huge help and saved me alot of $$$. Now I have to get back to working on my Talon.

 

2000 4Runner 4wd limited owner, 159k miles. My 4wd locked with lights flashing, not turning well, found the post on here to change the front diff. switch/sensor. The problem with that was to get the right wrench which I had to customize by shaving some from top and bottom, and cutting it in half just to make it fit since its tight in there, got the old sensor off, put new one in, started car and tested, lights stopped blinking and 4wd works flawless. I wanted to thanks everyone for the knowledge, I love my truck and want to keep it 4 a long time.

 

Amazing! I have just created an account to testify how this thread save me $2,505+TAX!!! I read many of the same stories. I was at first skeptical by the number of success stories and was not sure that my situation would apply. Here it is if it can help and maybe get some else to get under the truck to get the problem fixed!

4Runner, year 2000, limited, 175k
- The truck never really went in and out of 4wd early, even at the beginning when I bought it used with 40k.
- Problem got worse to the point that I took it to the dealer two years ago. Diagnostic (now that I know it was BS): Must replace front diff actuator. $450. I went ahead and had the front actuator replaced. However, I can't say that it really helped.
- The problem go worst last winter. I got stock in 4wd, with the lights flashing on the dashboard. One of the differential was also stuck/locked because it would be very painful to turn on sharp corner. The wheels where skidding.
- Took the car to the dealer. They "unlocked" it manually and return it to 2wd. They told me that the problem was now the Transfer case actuator... $2500+TAX was the quote. I took the car out of the dealer and promissed myself never to hit the 4wd button again.
- Last week, while replacing the car stereo, I accidently did hit it and the transmission got locked up again (4wd, light flashing, differential locked with wheels skidding around corners).
- Took the car back to the dealer, and requested a "Manual" unlock. There is where the story get interesting. The stealer told me that the t-case actuator was now shot to the point that they could not "manually" unlock me. These ##%% were holding me hostage with the transmission locked. I asked many questions but was given the run around. I truly wanted to know if they had positively determined that the t-case actuator was shot (I had read this post last week and was aware of the possible mis-diagnostic). I never got a good story and took my car home, with the light flashing and a differential locked.
- When I got home, I crawled under the car, removed both the front differential and t-case skid plates (as described by many above). On my 2000 4runner, "The t-case switches" are located on the top of the t-case actuator, on the back of the t-case. I removed both switches and tested them. Unfortunately, both showed continuity when depressed, which meant they were good.
- I then looked for the front switch. I saw the newer looking front diff actuator that those @##$% at the dealer had put two years before. The switch was located on the back side of the differential (I crawled under from the passenger side - email me if you need directions). I was able to take the switch out with an adjustable wrench. Not ideal but I did not have a 27mm socket. I am no mechanic and only have a multimeter and a wrench to work with.
- As I was getting ready to test the switch, I was wanting so bad for the part not to work. Guess what? The front switch was indeed shot!!!! (no continuity with the plunger pressed or depressed)
- A trip to the dealer and $61 later, I had the right switch on hand.
- Put the switch back in, fired the engine and head the "cluck clunck" of the t-case!!!! AMAZING. I can now put the truck in and out of 4WD, HI, Lo, etc. any time I want.

- I litterally took me two hours from the moment when I left the dealer with my updated $2500+tax quote to the moment when I had fixed the problem by myself, for $61.

I would like to thank everyone that has posted info here over the last few years. The thread truly saved me a ton of money.

My dealer is either incompentent or dishonnest.

Bastoune

 

Awesome success story... and just makes my blood boil that a Toyota DEALER would not be able to figure this out correctly, and jumped to the Transfer Case actuator. Bravo for this thread!

 

Thanks so much for this thread. I haven't been on yota for a long time b/c my wife's truck hasn't needed anything...until now. We are in the middle of a major snowstorm and we went for a quick trip to the grocery store to get a few items in case we're snowed in for a day or so. We engaged 4wd for the first time in our brief ownership and got the same symptoms everyone else is generally complaining about here. I have to head out of town for a few days but I'll be ordering the sensors (and buying a 27mm socket) and doing this repair ASAP. This will be my first project on the 99 Limited, and HUGE thanks to OP and the other contributors on this thread for help troubleshooting and likely saving me real money!

 

Gotta report my success here. This thread saved me big time! Pretty easy repair, and OP's fix was right on. No more blinking indicator, no more "stuck in 4wd"!

Thanks again, OP, for this perfect thread!

 

dealer shops know all this

many will just change or clean a $60 switch and charge the $2500

often the mechanic doing the work doesnt even know or care what the writer charges the customer

one reason they keep customers out of the service area

 

Thanks to all who posted this on this tread, you really saved me a bunch.
A little background on my '99 4runner. When I bought it a year ago for a really good price, the MM 4wd would not work. After tracking it to a missing fuse it started to work. Occasionally it would get stuck flashing with the center diff locked, but usually it would clear after a few miles. Recently I had new tires installed at Firestone and had a fluid check done. The mechanic remarked that the transfer case looks like it was rebuilt recently as there was traces of red RTV on the seams. I started wondering why a rebuild when there is clearly very little wear on the truck overall.

After reading this thread I formed a conclusion. The previous owner experienced the sticking m/m 4wd and took it to the dealership for service. They most likely diagnosed it as a broken fork or some other bogus reason to rebuild it. The problem promptly returned after the rebuild by the dealership. The owner pulled the fuse to try to hide the problem and unloaded the truck quickly in a panic. Anyway that is my theory, and explains why I got it for a great deal.

Yesterday during a torrential rain, I switched it into 4wd. The center diff locked and it just flashed and would not unlock. After reading this thread i located and pulled the ADD position switch on the front diff. Meter test showed open whether compressed or released. I thoroughly cleaned it by submerging in M.E.K. and actuating the plunger about 50 times. Tested again and it now measures short when compressed and open when released. Reinstalled it and the 4wd now clicks in and out quickly. In fact it switches so fast it doesn't flash more than one blink on disengage. I clicks in instantly on engagement. Total repair time including jacking the truck and locating the tools, about 20 min. Total cost, about 50 cents in cleaning fluid.

I am convinced that as long as all lubricants are maintained, nothing ever actually "Breaks" on these 4runners. (Much like my 85 pup) So far all repairs are hoses, belts, bulbs, and cleaning of switches and contacts.

Thanks again to all who contributed to this tread and this forum!

 

I just ordered 84222E and 84222F sensors....are these the one's that people are replacing or did I order the wrong sensors? Should I have ordered the "switches" 84222 (1) and 84222 (2) ?? I think I may have ordered the wrong pieces....but then again if they don't fix the problem I will just order the other two as well. LOL

-JM

 

Some guys on another forum cross referenced these parts [ switches 84222 (1) and 84222 (2)]. Thought you guys might like to save a few bucks!

http://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-te...10-switch.html

here they are:
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,ca...,parttype,4240

I chose the Beck/Arnley ones for $16.00 versus OEM which is around $60.00 a pop. Pretty easy choice!

 

Great find. But did you test which ones were bad? I replaced 1 & 2, those fixed my light (My 4runner was stuck in 4wd btw). After a couples months after changing them it start blinking again (wouldn't go into 4wd this time) so I just pulled the 4wd fuse after the sensors tested good. Put the fuse back in after a week and the lights stopped blinking and it would go into 4wd again . So just order the other ones and check back if those don't work.

 

I am just going to replace all 4 sensors/switches on the transfer case. No sense in returning the other two sensors I got from Toyota.

 

It's great when you can save money and not get ripped off in the process

 

Found a good read on the FJ Cruiser site about their ADD actuators going out.

http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forum...placement.html

Pretty darn simple device! I should be getting my switches and sensors in either tomorrow or Tuesday. If neither the switches or sensors fix my problem I know I will be replacing my actuator.

I assume replacing the ADD actuator is about as straight forward for the 3rd generation 4Runners as it is for the FJ Cruiser right?

 

Ironic and funny, Toyota's problem matrix chart in the factory service manual (on page TR-40) for the 3rd generation 4Runner does not suggest testing or replacing the "switches" that are being found to be the common culprits as noted in this and many other threads.