Mad Chemist

Okay, here are the details, 98 SR5, came with factory electric locker. Just recently went on a long trip to Alaska from Seattle and back. After the 2nd day (~1000 miles), looked down, and noticed that the locker dash light was on, as well as the ABS light. (ABS is typically disabled when the locker is engaged, so I wasn't necessarily surprised to see both on). Stopped in a parking lot, checked locker switch, which was not depressed at the time, so there's no reason for that light to be on. Thought that some salt (they use alot of calcium chloride up there on the roads to keep the dust down/ ice) may have gotten into some connection and was causing some fault. This continued to be an intermittent problem for the remainder of the trip, lights would go out for a while, come back, with no apparent trend in when they would go on or off.

The locker itself, when this is happening, will not usually engage. When the switch is depressed, I can hear a click in the dash when the connection is made, but do not hear the locker click in or out. The locker light on the dash remains on, but still flashes like it normally does when it is trying to engage. The light on the dash basically flickers in intensity, just not completely on and off. Its hard to explain, but basically the light on the dahs is getting some current to it from some circuit that is grounded out somewhere, then with the switch depressed, is getting current from another circuit that is actually trying to engage the locker.

There are a total of seven wires that run to the the differential/locker assembly. A group of five, and a group of two. If I disconnect the bundle of five, the light on the dash remains on, if I disconnect the bundle of two, the light goes out.

I can get the locker to engage intermittantly, and just recently got it to work, so I turned it on/off several times going around parking lot to work loose anything that might have been gummed up.

So, my question is, what do those two wires run to? What does the locker assembly look like on the inside? Is there some type of position sensor that knows when the locker manages to engage, to go from the flashing light to the constant light in the cab?

Adam F

Read through the electrical section here


http://67.122.16.97/carterman/4runner/mods/locker/


Inside of the elocker

Mad Chemist

Thanks Adam, thats exactly the info I needed!

Shane

The bundle of two consists of the lock detection switch which serves to light up the dash light as the locker is mid lock or locked. If that connector is shorted out the indicator will light. Been staring at the diagrams for hours tonight getting my ECUs ready to install.

Also those 7 wires converge at a single connector about 20" up the harness, that's another possible place for corrosion and contamination.

Mad Chemist

Shane,

Yup, checked the main bundle further up as well. It appears working the locker for about 20 minutes may have done the trick, seems okay at the moment. Its so sporadic though that I'm going to have to give it a while to see if it comes back. Cross your fingers for me!