SlowMo

Im currently looking to buy a 2001 SR5 4runner with about 36K miles on it. Its in great shape but, I have a few questions.

This particular truck is an automatic. It took me a bit to find out how to actually drive it while sitting on the lot and going through the manual.

Now, Im really ignorant about the 4x4 and how to use the 4x4 shifter so bear with me and my terms.

I was able to drive normaly with the transmission drive in "drive" and the 4x4 shifter in H (there was 4L, N and H on the knob) That part was fine. However when I was driving (with the 4wd button on the side of the 4x4 shifter knob out) there was a blinking icon in the center of my dash near the speedometer. (It looks like the underside of the truck, 4 wheels and axels). From reading the manual, I should have been set in 4x2 driving with the 4wd button out and the shifter in H, but from the blinking icon it seemed as if the truck believed I was in 4x4 driving.

Going through the manual was confusing me(as most likely this post is for you). I was reading 3 different things that can happen and the one thing that was happening didnt seem like it should have been.

In a nutshell, I want to know why the icon was blinking (broken 4wd, something I did, etc) so I can either cross it off my list as a potential truck or laugh at myself for doing something stupid.

Is the blinking icon normal in "regular" driving? My wife and myself seem to think that theres something wrong.

Hopefully I didnt confuse you to much, but I really want and need some help from the more experienced crowd.


Thanks a lot in advance.

Bluedog

Mine stays in 4WD Hi all the time. When you want to engage the front wheels, just push the 4WD button on the side of the shifter. It blinks until the front wheels are engaged. If you are stopped, it might not engage, the same may happen if you are rolling at speed. I have found, if you change your speed(tap the brakes) you will actually hear it pop in. Then the 4 green wheels will stop blinking.

That's how I do it.

Good luck

SlowMo

Ooooh...So the blinking display is actually normal? (I always thought something blinking like that was either "A problem" or a device you only use occasionally and the vehicle wanted you to know it was in use) Its perfectly normal in regular driving with the 4x4 shifter stuck in H? I was afraid to turn on the 4wd button and screw something up only because I had a 1978 wagoneer that went through hell if I used 4wd to much (tires shreaded).

If this is true, I feel more comfortable buying it. Thanks a lot!

Now my wife has no excuse to let me have it...heh

Bluedog

The blinking should stop after a few seconds. Change up your speed and drive in a straight line until it fully engages.

lee

the 4wd shifter in a 2001 works as such:

when youre in 2wd, the button is out, and the shifter is placed in H. When you want 4wd to be on, you push the button in. the lights will begin to blink. you must be in motion for it to actually engage. once you get to a decent roll, youll hear a "pop"/"clunk!" and the lights will stay on. this means 4wd H is on. to go into low, come to a stop, shift your auto tranny into N, then shift the 4wd shifter all the way forward. dont do this too quick or youll hear the crunch!

the general rules are:
-dont shift into 4wd above 55mph or so, it will not engage
-if you want to turn it on while driving (say at 25 or 30 mph), it wont engage if you are accelerating (so let off the pedal while in motion and it should engage right away -- mine does)
- to disengage you must also be in motion.

lee

i know this sounds complicated, but its really just complex in writing

SlowMo

OK I understand now. Thanks fer the help. The only thing though, while in 2wd and driving it a few miles to anf from the showroom, the icon never stopped blinking. THATS the thing that was concerning me.

I started the truck, drove off, came back and not once did it stop blinking in 2wd.

lee

did you try pushing the button in, letting it engage, then pushing the button back out and letting it disengage?

if it really does always blink, it's messed up.

2001Millrunner

Sounds like ur transfercase is either jammed or computer doesnt know what it's doing. I had that happen to me once when i first got the truck. I turned off the truck, disconnect the battery to reset computer, reconnect batt., started the truck, started driving and let tranny shift it got fixed and problem did not come back since. Usually when you let off the gas while driving system easly engage/disengage. Blinking all the time is not good hopefully this is just a computer issue. Maybe you can also disengage all gears(gear shifter,transfercase shifter) then set it back on?.

Bluedog

Well written. Perfect.

I have heard, but not actually seen, that if the 4WD system isn't used often, it can get all frozen up. Could that be the cause of the blinking light?

lee

thats something ive heard as well. the dealer has some 'splainin to do!