I have a 07 trd man. trans with roughly 50k miles.
about 2 days ago I tried to see if the locker would still engage just to make sure its in working order. I was not able to get the locker to engage or get anything showing me the truck is in 4lo or the atrac is on or working when the button is pressed...(im not getting any dash lights except the blinking one for the locker that wont engage). no 4x4 light, no atrac or any type of light
They systems haven't been used before so im thinking i didnt use it so i lost it kinda thing happened on this. But i will not be able to sleep at night until i get this thing back in working order it will just bother me.
Question #1. when I shift to 4lo shouldn't a dash light come on telling me i have done so. The truck is diffenatly in a lower gear but i get no light. Im thinking if this was corrected 1st if indeed a problem the other things might be solved by a truck that doesn't realize its in 4lo
question #2. Does atrac give any dash lights once its engaged. I seem to remember it does when i bought the truck i tried them just to see how things worked but that was a dirt road under 5 minutes kinda test.
question #3.if you have any links to helpful articles or videos pleas post
heres a quick video i made, i have spent about 30 mins trying to get the locker to engage and cannot.
I found this while searching earlier but i want to narrow down to make sure i have bad switches before i assume thats the problem
You probably have 1 or more (there are 3) bad transfer case switches. You could also have a malfunctioning ADD unit (this engages the front drive when shifted to 4x4). If you can shift to 4x4 and get a solid 4x4 light on dash then it's most likely the T-case switches. This is a depressingly common problem on FJs and Tacomas. Search for transfer case switch and you will find numerous threads discussing this. The switches are in the $50-$80 range and are not too hard to change out if you have a 1-1/16" crowfoot style flare nut wrench. They can also be by-passed and instructions for doing so will be found in previously mentioned threads.
This should be covered under the 60k drivetrain warranty.
do you know if there's a way to narrow down switches to see which is not working. Does this make the diagnostics throw any error codes even if its not showing a dash light for maintenance, would that help.
Also does simply putting it in 4lo make a dash symbol come on?
ill search and post any write ups i find on switch stuff but if you know anything to refer to please post. Thanks for your reply
I am sure the rear Locker is just fine and the only reason is not engaging since it can not communicate with the ECU and the rest of the system. since the ECU is not reading that you are in LL. The rear Locke will only engage if you are in LL and when the ABS system is also disabled by the system Like the previous poster I am positive it is the switches.
thanks for your help. Im working away from home right now and wont be back to my garage until probably mid summer. I hope this is something i could fix with minimal tools
ok after reading up as much as i can on my lunch break i want to find the quickest/best fix for a trans switch and a way to make sure that is the problem..im 99% sure it is.
If anyone has a link to a good write up please post up. My eyes are strained from looking through so much this morning but i want to fix it correctly/for good... even if its going an alternate than stock route such as a switch or whatever is used to make the cpu think its in 4lo
any tips on the best place to buy the switch/ a write up on how to determine if that is the problem?
I had this same problem with my 07 manual as well. I spent about 30 minutes rocking the truck from LL to HL and moving the steering wheel to kinda get the gears lined up so that the rear locker would engage. I just kept working it and the lights came back on. I would try this and make absolutely sure that you have to replace a switch before replacing it.
I'll see if I can find the thread I started that May help you a little bit.
Thank you spitfire that thread link has a lot of good information. I'm going to experiment when I get time with it but I currently can't get any lights to come on or the locker to engage. But the transfer case is operating correctly. I'll look and see if it's got a sweet spot
What's annoying is when I was trying to decide between the fj and the Tacoma and I choose the fj because it has a manual transfer case instead if a push button like the taco and that was a factor as I thought issues like this wouldn't arise.... O well I was wrong
Its the two switches in the T-case. I have an 07 with the manny tranny. You might be able to get the switches working again by working the leaver through the range.
To get HL to work, so the VSC light (car with squiggles) come on, I had to almost finesse it to find just the right spot. For LL I found of all things, put it into LL and go off roading, getting everything nice and toasty and lubricated.
With LL there will be no light that comes on to say you are in LL, what does come on is the VSC light and trac, that tells you the ECM see the LL switch, when you activate ATRAC, "ATRAC" will light in green.
a HUGE THANKS to everyone who gave tips and advice. I spent about 20 minutes shifting it between the transfer case options and all of the sudden it started showing dash lights again. I think it was a case of I didnt use it so i lost it.
I still cant get the locker to engage the light just keeps blinking but ill have some time to tinker with it later in the weekend.
The locker can be sticky too if it doesn't get used often, specially with the cold. When you can find a fairly open space with a surface that isn't pavement and will let the tires slip a little.
Toss it into LL, press the locker button and drive forwards or back and turn the wheel left and right, do this at a fairly slow speed. It may take a few tries but should work. If it doesn't after a few minutes, there may be an issue with the actuator.
now im having trouble getting anything out of the atrac and locker functions, no light for atrac and the locker light just blinks. Im going to mess around more tomorrow but If you have any more tips they have been a huge help
thanks again to everyone who posted it helped alot. i take longer to catch on with electronics sometimes
The LL switch may still not be functioning, with out that switch working ATRAC and the locker will not engage, unless you unplug and by pass the switch.
after trouble shooting and reading until my head hurts on here im thinking it might be the 4l transfer case position switch.
Do you know where a write up or info on that topic would be?
What im trying to do is locate the switch and the test it to see if that is indeed the problem. Ive read people mentioning that once you located the switch something can be done to test it such as using a paper clip to connect the two points and see if that makes the dash light come on,.., think i read thats how it worked.
If i can determine this is the problem i might try and clean/unplug/replace the switch or a bypass as i have read but i want to make sure its the reason for the locker not actuating and the atrac not coming on
Finally got some time to tinker with it. Tried to get to the sensor from below and gave up and tried from inside the cab. Disassembled everything around the shifters to try and reach and the hole was just to small for me to get my hand in there. I took the shifter off the top of the transfer case to try and make room for my hand to fit and still not enough clearance. I gave up and assembled everything not being able to reach the sensor. Then when I started it up everything works. Atrac, locker engages. I am going to try and find some sand dunes or whatever they have here on the coast in the next week or so to give it some use.
I had the same issue, I bought a Stanley J4934FL Proto 12 Point Flare Nut Crowfoot Wrench 3/8-Inch Drive 1-1/16-Inch from amazon, took off both switches from the transfer case. Banged them on a bench bearing side down, re-installed them and everything works now.
I thought that the switches were defective but it turned out that they probably had some crap on the connections on the inside and knocking them on the bench may have cleaned it off. It has been over a month and I test almost every other day and everything still works.
The socket was suggested from Toyotatech1 on the Low Lock Sensor thread, hope this helps
I had the same issue on mine for the low lock sensor. I looked at where is was at and said no way. There is a Rear locker hack on this forum that by passes this switch & when you press the locker button it come on & disables all of the electronic nannies to boot. You add a ground & cut a wire on the 4X4 computer in the kick panel by your left foot as you drive. Great mod and easier & cheaper than replacing the switch
i had this same issue and i just cut the switch off after the connecter and made a manual switch. easy and now i can use the locker and atrac in 4hi too
I agree Wouldn't have any other way! Perhaps Abby normal
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