Front diff actuator

Ok new to the group. I'm having a problem with my 2009 tacoma. When I shift to 4H the light blinks. I took out the front actuator and put a cheap china one off eBay. No change. Took the old one a part and soldered the motor connections and checked the motor and it works. Plug it in and no change. Buy the high dollar dorman. And no change. I can hear the transfer case shifting

 

Did you give it time to engage? Ease forward and backward to engage it? Turn the wheel a little. Need some more details

 

I have the actuator hanging and plugged in

 

That didn’t answer anything

 

I have not installed the new actuator. I hooked the wire harness up to the actuator and it goes not move as you switch to 4H

 

So it’s somewhere in your wiring from switch to actuator

 

Ok in the morning I will start checking the wire harness. Have you heard of this problem before or places I should be looking for on the harness

 

Yes, it been heard of, and it can be tricky to diagnose.


Start with the links below.
To fix this, you really need to know what is happening, and how the system work.
Seriously, read the documents attached in those links.
I bet if you follow the steps, you’ll figure it out.
Good luck to you. Let us know if you figure it out.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-trouble-shoot-4x4-actuator.263525/page-7#post-8538436

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/4x4-problem-i-cant-resolve.575092/#post-19056025

 

Take off your transfer case actuator and check the metal rings for any corrosion. I just had this happen to me and the transfer case would not send the signal to the front ADD to move the collar. Had some rust on the 3rd ring that prevented it from making it's connection; sanded it away and worked instantly. It looks like this on the inside with 3 positions for 2H, 4H, & 4L where 2/3 of the contacts touch.

 

Thank you everyone

 

Ok here is were I'm at now. Reinstalled the new dorman front ADD. Still does not work. Took apart the transfer case actuator to check for corrosion and it looks good.

 

its in the harness somewhere

 

Just a friendly word of caution. I struggle with anybody using the words "Dorman" and "high dollar" in the same sentence. In my pretty extensive experience in the automotive world, Dorman is the Harbor Freight of auto parts.

 

That is the third actuator so I'm thinking that is not it

 

Going to try the TRANSFER INDICATOR SWITCH next.

 

I wish someone would make a Taco 4WD diagnostic box. Unplug the 4WD ECU. Plug the diagnostic box inline. The box would have a bunch of LEDs that indicate 4WD operation status of the power to actuators and the resulting switch status. It could even send a low voltage to the actuator motors with a LED in series to confirm motor and associated wiring continuity. I would build 1, but I'm not smart enough. The problem is that nobody would buy 1 until their 4WD fails. Then they want to get it fixed ASAP and not wait for the diagnostic box to arrive.

 

I would buy one. If this switch does not work I'm going to replace 4wd ECU

 

Update on this problem. The problem was a loose connection on the 4WD indicator switch. Thank you to everyone that took there time to help.

 

A multichannel recorder such as a yokigawa works just as well and you can monitor and go back in time to trend its performance. Label each input to its function and good to go.