Why truck wont go into 4 LOW

I have a 2010 4 wheel drive tacoma 5 speed tranmission. It has a problem going into 4 Low. The light comes on saying 4L but isnt engaged and busses or dings. What could be wrong? I push clutch in before moving knob to 4 low but it doesnt change from 4 high to 4 low. Help?

 

Your owners manual has instructions

 

Click into 4 high till it locks, shift to neutral, let 4Lo lock in, then you can drive in selected gear

 

You have about 50/50 odds that the gears are lining up if the truck is sitting still. If not lined up it won't engage 4lo. It helps to have the wheels rolling slightly to get it to engage. Just letting out on the clutch a bit may help.

 

What?

You have to be in N to engage 4lo, hard to get the wheels to move in Neutral.

 

If you’re on a hill you might be able to do the rolling truck trick mentioned above. That one is a Jeep trick I heard a long time ago. Tacos are more reliable though. And yes you gotta be in neutral to go from 4hi to 4lo.

 

I have always found a hill or to pop in neutral while coasting to be helpful with this.

 

you mention you have a clutch aka manual trans.

Make sure you are all the way in 4HI... light is SOLID on the dash, easy to get into by shifting into 4hi while at some speed.

4LO, you must be under 3mph in neutral, and because you are a manual push that clutch TO THE MUFUGGIN FLOOR.... it needs to be allll the way on the floor. Then switch from 4hi to 4lo. and ill bet it goes.

 

Ha. On the 5-speed I had I would often close my eyes and pretend my goal was to push the pedal through the firewall and hit the engine, and that is what it took. OP, do not forget to also push in the 4WD switch while turning it from 4hi>4lo.

 

This^^^ All the way to the floor.

 

Just a thought but these trucks and 4runners are notorious for having a bad actuator. I hope its not this in your case.

 

I have a firm believer that the actuators on the truck need to be disassembled every few years, cleaned, regreased, and reinstalled.

Many people have done simply that and their four wheel drive is fixed.

 

I always come to a complete stop in order to go to 4LO. Mine is an auto. Also I put mine into 4 HI every so often and drive it off the asphalt to give every thing a chance to work.