Cant get out of 4x4

[ilikemax]

Hi,

On a trip this past weekend, I had the deli full of gear, people and 4 bikes on the back. While "entering" the camp ground area, I got my self on some awkward ground and had to use the 4x4 to get out. It looks like it put alot of pressure on the van and when I tried to get it out of the 4x4 it wouldn't got. The orange C/D lock light and front wheel green lights on the dash display kept blinking and would not turn off. I am still a newbie and was nervous to drive it in 2WD while those lights were flashing. I kept it in 4WD the entire way home. I had serious resistance making sharper turns and parallel parking - is this typical while in 4WD? Fingers crossed that I haven't done something really stupid! Is this a common problem or should I be making tracks to CVI pronto?

I found this post on a delica UK site... thoughts?
http://www.mdocuk.co.uk/forums/viewtopi ... e4ef490761


max

[Rising Sun Auto Import]

Hi,

On a trip this past weekend, I had the deli full of gear, people and 4 bikes on the back. While "entering" the camp ground area, I got my self on some awkward ground and had to use the 4x4 to get out. It looks like it put alot of pressure on the van and when I tried to get it out of the 4x4 it wouldn't got. The orange C/D lock light and front wheel green lights on the dash display kept blinking and would not turn off. I am still a newbie and was nervous to drive it in 2WD while those lights were flashing. I kept it in 4WD the entire way home. I had serious resistance making sharper turns and parallel parking - is this typical while in 4WD? Fingers crossed that I haven't done something really stupid! Is this a common problem or should I be making tracks to CVI pronto?

I found this post on a delica UK site... thoughts?
http://www.mdocuk.co.uk/forums/viewtopi ... e4ef490761


max

You may need to replace one of these two part if it goes locked continuously.
4WD Vacuum Solenoid or 4wd front axle sensor

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/bnc/p ... 99791.html

Steven

[ilikemax]

Steven,

thanks for the reply. Are these parts that you typically have in stock? Also, how would I find out which part is damaged (if any)? Do you guys have the ability to test for this?

-max

[jessef]

Max

The flashing lights are only indicators that you have made a shift between one of the gears.

When the light is solid (providing the solenoids/indicators work properly) then the vehicle is in that mode.

Lights solid - locked in that drive mode
Lights flashing - indicator that you shifted between two modes

It is common to see the lights flashing on L400's irregularly or constantly due to them not being used often. You should always engage the 2/4wd modes at least once every month or two to keep the parts and vacuum/solenoids operational.

You should ALWAYS move shifter into 2H (rear wheel drive) or 4H (full time all wheel drive) when going onto a hard surface/roads.

Hopefully you were just in 4H - all wheel drive mode in which case you would feel resistance at the wheel like a front wheel drive car.


If you left it in 4HLc (locked 4x4) or 4HLlc (locked 4x4 low range) and drove on the road, the possibility that you damaged the transfer case and possibly other 4wd driveline components are high.

Even if the indicator was not there on the dash for you to see, you should never under any circumstance drive on the road in one of the two 4x4 modes I mentioned above.

I hope for your sake, no damage was done and in the future, if you are unsure about how to operate a 4wd vehicle, please either read the manual (posted in the wiki) or ask or just never drive in 4x4 mode on the road.

[ilikemax]

thanks for the detailed response jfarsang.

From what I recall, I have 3 shifting options. The bottom one is my 2wd, which is what I keep it in normally to drive. I drove with the shifter in the top one for about 30-40km. I'm hoping that is the 4H - please excuse my ignorance as I'm quite new to this. I'll double check when I'm back in the van later today.

If I switch it to 2H and the lights are still flashing can I still drive it? The post that I mentioned below said that switching back and forth between forward and reverse seemed to solve that problem.

[Rising Sun Auto Import]

Steven,

thanks for the reply. Are these parts that you typically have in stock? Also, how would I find out which part is damaged (if any)? Do you guys have the ability to test for this?

-max

Hi,
We have them in stock.
We can test what's wrong with your L400 4WD operation as well.
If you need appointment, plz PM.

Steven

[tonydca]

thanks for the detailed response jfarsang.

From what I recall, I have 3 shifting options. The bottom one is my 2wd, which is what I keep it in normally to drive. I drove with the shifter in the top one for about 30-40km. I'm hoping that is the 4H - please excuse my ignorance as I'm quite new to this. I'll double check when I'm back in the van later today.

If I switch it to 2H and the lights are still flashing can I still drive it? The post that I mentioned below said that switching back and forth between forward and reverse seemed to solve that problem.

You've actually got four positions total.

Rearmost is 2H, RWD only (High gear range)

Next notch forward is 4H; 4WD high range, but with center diff not locked (front wheels on display flashing or solid green, center diff orange light off). This option is safe to use on dry, wet, or slippery surfaces without risk to the drivetrain.

All the way forward is labeled "4HLc" for "4WD, high range, Locked center diff". This is the orange-light-in-the-display-centre setting which needs to be used only on slippery surfaces so that the wheels can slip a small amount as necessary when turning. Otherwise, Google "4WD transmission windup" to understand why this is bad on a dry surface.

From this foremost position, you can put the column selector in Neutral, stop the vehicle, and push the 4WD selector down slightly, then to the right and forward. This is "4LLc" for 4WD "Lo-range" locked center diff. Same as above, but with a lower gearset in the transfer case. You will crawl much more slowly, but again - only for use on slippery roads.

Jesse (jfarsang) can correct me if I am wrong, but it is my understanding that the position of the 4WD selector on the floor is more important than the flashing light display. Pulling the 4WD lever back out of the foremost position physically unlocks the center diff regardless of whether the orange center light is flashing or not.

Which begs the question why the orange light bothers to flash there at all, but I assume that there is a vacuum solenoid whose position is read back to the dash display.

[jessef]

thanks for the detailed response jfarsang.

From what I recall, I have 3 shifting options. The bottom one is my 2wd, which is what I keep it in normally to drive. I drove with the shifter in the top one for about 30-40km. I'm hoping that is the 4H - please excuse my ignorance as I'm quite new to this. I'll double check when I'm back in the van later today.

If I switch it to 2H and the lights are still flashing can I still drive it? The post that I mentioned below said that switching back and forth between forward and reverse seemed to solve that problem.

Like I said above

No matter what the dash lights show

DO NOT DRIVE IT IN 4HLc or 4HLlc on the road !!!!!!!!

You can do serious damage to your vehicle.

And again, no matter what the dash lights show, ONLY DRIVE ON THE ROAD IN 2H or 4H (L400's only)

[pajerry]

Im surprised it hasn't been mentioned, but if it is having trouble disengaging the center locking diff (the orange lights keep flashing ) it often helps to back up a few feet and try again. Remember it has to be in neutral to shift to locking modes. The more often you use it, the faster and easier it shifts in and out.

[jessef]

That is not correct.

You can be in any gear going forwards (L/2/Drive) and switch on the fly between 2H (wheel drive) - 4H (all wheel drive)

To engage the transfer case 4HLc (4x4 high) or 4HLlc (4x4 low), you need to either put it in neutral or park, shift and then put it into gear

There is no need to backup with an L400.

The only reason to backup with the L300's (older style Delica) is to disengage the front wheel hubs. There are no wheel hubs on the L400's. Just a flange plate - permanently locked.

[pajerry]

Sorry guy, but there is nothing wrong with what I said. And I wasn't addressing shifting on the fly..

When you're locked in 4Hcl or 4Lcl it can sometimes be stubborn and not want to disengage back to 2wd. Backing up a couple feet and trying again (always in neutral, or yes jfarsang Park) will almost always help it shift out quickly. The more you use your system, the easier it engages and disengages.

[jessef]

4H is full-time 4WD and can be shifted while driving. This is information for the original poster is looking for.

When you move the shifter (4wd modes), it is a physical connection to the shifter inside the transfercase just like shifting on a 5-spd transmission.

There is no need to backup. It is the opposite. Once you are out of neutral or park you must drive forward.

Backing up is only mentioned because of faulty solenoids that do not sense the vehicle moving forwards.

Has no link to the transfer case shifter. That is mechanical.

You are right about using it to keep the solenoids operational.

[Mr. Flibble]

It is worth trying backing up to see if the light goes out. Happened to me once, reversed 20 feet, then drove again and the light went out. Learned about that trick on the UK forum.

[psilosin]

So are the lamps solid vs flashing irrelevant to if the van is actually in the selected mode or not??

I have been trying to determine if my L400 ever does go into 4HLc or not. I haven't been in a situation where I actually needed 4HLc functioning to get unstuck so I have no idea if the center diff ever does lock or not but the orange light never ever turns solid, it just stays flashing forever. Mardy told me thats fine when I bought it but considering how annoying a continuously flashing lamp is I don't think it is normal.

On the Aussie Delica site (thanks Cregan for the heads up on that website) there is a long post on solving continuous flashing lights coming OUT of the various 4wd modes like being discussed in this thread.

[jessef]

pretend the indicator lights are not there

When you shift, it's in that gear providing everything is working.

No need to backup. Just operate and drive as per normal.

Solid light - in gear indication
Flashing light - switch gear indication

The two solenoids are usually the culprits when the lights go bezerk.

You're 2wd,awd,4x4high,4xlow are mechanically selected via the shifted on the floor