Cant get shift lever back to H4

its actually stuck in N and grinds when i try to get it back into H4

 

Is the transmission in neutral?

 

Yep - transmission in Neutral and foot on brake - grinds when i try to pull lever in to H4 (which is where i remember it last was)
Dashboard now says '2WD-4WD problem - visit dealer'
I cannot get the lever out of neutral so 4Runner is sitting oddly in driveway

 

Put in reverse for 1-2 feet and try again

 

Fired it up again, no dash board error now, cant move vehicle forward or back, gave the lever a good tug toward me and it ground loudly in to H4.....
I then could move the vehicle, went backwards 5' forward 10', back again and pushed H4 into H2.

sigh - I'm back in action but wow this was disconcerting... I do alot of back road travel and cant have this happen....

 

Check your fluid levels.

 

Look in the owners manual. I think there’s a slot to the left of shifter that you can insert a flat bladed screwdriver and release a stuck shifter.

 

That is awkward especially on a 2020. I would bring it in to the dealership and let them handle it (if you trust them). That should be under warranty. I have never had an issue with 4WD on my 2020. Also do you by chance use your e-brake when you park? I am wondering if it got locked into a weird position. You should not have any issues. Also make sure your using that 4wd often 4-hi and 4-lo. Locker if you have one. When I say often I mean at minimum 1x per month

 

Yikes! Good thing your truck is still under warranty. Let us know what the dealer says.

 

Back when I was looking for a 4Runner to purchase during a test drive of a used one I encountered that same problem, After talking to another Current Toyota Master Mechanic I found out that issue actually happens a bit and the way to prevent it is to exercise the 4 wheel drive system a least once a month and it does not matter if it is the electronic shifter or Manual shifter.

 

You have to man handle the shifter into 4H and 4L from neutral. You can't shift gingerly and you have to be swift or else it will grind. I've done it as well thinking there was no need to force it but it was grinding each time.

Also make sure you're in neutral with the transmission.

 

I heard the same from this mechanic's video. Right around 9:30 mark. But, seems odd a new truck would have that issue. He also talks about not turning off the truck in between switching between 4H and 4L... just before 9:30 mark. Weird that's not in the owner's manuals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lhx-RMhWyaM

 

This happened to me when I first got my 4Runner. Just playing with the lever and got the transfer case stuck in neutral being too delicate with it. Kept rolling backwards in my driveway. Didn't know that was possible.

Now I manhandle it and hasn't been an issue since.

 

yeah that is the trick to it. After it’s in neutral and stopped, just move it swiftly with consistent firm pressure… but no need to jam it hard.

This is quite mechanical, so sometimes it it takes a bit of finesse. A little grinding is not a huge deal if you don't linger on that spot. It does smooth out the more you use it, which you should do on a regular basis.

@Sundogs67 I will say this, the part-time 4wd system does not have a center differential. If you try to shift the 4wd while it has just turned, you probably have a bit of binding/tension stored in the system, it will NOT like shifting in this situation. Straighten it out first and drive a few feet to take the tension out of the drivetrain, and then shift (4h to 2wd) or put it in N for 4L.

 

Just validating what others have said. You gotta rip that bitch from H2 to H4, then rip it even harder from H4 to L4 without even trying to pause at Neutral. For purposes of shifting from H4 to L4 pretend Neutral on the T case doesn't even exist. If you do it like the boss you know you can be, then it won't grind. If you pussyfoot and hem and haw and are indecisive it's gonna grind.

 

Interesting comments about the force needed to engage 4WD. I have had this truck almost three years, it sees off road and snow quite a bit, I normally am in 4WD once per day. The lever has always been buttery smooth to engage since new.

 

Same and I don’t use it everyday. Only 1x was it a bit of a problem but I didn’t use it for a while. Usually it is butter smooth for me.

 

All this about shifting the manual 4 wheel drive makes me want to ask .. how many here have actually driven Manual transmission... I always have had manual transmissions so shifting is second nature.

 

My first car, second car, motorcycles and such were all manual. I haven’t driven a semi truck (yet) and I madly respect those truck drivers. But yeah I am not new to manual shifting.

Why do you ask?

 

Just wonder because I see post here about using Force to engage / Disengage the 4 wheel drive and with everything I have driven from a 47 international pickup 4 on the floor, 52 Mack truck Double clutch, 3 on the tree dodge van to 6 Speed Tacoma Never have had to use force so I ask because maybe the manual thing is a "new" experience for some.

 

I shift into and out of 4 wheel drive all the time while in gear driving on the trail or in snow on the highway (20 to 30 mph) never been any issue.

 

Maybe it's more about getting the speed right or just making sure you're making an assertive movement, rather than significant force? On my previous car, which was a six speed, shifting was butter smooth even without using the clutch if I timed it just right coming out of the current gear and moving through N into the next gear.

I'm sure the mechanics of this are quite a bit different but on my first attempt putting the 4Runner into 4H from 2H, I was pretty slow about it and got some grinding. After that I've been more assertive with the motion and have not experienced any grinding.

 

Ive owned various Manual transmission cars, and also motorcycles. Each vehicle and type of transmission has its own personality.

The manual transfer case shifter is not quite the same experience though. Mine is pretty smooth to shift, but I cant always reproduce a buttery shift. Sometimes shift-on-the fly requires more pressure to engage 4h than other times. On “slow days” I have to load the stick for a sec or so before feeling comfortable adding more pressure till it shifts.

But going back into 2wd is always butter. Unless there is bit of binding/tension when I do so. That’s a yucky feeling. Even if it shifts out of 4wd fine I have to go back into 4wd and back to 2wd just to experience a clean shift (so my OCD is calmed). Going into neutral and shifting to 4L is also smooth and satisfying.

I never like being rough with manuals just to shift quick. I prefer to learn the machine and do it smoothly. My 06 Mazda tribute has the slowest 1-2 shift Ive ever experienced in my life. Might need new oil, don’t know. Either way, nobody is going to force that shift, just gotta work with it.

 

I mean when coming out of neutral with the case. If you let it linger then try to shift into low or high without being swift, it will grind.

 

It's super smooth unless you hang out in the N zone. Doesn't require force, just speed. You do it right it snicks right in.

 

i grew up with the old new process transfer cases and they didnt have a synchronizer or if they did it didnt work... and yes you had to really do a decisive and quick/firm shift between 2WD/4HI/4LO ... otherwise you would get same grind because you got caught in between teeth on the gears... quick, firm, and steady shift into and out of each gear is same on the manual shift transfer cases... really wish my SR5P had the manual shift case and not the knob.. i dont trust anything that is push button or knob for electronic actuation of my drive train... just call me old school...

 

I grew up with getting out of the vehicle and manually locking each front hub!

 

Just so we are on the same page.

To shift into 4wd high, you need to be moving as our 4Runners have a shift on the fly 4wd system.
Once in 4wd high, to shift into 4wd low, you need to stop the vehicle. and put the transmission into neutral.
Then shift into 4wd low.

Same for shifting from 4wd low to 4wd high. Stop the vehicle, put the transmission into neutral, shift into 4wd high.
To get back into 2wd, from 4wd high, the vehicle needs to be moving again.

I would agree it takes a little man handling but is not forceful.