New Owner 2024 TRD Pro - Moderate Incline Fault

So I was previously a 2nd Gen 2WD owner and 4th Gen SR5 4x4, and recently purchased a 2024 TRD Pro. I haven’t done any serious off-roading yet but was just driving off pavement today on my way to a wolf sanctuary in the mountains of Southern CA. The dirt road I was on was smooth, dry, and hard-packed silt/clay, and could accommodate any type of 2WD vehicle. I was in 2WD and had absolutely no intention of selecting 4WD because this was a very drivable road. I stopped on a moderate incline (~15% grade) in front of the entry gate, and again, it was an incline that any 2WD could manage easily. When I lifted off the brake to move forward, the truck shuddered, made a rapid clicking sound from the transmission, and a green light, which looked like a traction control indicator, came on briefly. It would not move forward. I stepped on the brake, put it in park, and attempted to proceed a few more times, but the exact same thing happened. I could not sense any wheel slippage but the truck would not move. Eventually, I engaged 4H, and after one more shutter, rapid clicking, and green indicator light while in 4WD this time, I was eventually able to move forward.

Can anyone give me insight into this? I’ve never owned a 4WD with so much off-road technology, so is this a product of that technology or does this sound like a problem. The truck is new - only has 1000 miles.

Thanks

 

Absolutely normal, get used to it, it is a 4Runner thing. If you don't like that drama, switch to 4Lo.

 

HAC Hill Ascent Control. Step on the throttle to go.

 

Wait when that happens to you when you are in the city, and a car is 3 inches behind you. Either move your foot rapid fast to gas pedal, or let your left foot do some work too lol

 

My 4th Gen never did this. Like I said in my original post, this was not a road I would ever think needed 4WD, and the incline was no more than what you might experience driving up to your garage from the street in a typical residential area of a city. In fact, the car in front of me was an ordinary Honda Civic, and had no problem on the road.

 

It is not that your RWD truck sucks vs. the FWD Honda Civic lol. It is just the nature of this truck. It will happen to you in the city as well unless you live in a flate place. Come to the West coast and it will happen to you daily. Get used to it. Jeeps don't behave this way either.
Get used to it before you get into an accident

 

I've had other vehicles that needed to be driven this way. At least it's not like a manual, where you have to use the handbrake when starting from a standstill on a hill.

 

I actually live on the West Coast and have had four other 4WD vehicles (including 4Runner), and two AWD vehicles in my life, not to mention many more RWD and FWD vehicles. I also know the quality and reliability of Toyota (my fourth). I’m just saying that this is the first time I’ve experienced this issue in ANY vehicle I’ve owned. If it’s normal and just a function of technology, then I can learn to adapt. Just want to know if this is normal or not before I break something or take it to the dealer and waste my time.

Unrelated side note, my driver side power seat back also failed today. Lol

 

IT IS NORMAL

 

“Normal”? I have a 2015 LE and it’s never done that. Is it a newer feature?

 

Welcome. As others have stated, it’s normal and you’ll get used to it.

 

If I understood the post he is saying the 4R would not move forward when stepping on the gas. How is this normal for hill assist?

 

I currently don’t agree with the it’s normal crowd, but I can not think of a situation that I’ve been in like this.

vehicle is in 2wd, on a slight incline, and when you press the gas it doesn’t move?

was the clicking sound from the transmission or was it one of the 4Runner systems stopping wheel spin as you were trying to take off?

 

Welcome from Wisconsin!

 

Welcome

 

Shouldn't have to put it in 4H. You just have to keep it from rolling backwards when in drive.

 

My guess that incline was too slippery for tires and traction control kicked in (all that clicking noises were most likely from traction control). In this particular situation traction control killed power for wheels and truck didn't move. Traction control is designed more for road driving, i.e. when you make turn which is too sharp and about to fishtail. So easy solution would be to turn off traction control and use some momentum to climb the hill or turn on 4HI. Good tires would also help. 4WD 4Runners have open differentials and electronic traction control but In 2wd only 4runners rear differential is limited slip. That' why in RWD works a little better in 2WD-only 4Runners. On the side note you need to drive at least 10 miles every month in 4HI to keep your transfer case properly lubricated, so it makes sense to turn it on as soon as you getting off the pavement. That way you keep transfer case lubricated and have better stability and less wheel slippage on dirt roads.

 

Sounds like the hill hold feature kicked in to prevent the truck from rolling backwards. It's been in Toyotas for about 15 years. 4th gens didn't have it (except maybe the final year 2009). Just step on the gas a bit harder to deactivate it and move forward.

 

I forgot I made a video:

https://youtu.be/KPZNKhN4Q9I?si=GLbRwxOLscenznac

 

It’s not a 2wd/4wd thing. The 4runner is set up to prevent any amount of rolling backwards when it is in drive.

When this feature kicks in, the ecu will hold the brakes for you until you apply enough power to move you up the hill. If you back off the power before you get moving, it will still hold the brake. Maybe that’s why you felt like it wouldn’t move forward.

Or maybe it seemed like the brakes held on too long because you were on gravel going uphill, which made it lose traction briefly as you tried to get going.

This feature is probably more aggressive due to the vehicles purpose. If the driver doesn’t have the habit of holding the brakes on an incline so it doesn’t roll back, this system might come in real handy the first time you go up a really steep incline in a tricky off-road situation.

If you already have the habit of holding brakes on an incline, you’ll never really notice this anti-rollback feature.

 

It was optional in the 4th gen for some time just like the Tacoma.

 

Tires? Tire pressure?

edit: nvmind, seems the hill start idea is on point.

 

That's an interesting occurrence. I've had my 2013 Trail for 5 years now, and I can't say I've ever had that same issue. Then again, it's possible that I haven't been in those exact conditions. I'll say though, that even when on flat ground. If the rear wheels had very limited traction, the traction control would intervene enough that I really wouldn't have forward progress. That struck me as normal, though annoying, for a modern traction control system. My previous 4x4 had none of that, I could put the gas to the floor and rev it to the moon if I wanted it to.

The clicking sounds the OP mentioned seems to be that it could be from the traction control engaging, though he mentions no actual wheel spin. If I come to a steep enough hill, I may try to replicate it in mine for curiosity's sake.

That said, I really do think that it was traction control engaging quickly, perhaps even anticipating that there would be wheel spin.

Edit: just occurred to me that I have been in that situation. I was in Vermont this past fall, and had to come to a complete stop on a hill on a smooth, hard packed dirt road. It was very steep, probably steeper than 15°. When I went to start moving again, I may have been a little heavy on the gas, and I definitely got wheel spin and forward progress. In fact, I looked in the rear view mirror, and saw two short stripes behind me where I set off.

 

Did someone say set it off?


https://youtu.be/YWUpgzRK1vc?si=T36ZtYs2hlfm-Vyd

 

Manual says: "Hill start assist helps to reduce the backward movement of the vehicle when starting on an uphill. "
"Unlike the parking brake, hill-start assist control is not intended to hold the vehicle stationary for an extended period of time. Do not attempt to use
hill-start assist control to hold the vehicle on an incline, as doing so may lead to an accident."

It doesn't sound like hill assist control unless of course OP was expecting that his 4Runner will move forward uphill without depressing accelerator : ) I mean hill assist of course kicked in, but it turns off when accelerator is pressed. If truck is not moving and just clicking and flashing traction control light when you press accelerator it's likely that traction control cuts power because it sensing slippage. I had similar situation on my driveway when I got show overnight and started driving in 2WD. I moved just a little and engine was maintaining RPM but wheels didn't seem to rotate and there were some clicking and flashing trac light.

Even in manual it says: "If the vehicle gets stuck in mud, dirt or snow, the TRAC system may
reduce power from the engine to the wheels. Pressing to turn the system off may make it easier for you to rock the vehicle in order to free it.

 

You just said that the hill hold feature kicked in to prevent the truck from rolling backwards. Is this an automatic feature? I was at a stop light in an incline and when I let go of the brake the runner rolled backwards. I had to immediately hit the brake and drive it like a manual with both feet. Is this normal. Based on what you just said it doesn't appear to be normal. I know with other manufacturers vehicles the hold assist prevents it from rolling back when stopped at a hill until you put your foot on the gas. I just watched the video I guess I am going to have to try the method they said to activate it which is to step harder on the brake pedal to activate the assist. If that doesn't work I will have to let the dealer know.