Flashing light and clicking sound when rolling backwards

I have a 2017 4 Runner TRD Off Road and when im on an incline and start to roll backwards there's a flashing light on the dash and a clicking sound under the truck real loud clicking noise. What is this?

 

Betcha it’s your hill assist control. Totally normal though it can be alarming. In most situations my 4Runner and also my old Tacoma will hold in place when starting on a hill, but that dash alarm goes nuts if the truck stars rolling back while in drive. Can’t remember which conditions exactly cause the truck to hold in place or roll. It freaked me out the 1st time, though.

 

That's it. Would do it in my driveway if I was not fast enough.

 

Yea, it would. I've run up on a rock and it rolled slightly back and the lights and chattering starts. It's normal, just a little offputting at first since you weren't ready for it.

 

OH ok cool, yes it freaked me out. The only time I have ever heard that sound was when my transmission came apart going 85 mph so I got nervous when the clicking started then it stopped so I thought I may be part of that system but wasn't sure.

 

No, it is the lousy way that toyota has with dealing with rearward drift. Strangely enough, my Outback has a button for "hill holder" that that will actually HOLD the vehicle on an incline... what an idea!! do you think that a 40K off road vehicle would be smart enough to either HOLD the vehicle in place, or just allow the drift to occur without being extremely annoying? ummm, no. The noise is the brakes being cycled rapidly for a few seconds before it figures you "wanted" the rearward drift to occur. Please don't get me started about "holes" in Japanese products. On the bright side, they WILL EVENTUALLY get the bugs worked out, IF (underlined fourteen times) the product has enough following and competition to 'justify' the capital expenditure to fix. (only they don't see it as a fix, they see it as an enhancement, or refinement, or polish.... ) Arrgh.

 

Honestly TN_TRAIL, I think in 4Lo it does hold, because I was shocked once when it did it. I think I had MTS on or something, I'll have to test that theory and get back with you.

But in 2Hi or 4Hi, yea...it's kinda dumb.

 

the reason these roll back on a small slope is low engine torque. none of my V8 vehicles ever rolled back on my driveway. so my new 2016 T4R rolls back as I change from reverse to drive then the rear bumper hits my boat trailer creating a ding in the soft plastic bumper.. the clicking is the brake assist turning on the brake fluid pump so it acts like a GM vehicle when it senses wheels slipping in the brake mode..only it works opposite .. toyota and the brake assist is scary at times.

 

Is there any way to turn this off?
First time this happened I was stopped on an incline. I started to drive forward and my 4.runner rolled back a little and this weird warning light started flashing. The troubling part is when I tried to accelerate my vehicle would not move forward, it just kept rolling back.

 

this is common my drive way has a slope.. so it does roll back a bit then the brakes come on intermittently..
now if you put you left foot on the brake pedal then the vehicle will not move with your right foot on the gas pedal ..

 

Thanks, Captain Obvious. My First response was to hit the brake (with my left foot ) to stop the roll back.
I just find this feature incredibly annoying and not at all useful. Just MHO.
My question was, is there any Way to disable this feature?

 

the PCM is programed to have this software. dealership will not do it because of a safety issue.
a couple of times driving on the hywy when I have my work boots I hit the brake pedal with my foot on the gas pedal and then the engine drops to idle ...the pedals are too close compared with my old GM vehicles..
my friend had a person hit the gas pedal when in the parking area in front of his store then the vehicle smashed up the store front car was in the store... that is why this is a new software to stop incorrect foot actions.

 

Thank you for the info. I’m a new 4Runner owner so I’m still getting used to my vehicle and all the technology . I drove a simple straight forward Jeep ( no fancy bells and whistles)for years...
I kinda miss the simplicity.

I think I experienced that drop to an idle issue when I was trying to accelerate forward. When I pressed on the gas pedal, there was a momentary loss of resistance and no power or acceleration. It was a bit concerning as even though I d stopped the rollback it took a few moments before my 4 runner would accelerate.

 

I'm not sure if the 4Runners still have this feature, but: Toyota decided that when you step on the brake, you must be stopping, and don't need the engine RPM up. So the ECU will cut off the injectors if the RPM are above a certain point. 1200 RPM maybe? Once the RPM drop below the critical number, it allows the injectors to function normally again.

Is it possible that when you hit the brake pedal, accidentally, the RPM reduction feature kicked in, and it needed a second or so to turn the injectors back on, so to speak, so that you could accelerate?

Just a thought.

I've got big feet, and it's bloody embarrassing to hit the brake pedal by accident, especially when trying to accelerate, working up through the gears. I agree, Toyota puts the pedals too close together.
Really, when you think about it, these trucks are designed around the Japanese body type, which tends to be somewhat smaller than the American. I wager the pedals are fine for smaller feet. I could be wrong, though.

The funny thing about the whole thing, though, is that I've never had a bit of trouble with the pedals with my 87 pickup. I think it's configured identically to the 4Runner, but still.

Have fun, all!
Pat☺

 

I just experienced this today. Frescoes me out. I have a 2018 Limited 4wheel drive. I thought it messed up my full time 4wheel drive

 

Definitely an annoyance of the vehicle. It straight freaked my girl out one time and she was afraid she was hurting the vehicle. What's annoying about it to me is that it doesn't even seem to accomplish anything except for scaring you. It doesn't actually HOLD the vehicle, which is something that other brands have no problem doing (such as a VW with a MT).

The first time it happened to me, as I rolled back off of a large rock, I too thought I hurt something. But what is crazy is that my 4Runner will do this even if I am on the SLIGHTEST incline and hesitate to punch the gas.. and then once it starts clicking, it's like the gas pedal is less responsive, so it wants to roll back more, click more... aahhhghghghg

Toyotas.

 

I think if you hold the brake hard (basically standing on pedal) for a few seconds in triggers hill stop too doesn't it?
Or that might have been in Highlander.