4Lo flashing, bad Neutral safety switch. Who has had this issue?

4Lo flashing on the dash

Hard to shift from reverse to drive

Gear indicator on the dash is blank.

Been happening sporatically on my ‘14 for over a year and getting worse.

Have it scheduled for the dealer next week, hopefully they wont pull anything trying to not cover it with my Extended Platinum warranty, just over 63k. I do have a video of it happening in case they say “cant duplicate customers concern.”

It also needs a new front passenger side door actuator due to it failing.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vC7ipQkRQsBoDquD6

 

did you disconnect battery negative connection for an hour or so and then see if it returns ?
another item is do you put it in 4wd/4wd LOW to provide lubrication of the transfer case and other 4wd components.. it is in the manual to do this periodically on flat straight rods for a short distance on solid dry pavement .. best on wet pavement less wear.

 

No I didn’t disconnect the battery because I want the problem to present itself to the dealer when I take it there. I do all the other things as far as the maintenance yearly and driving it in four-wheel-drive and acceptable amount of time. I read on other forums of people experiencing the same problem so I figured I’d take a poll here that way when I present it to the dealer I have data to back up that this has ioccurred to other people

 

this is not a common problem with the 5th gen . on older runners like 1999-2004 it is common with also high miles.. have not seen any issues with shifter stiff/4wd flashes and no dash tranny indicator missing on a 5th gen all the issues you have just when starting the vehicle in 2wd..

IMO did a drink get dumped into the shifter assy ? that could do it .. if the dealership sees goop fell in to it then you may have to pay for the fix.

 

No, nothing was spilled in it. I read on the other forum that a member had the same issue and it was the neutral safety switch. He also did not have anything spilled

 

Dealer called and are replacing the neutral safety switch as I thought. They advise that they are known to get moisture in them and have issues in colder temps. The new part has an updated part number so it is believed that the part was updated.

 

post back if it is the switch or ?
the neutral sw was reported to get messed up if a spill occurred.shifter you stated does not move as good ..sw may have broken cracked causing this shifter issue also.
2 months ago I had to remove the center console on my 96 sedan. had to adjust the cable. when cold out I could not get it out of park had to wiggle the shifter to get it to move..

 

Mine is a 2014

 

IMO your 2014 is new compared to my 1996 sedan LOL...part may have cracked causing the problem. on a dodge there was a plastic part that cracked causing the shifter to create a no start condition..

 

Just an update here. The dealer replaced the neutral safety switch under my extended warranty, the part apparently has been updated.

According to my advisor the version that came in my truck was known to get condensation in it. The problem is more likely to show itself when it gets cold out near freezing, hence the stiffness in the shift lever.

All good now.

 

Extremely interesting post and bazaar timing here's why. Tomorrow I have my first 6 month/5,000 visit appointment and a week ago while away for the weekend I was fooling around with the 4WD and my low was also flashing a light on my dash. I've been meaning to pull out the manuals. I'll definitely need to tonight in preparation for tomorrow. So what is the procedure for going into Low does the truck like being in park, neutral or doesn't it matter?

 

It needs to be a neutral. Your issue sounds like something different than mine.

 

It will also blink until it actually goes into 4low. The more you use it the quicker and easier it will engage. All these things..4x4, 4low, locker, etc., need to be used occasionally. Toyota specifically notes in the the owners manual that the truck needs to be driven in 4x4 for 10 miles a month. This lubricates everything in the system, ensures proper working condition, and will show if anything is wrong.

 

I'll try it again today before my apt tomorrow and will put it in while in neutral. It maybe blinked for 2-3 minutes before I said the hell with it and took it out. Is that to long be keep blinking? 4hi seemed fine.

 

yeah that's long and it was probably because you were not in neutral. Sometimes you may have to slip in gear and move back or forward. You may have to do this to get it out of 4low also. Again, it works better the more you use it.

 

thanks for that feed back will help others ..

 

Have same issue on a 2015 4 runner, Where is the neutral safety switch located in the shifter ? or transmission ?

 

I believe its on the outside of the transmission case.

others have had the issue as well.

 

Had the issue on my 2017 and it started happening a bunch this winter. Dealer confirmed this happens all the time in salty climates on 5th gen. 500 Canadian labour included (400 USD?). all fixed.

 

That’s bullshit because its a defective part with an updated part number, they should have covered it free of charge.

 

dude, don't tell me that! I thought I got a good deal - I read on this board a while ago someone paid 700 USD mostly labour because the old one was stuck on and they couldn't get it off...

 

My repair was free of charge. I did however have an extended Platinum warranty

 

ah ok, i don't feel so bad. I got my 2017 used and the balance of warranty ran out last march.

 

2015, had same issue, neutral safety switch bad, found a new one on line Ebay $19.99, replaced works great, problem with the old one is white metal NSS with a steel shaft coming out of the transmission, the two disliked metals fused together and were impossible to get apart. put lots of anti seize on them before reassemble.

 

Could we wipe a little grease on the exterior of that shaft when greasing u-joints as a preventative measure?

 

I do use anti seize on different metals that prevent corrosion ...I am going to inspect that neutral switch ..
I do the inspection in november every year before winter hits .. I remove all the rust and use galv paint .. then use high performance paint .. runner looks better than now little rust.

 

I’m sitting at the Toyota dealership right now and they just told me it will be $599.50 for the repair. I told them “do it” seems like many of you got a better deal then I did! Kolar Toyota Duluth MN.

 

They swapped the one on my 2014, I didn’t pay anything because I was in the extended platinum warranty period. That was at 63k and no further issues up until I sold at 105k. They put in an updated part numbered part which usually is indicative of some improvement being needed. From what I understand the earlier parts got water intrusion and said water freezes causing the condition.

 

Recently, I had the same issue with my 2016 forerunner with 195,000 miles. For low light, blinking traction control off gear indicator blank check engine light on

After reading the responses in this forum I decided that I needed a new neutral safety switch upon watching a video and taking tips from other comments here I use PB Blaster to loosen up the old switch for easier removal.
I ordered the part from my local Toyota dealer and went to go get it about an hour after I applied that PB blaster. Guess what? Lights are not flashing anymore.

I still picked up the part and have it in my possession with the idea that I can return it 30 days later. It cost me $172.

 

I would just change it and be done with it.