2012 Limited center differential lock light stays on

How do I turn the light off? I turned the 4WD knob to L4L to get up the dirt road/mountain then the next day, switched back to H4L and the light stays on. I can feel the lock when I turn or reverse. There is no center differential lock button in the car. Is it ok to drive like this everyday?

 

Welcome to the forum!

Turn the knob to H4F.

 

That's 4wd. You want H4F for full time 4wd.

 

Thanks for thew quick reply. I have tried that and the light still is on.

 

Do you normally use 4wd? I ask because if it worked before then stopped then you may have an issue.

Are you moving forward and letting off the throttle a little when selecting H4F?

 

I just bought the car last week, but i just noticed it recently. I read that the Limited is always on 4wd. Is that true? I'll try your suggestions. Thanks!

 

It's full time 4wd when the center diff is not locked. Generally Toyotas like to be moving in a straight line when shifting in and out of 4wd high. Let off the throttle a little to make the shift a little easier. Also exercise the system a few times a year.

 

Yes. That’s true. The Limited has full-time 4WD, while most other trims have part-time 4WD. Full-time 4WD is superior. Be proud!

Turn the knob to H4F. Drive forward slowly. Turn back and forth gently.

On 4Runners with a 4WD knob (rather than a lever) there’s a servo that engages low range, and on the Limited, the center diff lock. The servo needs to be exercised or it can get lazy or freeze up. So just give it a try while driving slowly.

Report back. If it doesn’t work. There’s one more trick (kind of a lonshot) befor resorting to taking it to a mechanic.

 

Haha just a semantic thing, but it’s full-time 4WD all the time. Locking the center diff doesn’t change that. What makes it full-time 4WD is that there’s no option to put it in 2WD.

 

Captain- tried yesterday and nothing...what's the long shot?

 

I feel like I'm the idiot asking this - but you are certain there isn't a center diff locking button? I don't have a Limited but I have the same drivetrain (basically)...

 

Put the trans in neutral with the brakes off and let it roll till it settles, then switch the knob to H4F, if it doesn’t go right away shift into drive and let it idle forwards and it should go.

 

5th gen Limited doesn’t have a separate lock button. The knob settings are 4 Hi unlocked, 4 Hi locked, 4 Lo locked (locked/unlocked meaning center diff, not rear diff)

 

The longshot is to give the solenoid on the back of the transfer case a few taps with a mallet.

 

Hahaha! I'll get the mallet! Let's go!!! Thanks for your help!

 

If it doesn’t work the first time, then chock the wheels, start the car, put the transmission in neutral and the knob set to H4F and try tapping again. The idea is to try tapping it while the solenoid is energized and trying to unlock the center diff.