Truck will not go into 4-Lo

[jday4]

This winter I needed to use 4-Lo and after putting the truck into Neutral and pushing the button, nothing happened. I have only used 4Lo a couple of times, but can anyone answer this question for me (I can't remember). When you push the 4Lo button in your truck does the button stay down like the 4Hi button or not. The reason why I'm asking this, is because I had a new stereo put in this summer and the button doesn't act the same as the 4Hi. (my 4Hi works just fine). I'm going to take the dash apart and see if this is the problem, but any if someone could tell me what the 4-Lo button should do when you push it, that would be nice. (i get no light and and it just pushes right back out).

Thanks,

Jeremy

[DevinSixtySeven]

flip down your driver's side sun shade and see if there's an orange card with shift instructions like on my 00 .

otherwise, 2hi->press 4hi->set e-brake->shift to neutral->press 4lo

alarm will sound or light will flash if error. if light flashes when engaging 4hi, roll forward slowly, if doesnt engage, you have a problem.

oh yeah...almost forgot...jump out of truck->apply gloves->set hubs to 4x4 unless shifting to 2lo

[arkie6]

flip down your driver's side sun shade and see if there's an orange card with shift instructions like on my 00 .

otherwise, 2hi->press 4hi->set e-brake->shift to neutral->press 4lo

alarm will sound or light will flash if error. if light flashes when engaging 4hi, roll forward slowly, if doesnt engage, you have a problem.

Set the emergency brake? Hmmm. Are you sure? On mine, all I have to do is mash on the brake pedal.

[DevinSixtySeven]

whichever ...so long as truck's not moving

[arkie6]

i rarely use the brakes and never use the e-brake (doesn't work) when shifting to 4lo, just put it in N and coasted to a stop, as long as i wasn't on an incline.

Mine won't go into 4LO unless the brake pedal is fully depressed - the light just flashes. There is an electrical interlock that requires (if functioning properly) that the brake pedal to be deprressed.

[moosehead9]

I have an 03 Tundra and can't find anything in the owners manual that says to set the parking brake before shifting into or out of 4LO. It says to stop vehicle, shift to
neutral and hold brake then push 4HI button and when the light indicates 4Hi is engaged then push 4LO button. I can't find anything in the factory repair manual that says there is an interlock on the parking brake or service brake for 4LO. Mine will shift to 4LO with the parking brake released and my foot off the service brake. I tried it on
level ground with the vehicle stopped and in neutral I pushed the 4LO button and it went right into 4LO very quickly. I was already in 4HI before I stopped. Your 00 model may be different however. I doubt it though, and it sounds like you do have a problem of some sort.

[arkie6]

It was stated previously, but another point to stress is that you must be engaged in 4HI before you attempt to engage 4LO. And 4HI can be difficult to engage at times if you are not moving. When you engage 4HI, you engage the front differential as well as the transfer case. If you are stopped and the teeth on the front differential disconnect are not exactly aligned, the front differential will not engage and you will just get a blinking "4HI" indicator. Usually, just moving the truck a few feet will fix this. Best solution is to engage 4HI while the vehicle is moving without any load on the drivetrain (I usually put the transmission in "N" and coast when going into and out of 4HI to ensure that no load exists on the drivetrain).

[jday4]

After taking my dash apart and trying to figure out if there was something wrong with the button, I read some of these posts and feel like an idiot. There was nothing wrong. I was used to my Dad's chevy which only requires the vehicle to be in neutral before putting into 4-Lo. Thanks for the posts anyhow.

Jeremy

[simon barsinister]

Have any of you guys used 4wd lo regularly? I just recently used it in a snowy parking lot and noticed it shifts hard (jerks) from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd? I pointed my side view mirrors to the rear wheels to check for wheel slippage and saw none.

Anyone else experience this or is it just me? Didn't know if this was normal and would like to get the opinion of someone who uses it.

[simon barsinister]

Would be nice if they made the V8 with a stick shift. You get much better control in 4wd lo. I don't see the advantage with an automatic, especially with the hard shifts, unless you keep it under 10mph in first gear.