LX450_Diff Lock is not "ON" (1 Viewer)

[Tomruntowin]

Hi, I'm newbie to post, however not new reader.

I just bought my LX450. One question cannot search answer from FAQ.

When the autotransmission is at "N" or "P", I put the 4-wheel-drive lever to "L", the central diff lock light is not "ON" as the owner's manual says. The manual only suggest to see a dealer. But I do want to know if there is a problem.

My LX450 has a factory front/rear diff lock. As the manual says, when it dials to frong/rear diff, the lights will blink for several seconds, then ON. indicating the front/rear is locked. However, when I do that, it keep blinking for almost five minutes, does not become stably "ON".

Anybody can give me some hint? If those functions are down, how much a Lexus dealer would charge usually? I'm in NYC, any reliable and honest non-dealer repair shop you would recommend? Thanks a lot!

 

[john_eckels]

Did you try moving the vehicle slightly to see if the center will engage? If that dosen't work, the cheap fixes would be to check the various wiring harness connectors and a possible burn out bulb.

The front/rear locks may be caused by the center lock not getting engaged. Also you may want to try engaging them and driving around on SOFT ground. Drive very slow and make gradual turns to the left and right. This usually gets them to engage.

 

[CJF]

yourself.

Put it in low and drive around in circles/figure eights: might free up the CDL.

Untill you get the center diff. to lock, the front/rear diff locks will NOT engage, and the lights will just continue to flash.

Welcome,

Curtis

 

[4x4CPOSEADOG]

Welcome! Check the bulb in the dash, then check the center diff lock switch in the tranfer case. Investigate those two items first before you go any further.

 

[Brindleboxer]

Try this post, what you want probably starts around #39 but you may find the whole string interesting.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-te...ml#post2947761

If this doesn't solve your problem, shoot me a PM or post up for further help.

Glen

 

[Tomruntowin]

Thanks a lot for your replies, all of you ^_^

I'll need to read the thread you gave me, then to check it out and get back to you.

At least I will try 50 times more to lower the 4*4 lever to "L". Believe it or not, the indicator light in dash for the 4*4 lever in "N" position comes on after I tried about 10 times. Maybe the CDL will need more. IF that does not work, I'll crowl under the truck to check if I can hear some noise from CDL.

For now, I presume my CDL does not work b/c the F/R diff cannot be locked (keep blinking). You guys say F/R diff can only be locked after the CDL is engaged.

Thanks guys, I'll report how it goes later.

 

[CJF]

You still haven't said whether you've tried driving it in low to see if that frees up the lock...

 

[Lka1988]

For now, I presume my CDL does not work b/c the F/R diff cannot be locked (keep blinking).

It's the other way around, actually. The F/R lockers are not locking because the CDL will not engage.

The CDL needs to be locked in order for the F/R lockers to work.

 

[Tomruntowin]

You still haven't said whether you've tried driving it in low to see if that frees up the lock...

Hi, I'm back. I tried this evening, now feel that my CDL will give me some work to do.

I lower my 4*4 to "L", then drove very slowly, steered the wheel to left and right. I cannot feel any deffirency with "H", the engine was still around 800 rpm, no special noise, no extra efforts to handle the steer.

However, I'm not worried too much about this. My LX450 looks very nice, I believe it never been taken to offroad before. Anyway, I'll move to the next investigation stage by myself this weekend.

Any advice is appreciated. Many thanks again for your help. I'll absorb the thread you guys gave me.

Oh, by the way, the Lexus dealer in NYC I contacted today asked for $87 for the small CDL part underneath the tranny. I may have to ask for Landcruiser dealer for a cheaper price.

 

[hfd crusher]

I recently had this same problem. As mentioned before, do the figure 8's but not on pavement. Do it in dirt or gravel, my CDL lit up and engaged shortly after doing this.... the front and rear lockers soon followed. Good luck!

 

[Tomruntowin]

I recently had this same problem. As mentioned before, do the figure 8's but not on pavement. Do it in dirt or gravel, my CDL lit up and engaged shortly after doing this.... the front and rear lockers soon followed. Good luck!

Shall drive in 8? Oh, man, I did not do that. I only drove less than 50 meters, with the steer at most moves between 11 - 2 O'clock direction. It seems that I have not reach the point to refresh it! I did this on a paved way, so not dare to try too much.

Ok, this weekend I will drive it on a beach, see what will turn out! Yes last owner was a lady (see the name on the title), presumbally a soccor mom (with due repsects and really thankful). I hope my CDL only needs some excercise....

Many thanks.

 

[Tomruntowin]

Hi, I'm reposting with good news, now I'm pretty sure my CDL can be locked even the dash light is still down.

It is snowing in NYC. I take this chace to drive out. On a slope, I lower the lever to "L", without hitting the gas, my LX450 can climb the slope in the snow by itself! While on "H", it cannot. Therefore, I conclude my CDL is actually working!

Now, it comes to slove the problem. Should I move to check the switch on tranny's 11 o'clock direction? How could it come the fr/rr still cannot be engaged (if the CDL is in fact engaged)?

I noticed there are at least 3 threads cocurrently on the forume asking for central lock problems. Wish all guys can get their solution. I'll try to help others as much as I can, just as a newbie who are one step ealier...

 

[Atticus]

Hi, I'm reposting with good news, now I'm pretty sure my CDL can be locked even the dash light is still down.

It is snowing in NYC. I take this chace to drive out. On a slope, I lower the lever to "L", without hitting the gas, my LX450 can climb the slope in the snow by itself! While on "H", it cannot. Therefore, I conclude my CDL is actually working!

Now, it comes to slove the problem. Should I move to check the switch on tranny's 11 o'clock direction? How could it come the fr/rr still cannot be engaged (if the CDL is in fact engaged)?

I noticed there are at least 3 threads cocurrently on the forume asking for central lock problems. Wish all guys can get their solution. I'll try to help others as much as I can, just as a newbie who are one step ealier...

Your conclusion is incorrect. When you shift the transfer case into low range, your cdl may not be locking, but you have lowered the gear in which your drivetrain is now operating, increasing low-end torque and getting you up that slope.

This is what you need to do: Find a large open area with a slippery surface like gravel or grass or something. Does your truck have a button on the dash anywhere that says "Center Diff Lock," or that has a picture of a drivetrain with a large circle in the middle of it? If so, press that button and see if your center differential lock engages (there will be a light on your gauge cluster indicating it is locked). If not, shift into low and see if that helps. If not, drive your truck in figure eights on the loose surface. What you are trying to do is get the front wheels and the back wheels to move at different speeds. This "fixes" the majority of the problems with the center differential lock.

Once the center diff locks, do the same thing (figure eights) with the front and rear lockers. Then report back. Remember, you are trying to get the wheels to move at different speeds, so the turning of the truck is crucial to this. Driving in a straight line is not going to do it.

Also, when you get your cdl engaged, and you can't figure out why it won't disengage, just reverse a little bit, or go in figure eights again, and it should loosen. It's probably just sticky from never being used before.

 

[corsair23]

It is snowing in NYC. I take this chace to drive out. On a slope, I lower the lever to "L", without hitting the gas, my LX450 can climb the slope in the snow by itself! While on "H", it cannot. Therefore, I conclude my CDL is actually working!

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't think you can be sure your center diff is locked...I've been wrong before and others will surely correct me if I am wrong now, but dropping the tcase into low and getting the lower gearing does NOT for sure mean your center diff is in fact locked...it just means you are in low at that point.

Without the indicator on the dash lighting up that either means the center diff still isn't locking OR the light is out (rare).

The reason I say this is you can purchase a CDL button for your Cruiser and install it in about 15-30 mins. With that CDL button you can lock your center diff with your Cruiser still in "High" (hint: handy for snow driving) which turns your AWD LX into more of a true 4WD LX. Think Subaru type of AWD (your LX with the center diff unlocked) vs say a pickup with 2WD that you put into 4WD (your LX with the center diff locked).

I'm assuming that you know that your LX doesn't have a CDL switch and that a PO hadn't possibly done the pin-7 mod. Because if a PO had done that then you would have to use the CDL button to get the center diff locked whether in H or L.


Like others have suggested, do the figure 8s. No need to go to the beach, just find a DIRT field or DIRT parking lot and have at it. Put the LX into L (maybe repeated back and forth 25+ times just for fun), and then drive in slow, TIGHT figure 8s until you get dizzy. When I bought my LX I had to do this before the center diff locked. Then, once the center diff locks up (hopefully), switch the rear locker on and repeat until it locks. Repeat again for the front locker (had to do this as well on my LX).

If you are successful then keep exercising the front, rear, and center lockers until you get good and bored. The more they are used the smoother and quicker they tend to work. If you are 100% successful then make a point of exercising all of the lockers on a monthly basis.

 

[Tomruntowin]

Oh, man, Atticus and corsair23, even though you guys make me feel a little bit upset, I still very very grateful to your suggestoins. My 97 LX 450 does not have a central diff. locker button, the owner manual says that would be automatically engaged once it is shifted into Low. It seems that I still need to do a big "8" this weekend. Will repost and let you guys know. Many thanks again, Tom.

 

[Atticus]

Oh, man, Atticus and corsair23, even though you guys make me feel a little bit upset, I still very very grateful to your suggestoins. My 97 LX 450 does not have a central diff. locker button, the owner manual says that would be automatically engaged once it is shifted into Low. It seems that I still need to do a big "8" this weekend. Will repost and let you guys know. Many thanks again, Tom.

No problem. The CDL button was not standard. It would have been special-ordered by a previous owner of the vehicle.

I bet this maneuver fixes your differential.

 

[Lka1988]

Oh, man, Atticus and corsair23, even though you guys make me feel a little bit upset, I still very very grateful to your suggestoins. My 97 LX 450 does not have a central diff. locker button, the owner manual says that would be automatically engaged once it is shifted into Low. It seems that I still need to do a big "8" this weekend. Will repost and let you guys know. Many thanks again, Tom.

You can do a big "8" in about 15 minutes....just so you know....

 

[Tomruntowin]

Hi, guys, I'm back. I slowly drove tight 8 for about five miles only on a paved parking lot during night. Did not to drive more because of the fear of hurting the truck by driving in pavement. I begun to hear some clicks at the driver side kick panel and even feeled the lever of H_N_L sometimes conveys slight movement from underneth part (presumably from the trany). However, the light of CDL has not come on yet. I'll keep trying and let you know.

Many thanks for educate me on this. By the way, the click-tick sound from driver side kick panel is sometimes only once, sometimes several. Should it be only once or consistantly if it is working normally? Thanks.

 

[Lka1988]

Many thanks for educate me on this. By the way, the click-tick sound from driver side kick panel is sometimes only once, sometimes several. Should it be only once or consistantly if it is working normally? Thanks.

Could be two things:

1. Relay. Relays make a single, small "click" when activated.

2. Birfield (CV joint). When worn, the birfields tend to make a "click-click-click-click" sound while turning, consistent with vehicle speed. In my truck, the birfields click very loudly on pavement with the CDL activated (I know, bad for them).

 

[Atticus]

Hi, guys, I'm back. I slowly drove tight 8 for about five miles only on a paved parking lot during night. Did not to drive more because of the fear of hurting the truck by driving in pavement. I begun to hear some clicks at the driver side kick panel and even feeled the lever of H_N_L sometimes conveys slight movement from underneth part (presumably from the trany). However, the light of CDL has not come on yet. I'll keep trying and let you know.

Many thanks for educate me on this. By the way, the click-tick sound from driver side kick panel is sometimes only once, sometimes several. Should it be only once or consistantly if it is working normally? Thanks.

I tried to make it clear in my other posts. You've really got to do this on a low-traction surface. You need a wheel to slip.