AWD issue please help! (1 Viewer)

[CruisingCruiser]

So finally I took my LC for a long road trip.
2007 295k miles and always serviced at dealership by previous owner. (Bought it recently)
Nothing seems wrong when driving or idling. No vibrations only an oil leak that seems normal for the mileage. Been driving it in the city for about 4000 miles and drove always perfectly. Also height control and 4x4 works well.
So this happened:
After driving steady for about 300 miles, when I slowed down and came to a stopping point, when turning at a corner the tires/wheels started to rotate unevenly like when you’re on “low” on any 4x4 and squeak/slip against concrete.
Why??! But then it felt/drove normal right after so I thought it was some kind of self adjustment after a long ride but then it seemed that it does it every time after I drive it on the highway and get off of it and start turning. It also starts changing height like when you mess with the height control.
Once it does that, then it doesn’t do it on any sharp turns.
I can hear the height control doing its regular noise but it kind of makes it brake as I turn on the mentioned sharp turn. Or when trying to park which requires a lot of steering...
If anyone has experienced this and knows about it please let me know.
No lights on dash it runs great. It just does it when I have yo make sharp turns after driving it for a while.
I’m all ears and thank you for any input. Have to drive back to Dallas from Pittsburgh!
Btw: I also had about 400 lbs of weight from some luggage and items I was carrying inside but that’s not a lot.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I'm not sure how AHC (height control) could cause that, but it sounds like traction control or the CDL is kicking in when it shouldn't.

Has this happened on other occasions? Did you possibly just turn on a polished surface? The golf course by my house has an oddly polished asphalt parking lot and all cars squeal like crazy around the turns at the end of the parking aisles. Sounds like people are doing burnouts or have a 4x4 with locked diffs, but it's just the road surface.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

It’s possible your center diff lock is stuck. Is the CDL indicator on or blinking on your gauge cluster? How’s the actual center diff lock switch, is it pressed in?

 

[ramangain]

A video would help marry pictures with words.

 

[jahawk]

It’s possible your center diff lock is stuck. Is the CDL indicator on or blinking on your gauge cluster? How’s the actual center diff lock switch, is it pressed in?

I agree. It sure sounds like the diff lock is engaged.

 

[CruisingCruiser]

I'm not sure how AHC (height control) could cause that, but it sounds like traction control or the CDL is kicking in when it shouldn't.

Has this happened on other occasions? Did you possibly just turn on a polished surface? The golf course by my house has an oddly polished asphalt parking lot and all cars squeal like crazy around the turns at the end of the parking aisles. Sounds like people are doing burnouts or have a 4x4 with locked diffs, but it's just the road surface.

No, it is doing it in different places and occasions.
I’ve been reading for the last hour on threads related to AHC issues and none of them describe the squeaking tires.
But it actually does adjust the height too around the same times...

 

[suprarx7nut]

How can you tell it's adjusting the height? It's a very subtle movement (at least it should be).

 

[CruisingCruiser]

It’s possible your center diff lock is stuck. Is the CDL indicator on or blinking on your gauge cluster? How’s the actual center diff lock switch, is it pressed in?

I will go check if it’s pressed in but no lights of any kind have blinked or are on on cluster. Once it does this thing, then it drives fine and seems not to do it any more I think.
Now, if it was on (pressed in) would that let me drive it at high speeds?? Cause I felt this after my pit stops after driving for about 300 miles at 70-80 mph. Then once I arrived at the city it kept doing it after shorter trips. I’m going to go check the button in a little bit.

 

[CruisingCruiser]

How can you tell it's adjusting the height? It's a very subtle movement (at least it should be).

I think it’s subtle but I can see it/feel it cause it happens when I’m moving slow like I mentioned. It also seems to do it once I set it on “park”.

 

[gregnash]

When was the last time the brakes were serviced? Could be a sticky piston on one side that once "warmed up" on the highway it releases but as you turn to apply brakes one of the pistons doesn't release a quickly/easily and is causing drag on one side only. This would cause the wheels to not quite turn at the same rotation but once straight, it may loosen enough that things are free.

 

[CruisingCruiser]

I will go check if it’s pressed in but no lights of any kind have blinked or are on on cluster. Once it does this thing, then it drives fine and seems not to do it any more I think.
Now, if it was on (pressed in) would that let me drive it at high speeds?? Cause I felt this after my pit stops after driving for about 300 miles at 70-80 mph. Then once I arrived at the city it kept doing it after shorter trips. I’m going to go check the button in a little bit.

Before anything I would like to thank everybody for all the input and your time and please keep informing me about this. So this is what I’ve counter now:

Button was pressed in! So I just started it, haven’t driven it yet but I depressed it and pressed it again and it doesn’t show the light on cluster. This is probably why I never noticed that it was pressed in.
I drove it for a bit and tried it (pressed the button again) on H and L and still no light on cluster showing it’s on. I guess light is out? Or does it come on at certain speeds or when?
So now I’m wondering if this might have caused any problems since I drove it like this for over a 1000 miles??

 

[CruisingCruiser]

I will go check if it’s pressed in but no lights of any kind have blinked or are on on cluster. Once it does this thing, then it drives fine and seems not to do it any more I think.
Now, if it was on (pressed in) would that let me drive it at high speeds?? Cause I felt this after my pit stops after driving for about 300 miles at 70-80 mph. Then once I arrived at the city it kept doing it after shorter trips. I’m going to go check the button in a little bit.

I will go check if it’s pressed in but no lights of any kind have blinked or are on on cluster. Once it does this thing, then it drives fine and seems not to do it any more I think.
Now, if it was on (pressed in) would that let me drive it at high speeds?? Cause I felt this after my pit stops after driving for about 300 miles at 70-80 mph. Then once I arrived at the city it kept doing it after shorter trips. I’m going to go check the button in a little bit.

Before anything I would like to thank everybody for all the input and your time and please keep informing me about this. So this is what I’ve counter now:

Button was pressed in! So I just started it, haven’t driven it yet but I depressed it and pressed it again and it doesn’t show the light on cluster. This is probably why I never noticed that it was pressed in.
I drove it for a bit and tried it (pressed the button again) on H and L and still no light on cluster showing it’s on. I guess light is out? Or does it come on at certain speeds or when?
So now I’m wondering if this might have caused any problems since I drove it like this for over a 1000 miles??

 

[gregnash]

So that could easily be that the light is just burnt out. Look up the YT channel ChowCares and he has a video on replacing the dash lights for early 100s. Think the bulbs are all the same across the board but will give you an idea of what is needed to replace the lights and if you want to go that deep.

With the CDL locked for that long you may have just caused some extra wear on things but likely no real detrimental effects as long as there was no hard breaking or other issues that might be of issue. Ultimately it is in AWD the entire time anyways, this just locks things to turn at the same rate and applies equal torque front and rear.

 

[Mike NXP]

Sure did sound like some symptoms of the diff being locked. My light went out as well and required the sensor on the Tcase to be changed out and solved the problem. It's risky to just rely on seeing if the button is depressed or not with no indicator light.

This is what I am seeing on my service ticket for the same issue, I am in a 2002



R&R TRANSFER CASE IDICATOR LAMP SWITCH

R&R TRANSFER CASE IDICATOR LAMP SWITCH ~|~REPLACE TRANSFER CASE INDICATOR LIGHT SWITCH (SOP) ~|~ ~|~142974 100 REPLACED CENTER DIFFERENTIAL LOCK INDICATOR SWITCH



Parts Name - BULB ASSY, METER
Part # 8312060020

Parts Name - SWITCH, TRANSFER IND
Part # 8422212010

 

[KFunk740]

So, I'm curious about something that might be related. When I try to lock my center diff on my '99LC, it will not do it if engine is cold, no light or anything. Once its warmed up, it locks up just fine.
Is this normal operation? I've never seen it mentioned anywhere. I just assumed Toyota thinks you shouldn't be doing any hardcore offroading with until the oil is nice and warm.
How it may relate: Cruising Cruiser didn't notice problems until he went down the highway for a while. Just thinking on his cold starts it was unlocked until it warmed up good.

 

[CruisingCruiser]

So finally I took my LC for a long road trip.
2007 295k miles and always serviced at dealership by previous owner. (Bought it recently)
Nothing seems wrong when driving or idling. No vibrations only an oil leak that seems normal for the mileage. Been driving it in the city for about 4000 miles and drove always perfectly. Also height control and 4x4 works well.
So this happened:
After driving steady for about 300 miles, when I slowed down and came to a stopping point, when turning at a corner the tires/wheels started to rotate unevenly like when you’re on “low” on any 4x4 and squeak/slip against concrete.
Why??! But then it felt/drove normal right after so I thought it was some kind of self adjustment after a long ride but then it seemed that it does it every time after I drive it on the highway and get off of it and start turning. It also starts changing height like when you mess with the height control.
Once it does that, then it doesn’t do it on any sharp turns.
I can hear the height control doing its regular noise but it kind of makes it brake as I turn on the mentioned sharp turn. Or when trying to park which requires a lot of steering...
If anyone has experienced this and knows about it please let me know.
No lights on dash it runs great. It just does it when I have yo make sharp turns after driving it for a while.
I’m all ears and thank you for any input. Have to drive back to Dallas from Pittsburgh!
Btw: I also had about 400 lbs of weight from some luggage and items I was carrying inside but that’s not a lot.

I will go check if it’s pressed in but no lights of any kind have blinked or are on on cluster. Once it does this thing, then it drives fine and seems not to do it any more I think.
Now, if it was on (pressed in) would that let me drive it at high speeds?? Cause I felt this after my pit stops after driving for about 300 miles at 70-80 mph. Then once I arrived at the city it kept doing it after shorter trips. I’m going to go check the button in a little bit.

Before anything I would like to thank everybody for all the input and your time and please keep informing me about this. So this is what I’ve counter now:

Button was pressed in! So I just started it, haven’t driven it yet but I depressed it and pressed it again and it doesn’t show the light on cluster. This is probably why I never noticed that it was pressed in.
I drove it for a bit and tried it (pressed the button again) on H and L and still no light on cluster showing it’s on. I guess light is out? Or does it come on at certain speeds or when?
So now I’m wondering if this might have caused any problems since I drove it like this for over a 1000 miles??

So finally I took my LC for a long road trip.
2007 295k miles and always serviced at dealership by previous owner. (Bought it recently)
Nothing seems wrong when driving or idling. No vibrations only an oil leak that seems normal for the mileage. Been driving it in the city for about 4000 miles and drove always perfectly. Also height control and 4x4 works well.
So this happened:
After driving steady for about 300 miles, when I slowed down and came to a stopping point, when turning at a corner the tires/wheels started to rotate unevenly like when you’re on “low” on any 4x4 and squeak/slip against concrete.
Why??! But then it felt/drove normal right after so I thought it was some kind of self adjustment after a long ride but then it seemed that it does it every time after I drive it on the highway and get off of it and start turning. It also starts changing height like when you mess with the height control.
Once it does that, then it doesn’t do it on any sharp turns.
I can hear the height control doing its regular noise but it kind of makes it brake as I turn on the mentioned sharp turn. Or when trying to park which requires a lot of steering...
If anyone has experienced this and knows about it please let me know.
No lights on dash it runs great. It just does it when I have yo make sharp turns after driving it for a while.
I’m all ears and thank you for any input. Have to drive back to Dallas from Pittsburgh!
Btw: I also had about 400 lbs of weight from some luggage and items I was carrying inside but that’s not a lot.

So just to inform everyone here.

So that could easily be that the light is just burnt out. Look up the YT channel ChowCares and he has a video on replacing the dash lights for early 100s. Think the bulbs are all the same across the board but will give you an idea of what is needed to replace the lights and if you want to go that deep.

With the CDL locked for that long you may have just caused some extra wear on things but likely no real detrimental effects as long as there was no hard breaking or other issues that might be of issue. Ultimately it is in AWD the entire time anyways, this just locks things to turn at the same rate and applies equal torque front and rear.

Hearing this gives me some peace of mind and it makes sense since like you said, it’s an all time AWD... I literally just drove it for a few miles on the highway and it still drives perfectly and now it doesn’t do that since the button is not pressed anymore.
Thank you for the info!

 

[Mike NXP]

So, I'm curious about something that might be related. When I try to lock my center diff on my '99LC, it will not do it if engine is cold, no light or anything. Once its warmed up, it locks up just fine.
Is this normal operation? I've never seen it mentioned anywhere. I just assumed Toyota thinks you shouldn't be doing any hardcore offroading with until the oil is nice and warm.
How it may relate: Cruising Cruiser didn't notice problems until he went down the highway for a while. Just thinking on his cold starts it was unlocked until it warmed up good.

I believe my CDL will engage when cold if needed. May need to hear someone else chime in.

 

[CruisingCruiser]

So, I'm curious about something that might be related. When I try to lock my center diff on my '99LC, it will not do it if engine is cold, no light or anything. Once its warmed up, it locks up just fine.
Is this normal operation? I've never seen it mentioned anywhere. I just assumed Toyota thinks you shouldn't be doing any hardcore offroading with until the oil is nice and warm.
How it may relate: Cruising Cruiser didn't notice problems until he went down the highway for a while. Just thinking on his cold starts it was unlocked until it warmed up good.

Not sure but when I checked it to see if button was pressed in, I could hear a clicking noice (like a relay noise) on the right side by the glove compartment. So it seemed to me that that’s how it sounds when it’s turned on or off and it was still very cold. I just had started it and it was about 35 degrees outside. So I guess it still turns on even if it’s not warmed up yet. I’ll have to tested again now that is warm and been drive to see if light on dash would come on or not. I’ll let you know.
Now, the light never came on during my long trip so I guess this answers the question.

 

[ramangain]

A sound from the CDL relay does not guarantee that any mechanical parts in the CDL activation mechanics did what they are supposed to do. It just means the CDL relay seems to be functioning properly.

 

[Bisho]

If you are interested in a drive over to Azle, I'll be changing my CDL switch on the transfer case this weekend. We could take a look at yours on the lift.