CDL weirdness

[marcfj60]

Weird thing happened with my 2015 LX570 yesterday. I had shut the vehicle off in 'easy access mode' a couple days prior inside my garage. When I started the vehicle, the center diff lock icon/light was flashing on the dash. Nothing I did with the CDL button or AHC would change it. I backed out of the garage, tried to engage 4L and nothing happened. It didn't go into 4L and the light kept flashing. So I shut the vehicle off and then restarted it and everything went back to working correctly with no flashing CDL light. Drove it a bunch, put it in 4L when I was backing up a trailer full of wood over dirt/sand, AHC cycled in all 3 positions, and everything continued working correctly. Any ideas? Gremlins?

 

[stonepa]

Weird thing happened with my 2015 LX570 yesterday. I had shut the vehicle off in 'easy access mode' a couple days prior inside my garage. When I started the vehicle, the center diff lock icon/light was flashing on the dash. Nothing I did with the CDL button or AHC would change it. I backed out of the garage, tried to engage 4L and nothing happened. It didn't go into 4L and the light kept flashing. So I shut the vehicle off and then restarted it and everything went back to working correctly with no flashing CDL light. Drove it a bunch, put it in 4L when I was backing up a trailer full of wood over dirt/sand, AHC cycled in all 3 positions, and everything continued working correctly. Any ideas? Gremlins?

Pretty much a normal thing based on my experiences with owning a LC200 and an LX570. Restart fixes it.

 

[marcfj60]

Pretty much a normal thing based on my experiences with owning a LC200 and an LX570. Restart fixes it.

Well, then I guess I'm glad it's 'normal'.

 

[bloc]

IMO common doesn't mean normal.

This is a common issue, but it does suggest things aren't working as they should. Some people have good luck "exercising" the CDL but ultimately it's an issue inside the CDL/4Lo actuator and is a fair amount of work plus a little risky to really fix.

Thread 'Transfer Case Tuneup and Fix'

Jun 21, 2020

Transfer case actuator issues are not uncommon on the 200-series. Not much documented solutions other than exercising the mechanisms regularly. Here's my attempt to provide more information on where and what the actuator is, how to service the transfer case actuator motor, and potentially provide some fixes.

Two main parts siamesed together that compose the transfer case actuator which is a plastic housing hanging off the rear:
1) Upper motor and rod is the center diff lock actuator/gearset
2) Lower motor and rod is the Hi/Lo actuator/gearset

Access is pretty easy and...

• TeCKis300
• Replies: 375
• Forum: 200-Series Cruisers

• 

 

[Heckraiser]

I had similar symptoms and had to repeatedly exercise my CDL to get everything back to normal. Probably just went too long without use. Still happens sometimes after a long while when I forgot to exercise the CDL button, but a restart always fixes it.

 

[CanadianRockyCruiser]

It can be a sign that your CDL is having difficulty engaging from 4H to 4L. There's a good tutorial on here on common fixes. The simplest fix it to try to cycle it more frequently and use 4 Low.

Thread 'Transfer Case Tuneup and Fix'

Jun 21, 2020

Transfer case actuator issues are not uncommon on the 200-series. Not much documented solutions other than exercising the mechanisms regularly. Here's my attempt to provide more information on where and what the actuator is, how to service the transfer case actuator motor, and potentially provide some fixes.

Two main parts siamesed together that compose the transfer case actuator which is a plastic housing hanging off the rear:
1) Upper motor and rod is the center diff lock actuator/gearset
2) Lower motor and rod is the Hi/Lo actuator/gearset

Access is pretty easy and...

• TeCKis300
• Replies: 375
• Forum: 200-Series Cruisers

• 

It's also a sign that you should take the day off and go 4x4ing.

 

[marcfj60]

It's also a sign that you should take the day off and go 4x4ing.

I like that sign. I live on a dirt road so I'm going to make a concerted effort to engage the CDL frequently (as well and 4L often). I just bought the vehicle last month out of Austin (with 134K miles) and while there are signs that one of the 3 previous owners took it off road once, I doubt the CDL got much use in the past 11 years considering all its maintenance history records came from San Antonio and Austin Lexus Dealerships.

 

[CanadianRockyCruiser]

I like that sign. I live on a dirt road so I'm going to make a concerted effort to engage the CDL frequently (as well and 4L often). I just bought the vehicle last month out of Austin (with 134K miles) and while there are signs that one of the 3 previous owners took it off road once, I doubt the CDL got much use in the past 11 years considering all its maintenance history records came from San Antonio and Austin Lexus Dealerships.

When I bought my 2013, years ago, I doubt it had ever been shifted into low. It was owned by a CEO who used it for snowy commutes only. I had similar difficulties getting it to switch into 4L. I've had the occasion to exercise the actuator more frequently, and all of my previous issues have been resolved. If I ever have more repeated symptoms, I'll likely begin dissecting and cleaning the actuator internals, but for now, everything seems to be working fine with just a bit of exercise.

 

[marcfj60]

When I bought my 2013, years ago, I doubt it had ever been shifted into low. It was owned by a CEO who used it for snowy commutes only. I had similar difficulties getting it to switch into 4L. I've had the occasion to exercise the actuator more frequently, and all of my previous issues have been resolved. If I ever have more repeated symptoms, I'll likely begin dissecting and cleaning the actuator internals, but for now, everything seems to be working fine with just a bit of exercise.

Mine will definitely get used. I live in central NM and camp all over NM, CO, UT, AZ in the mountains and canyons. I have a 16' travel trailer with high ground clearance and don't always camp in a campground so I expect to use both CDL and 4L often getting into and out of camp spots and while driving around the unimproved areas I camp in. I really like how in my LX the CDL isn't automatic with 4L so I can have low gears and still have all diffs fully open for better maneuverability without having to do some kind of mod to an ecu or harness to make it select-able.