Flashing 4Lo and CDL indicator lights (1 Viewer)

[CharlieS]

I feel like I've read about this here, but my search only found similar, not the same issues.

This is on my 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser. What has changed lately - it stays parked a lot more these days since commute in a different vehicle. I might use it once a week or less (I also have an 80 that I use on weekends).

At times when I start the 200, I get a flashing 4 Lo and CDL warning lights. Usually, if I shut the motor off and restart it goes back to normal (no flashing lights). Something not right, but no big deal. In the last six months this has happened a handful of times, but it was an infrequent occurrence - maybe once every ~10 times I started the vehicle.

Today, I experienced something a little different. When I started it up, I had the flashing 4 Lo and CDL warning lights but I tried restarting a half dozen times with no improvement. I drove down the road with these two warning lights flashing for 10 minutes or so, and then shut it down and restarted. At this time, the warning lights went out and everything was back to normal. I made three stops where I turned off then engine and restarted and the flashing lights didn't return. This is a bit more annoying.

I haven't done, or had any work done on this vehicle in a while. I didn't make any changes, other than it sitting unused a lot more often in the last 6 months.

Any thoughts or pointers to relevant threads?

 

[NikP]

Read the codes and it will tell you what's at the source of the problem. Lights themselves are really meaningless since they're really just a complex way of saying the "check engine light is on".

 

[SF1911A1]

Mine has an intermittent P2401 which I don’t even remember what it is. I think I need a new charcoal canister. I just delete it with a code reader a couple times a week. Annoying, but doesn’t rise to the level of paying for the repair just to not delete the code. It’s been doing it 2-3 times per week for about a year. It started right after Cruisers on the Rockies last July so I think maybe the elevation combined with off-road angles maybe caused it somehow?

 

[VWEeplusa]

I feel like I've read about this here, but my search only found similar, not the same issues.

This is on my 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser. What has changed lately - it stays parked a lot more these days since commute in a different vehicle. I might use it once a week or less (I also have an 80 that I use on weekends).

At times when I start the 200, I get a flashing 4 Lo and CDL warning lights. Usually, if I shut the motor off and restart it goes back to normal (no flashing lights). Something not right, but no big deal. In the last six months this has happened a handful of times, but it was an infrequent occurrence - maybe once every ~10 times I started the vehicle.

Today, I experienced something a little different. When I started it up, I had the flashing 4 Lo and CDL warning lights but I tried restarting a half dozen times with no improvement. I drove down the road with these two warning lights flashing for 10 minutes or so, and then shut it down and restarted. At this time, the warning lights went out and everything was back to normal. I made three stops where I turned off then engine and restarted and the flashing lights didn't return. This is a bit more annoying.

I haven't done, or had any work done on this vehicle in a while. I didn't make any changes, other than it sitting unused a lot more often in the last 6 months.

Any thoughts or pointers to relevant threads?

Had it as an intermittent issue on my 2015 200. Happened only occasionally, and usually during spring and fall weather, and only when I’m not driving it a lot.

It’s a known problem, but nothing truly mechanical.

I spent a lot of time making sure once a month at least I put it in 4 lo and drove at least 100 yards forward, 100 yards backwards then back into 4H. That seemed to work.

It’s my understanding it’s a contact gathering dust and crud in the differential, and for those who don’t use 4L very often, it’s more prevalent.

If you’re going to do the restart, go 3-4 mi and make sure the engine gets to full running temp. Then turn off and back on and it’ll be fine.

Can’t use cruise control while the CDL is blinking either.

Did loads of research and decided it wasn’t a big deal and was too much money to take the differential apart and clean the contacts.

 

[CharlieS]

Read the codes and it will tell you what's at the source of the problem. Lights themselves are really meaningless since they're really just a complex way of saying the "check engine light is on".

Unfortunately, there aren't any codes.

 

[sleak]

I also have a ’16, and occasionally get the dual flashers when I neglect exercising the 4LO regularly. Dirt on a contact sounds plausible. I can, however, use cruise control when they’re blinking. My most frequent “check engine” is caused by the aux gas tank when they’re both too empty. It’s a pain having to sit and clear the codes.

 

[NikP]

Unfortunately, there aren't any codes.

Then the advice to exercise 4LO is a good start. Toyota engineers didn't do any favors with the way they wired the dash warning lights. It's hard to distinguish pure 4LO issues or if they relate to check engine type codes.

Good luck.

 

[CharlieS]

I exercised my CDL and 4Lo last night. At first the CDL didn't want to engage, after a bit of fiddling (20 min or so) it came on quickly and consistently. Let's see if that has any impact.