Too late in this case but once the truck is warmed up you often can turn it off and restart it and then the CDL will engage properly.
Flashing Center Diff Lock Light 200 Series (5 Viewers)
- Thread starter 96bruzer
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Thought I would share my experience:
2008 with the center diff blinking occasionally over the years, had thought that because of the awesome location that Mr Toyota placed the button that it was either myself or my wife that would hit it with our knees. This may or may not be the case as I've not been able to prove this has for sure ever happened. Nonetheless, periodically it would come on and after being driven and the vehicle turned off and on a few times, or over the course of a few days it would go away. The only real problem is the annoying blinking light and the fact that you can't shift to Lo 4 when this error/malfunction is occurring.
Fast forward to this weekend when we have been below freezing temps with lots of snow and ice on the streets. I took the 200 out for an errand and on my way back in the neighbnorhood I decided to run it thru the 4lo and CDL functions as some have noted here that this whole issue may be a stuck actuator because of infrequent use. It went into 4lo just fine, and in my eternal wisdom thought to lock the CDL. Needless to say it did not engage and was left with only the blinking light and also stuck in 4lo.
Over the following days and re-reading this thread as I have many times in the past, I tried every sort of combination of tricks and tips noted before me without success. I relinquished my pride and texted my buddy at the Toyota shop that I would be coming in today and have him look at it, fully prepared to order and replace the CDL actuator. However, temps began to warm and driving the 200 in 4lo for about 8 miles to the dealership seemed to have allowed the CDL to "un-stick" and when I tested my theory as I had pulled into the Toyota dealership at 0645, it worked (simply turning the vehicle off and back on). I then ensured it would also go into 4lo and back out, which it did without issue. So I tucked my tail and drove home. Of note, I did get a carwash on the way to the dealership with an underbody spray as to not have my buddy at the shop be irked about all the road grime from the weeks snow and salt. I do wonder if the spraying may have helped "fix" the issue as well, as some have noted that this may be an electrical connection/plug issue.
Regardless, my current plan is to just avoid using the CDL at all cost, ESPECIALLY if I find myself in 4 Lo. At some point Ill plan to replace it, but its not on the top of the list for now. In all the places Ive taken this 200, it is the exception that I ever need to put it in 4lo, much less lock the diff.
2008 with the center diff blinking occasionally over the years, had thought that because of the awesome location that Mr Toyota placed the button that it was either myself or my wife that would hit it with our knees. This may or may not be the case as I've not been able to prove this has for sure ever happened. Nonetheless, periodically it would come on and after being driven and the vehicle turned off and on a few times, or over the course of a few days it would go away. The only real problem is the annoying blinking light and the fact that you can't shift to Lo 4 when this error/malfunction is occurring.
Fast forward to this weekend when we have been below freezing temps with lots of snow and ice on the streets. I took the 200 out for an errand and on my way back in the neighbnorhood I decided to run it thru the 4lo and CDL functions as some have noted here that this whole issue may be a stuck actuator because of infrequent use. It went into 4lo just fine, and in my eternal wisdom thought to lock the CDL. Needless to say it did not engage and was left with only the blinking light and also stuck in 4lo.
Over the following days and re-reading this thread as I have many times in the past, I tried every sort of combination of tricks and tips noted before me without success. I relinquished my pride and texted my buddy at the Toyota shop that I would be coming in today and have him look at it, fully prepared to order and replace the CDL actuator. However, temps began to warm and driving the 200 in 4lo for about 8 miles to the dealership seemed to have allowed the CDL to "un-stick" and when I tested my theory as I had pulled into the Toyota dealership at 0645, it worked (simply turning the vehicle off and back on). I then ensured it would also go into 4lo and back out, which it did without issue. So I tucked my tail and drove home. Of note, I did get a carwash on the way to the dealership with an underbody spray as to not have my buddy at the shop be irked about all the road grime from the weeks snow and salt. I do wonder if the spraying may have helped "fix" the issue as well, as some have noted that this may be an electrical connection/plug issue.
Regardless, my current plan is to just avoid using the CDL at all cost, ESPECIALLY if I find myself in 4 Lo. At some point Ill plan to replace it, but its not on the top of the list for now. In all the places Ive taken this 200, it is the exception that I ever need to put it in 4lo, much less lock the diff.
Regarding 4-lo, did you try to shift out by putting it in 4-hi, then turning the car off, then restarting in 4-hi? That has worked for me when my rig was new to me and hadn't been in 4-lo for potentially 5 years or more.
Don't let electronics steal your capability!
This may be a re-occurring issue until it's addressed. Many seem to have gotten enough function from the transfer and CDL by exercising it regularly. But it may take more than that to get back to confident and positive actuation depending on the issue.
In the actuator, there's multiple electromechanical root issues. Wiper contacts, micro-switches, and even the motor itself. There's even the possibility of water intrusion and corrosion.
Mine did the common flashing light when winter comes around. I limped around with it for a couple years of exercising it. But off-roading without confident actuation really takes the confidence and fun out of the cruiser. Is a cruiser a cruiser without low-range and CDL?
Here's the permanent fix I've had for a couple seasons now, with lots of off-roading and use. Just got back from a long weekend again playing in the dirt and there was never one miss or thought about it not engaging or disengaging.
Transfer Case Tuneup and Fix
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...
forum.ih8mud.com
Yeah if you're not sure if your CDL will work correctly, it's best to test it *separate* from 4Lo. I normally engage the CDL first. If everything works you can engage/disengage at will after that. The CDL seems to be much more finnicky than the 4Lo actuator.
In my experience BTW the CDL will tend to fail when the transfer case is cold, but will work once it warms up. If you get the flashing CDL (either at cold start or after pushing the button), you'll have to warm up the truck, then turn it off before you re-attempt the CDL as once it starts flashing it won't clear until it's "rebooted".
Whelp. I dove into mine yesterday afternoon. And swapped out the actuator motor. No change - actually made it worse!!! The truck is acting like it’s in 4-Lo without any indication on the switch/dashboard lights…still have flashing diff light and flashing 4-Hi light.
Seems I’m going to have to rip it all apart tonight and try to diagnose.
Does anyone know which actuator is the 4-lo? I believe it’s the lower one.
Can I push the rod in or out from the differential and then reset the motor stroke? I think when I was working on it, the lower one fell apart and it might not have been put back correctly.
Seems I’m going to have to rip it all apart tonight and try to diagnose.
Does anyone know which actuator is the 4-lo? I believe it’s the lower one.
Can I push the rod in or out from the differential and then reset the motor stroke? I think when I was working on it, the lower one fell apart and it might not have been put back correctly.
Yes, lower actuator is for 4lo. Does sound like a clocking issue.
My story ended up being: found local shop that was familiar w/ the issue. They tried but even after cleaning couldn't get it to shift to 4Lo. Replaced the actuator which had the part number superseded like 4 times. New unit came with a new ECU module. Shifts great now. Super quiet and fast.
Thinking this really is the one root cause…after I got everything put back together. I tried the selector switch - while still in the blocks. And saw the flashing lights. As a gee-whizz I took the battery leads off to reset any error codes.
Then backed out and took for a trip around the block. I did notice, that the 4-Hi appeared to try and engage. Flashed for a few minutes before tripping the center diff light. So I think the 4-lo being out of range is tripping the system out.
Does anyone know if you can stroke the rods going into the transfer case manually/by hand. Thinking I need to pull it back out somehow and then re-install the gear at a correct stroke…
That seems like a reasonable fix with a new ecu for older rigs. What year is your truck?
It’s gone from bad to worse…So, I swapped the actuator on the 4-Lo. Got the rig to come out of 4-Lo…kind of. The 4-Hi light has stopped flashing. But now, the 4-lo light flashes. I’ve removed the actuator and adjusted the stroke/clocking on it and the rig is in some sort of weird mode - the transmission is acting like it’s stuck in neutral. Anytime I put the rig in park I hear a gnarly, loud squeaking/bind noise and feel fear chatter in the shift leaver. Idk WTF is going on now…I’m going to try removing the actuator entirely and resetting it to how it was before the weird s*** show started. Perhaps at least get the truck back into 2wd and not have a fubar’d transmission…this is becoming so f-ked the more I play with it, I might be in for having Toyota just rape me for the $4000 to fix the transfer case , just to get this thing back to normal… fml. So much for an easy fix… 
That’s annoying. Hope it works out simply. You’re an expert now in how it should work- if you can get it back together.
After throwing a tantrum in the driveway, and taking a break there afterwards. I think - THINK, I might be on to another fix…I think the way I have the clocking is wrong. I looked at a few pictures of other posts and videos and I was basing what I thought was the right orientation (which I now think is wrong) off of the one I got off eBay.
2008 Sequoia SR5
That’s The 150 deg question. Fingers crossed!
I’ll know tomorrow. Lol. I needed to walk away and leave it alone or else I was going to keep going and God knows what I might be doing to the transfer case/transmission based on those sounds! 
I’ve been there on my aux tank install.
Hang in there! Walking away or sleeping on it has always helped me. The secret sauce as I'm sure you know is the clocking. As you have a Sequoia, and Toyota has had many revisions of this mechanism even on the same models, is going to take some trial and error.
Also be aware that the correct clocking really depends on the position of the rod in the torque converter. Rather than the clocking relative to the switch/housing you're referencing with the arrows. This is uncharted territory for me as I made sure not to move the rod. But you might try to move the rod to one limit or the other. And match the clocking of the gear in the actuator to one extreme or the other.
Thanks for the feedback. I remember how the clocking was on the push rod, so I’m basing my guess on it being out = disengaged… I’m a little spooked I’m effing up the transmission based on the weird stuck in neutral/ grinding and squeaking/binding noises. Figured I’m already passed the point of no return. I’m either going to fix this, and have the knowledge to share with others, or I’m paying for a new transfer case and transmission. YOLO. Wish me luck ladies and gentlemen!
