Help diagnose drivability issue

[tahoejoe]

When I turn my LX hard left or right it "drags" and wants to come to a complete stop on its own. I have to give it some gas to complete the turn. No noise that I can hear.
Currently when driving straight there is no issue that I can tell but I did have same issue intermittently driving straight. From dead stop I had to give it some gas to get started. Normally the car is a "racer". It normally creeps forward when I take my foot off the brake without throttle.

I jacked up the front. In neutral the wheels do not spin freely at all. (As a comparison my other LX wheels spin to make a full rotation in the same situation)
I took off the brakes from rotors and in neutral the rotors do not spin easily. I can turn them with some effort.

Does anyone have ideas on what else I can try to diagnose this problem?

 

[Bisho]

Do you have your center lock engaged?

 

[take123]

On the center console of the land cruiser/LX there is a locking center transfer case button, it has an "X" in the middle drive shaft picture of the car. Make sure that is not enabled, as if that is on it locks the center diff and can give your car a "dragging" sensation. Only use this when crawling offroad in dirt/rocks. You will know if it's engaged as the button will be depressed if it's enabled, and "raised back up" if it is disabled. Also if enabled the center diff lock "X" icon should come up on your dash and VSC OFF light should also come on I believe.

When you say in Neutral wheels dont spin. Do you mean the big lever you moved it from P to N? What about the Transfer case? That thing has H N and L. Move that to N while your P is in N as well. Note be careful if you're doing this on a lift or jack stand if all 4 wheels are not off the ground. If you have transfer case in N the axles should move easily, I replaced my CV's and had the transfer case on N and it moves.

 

[tahoejoe]

On the center console of the land cruiser/LX there is a locking center transfer case button, it has an "X" in the middle drive shaft picture of the car. Make sure that is not enabled, as if that is on it locks the center diff and can give your car a "dragging" sensation. Only use this when crawling offroad in dirt/rocks. You will know if it's engaged as the button will be depressed if it's enabled, and "raised back up" if it is disabled. Also if enabled the center diff lock "X" icon should come up on your dash and VSC OFF light should also come on I believe.

When you say in Neutral wheels dont spin. Do you mean the big lever you moved it from P to N? What about the Transfer case? That thing has H N and L. Move that to N while your P is in N as well. Note be careful if you're doing this on a lift or jack stand if all 4 wheels are not off the ground. If you have transfer case in N the axles should move easily, I replaced my CV's and had the transfer case on N and it moves.

Thanks guys. You were exactly right about the center lock button. It was depressed. I must have bumped it with my knee or pressed it instead of hazard switch.

Now the problem is that the light for it on the dash does not illuminate. I will have to replace the dashboard bulb.

 

[take123]

Thanks guys. You were exactly right about the center lock button. It was depressed. I must have bumped it with my knee or pressed it instead of hazard switch.

Now the problem is that the light for it on the dash does not illuminate. I will have to replace the dashboard bulb.

Glad it worked.

Don't replace the dashboard bulb (yet), i doubt that's the issue. I had this same problem. The dash rarely lights the center diff lock light, so I doubt the light bulb fried out. You need to first try the center diff lock sensor switch fix.

It's most likely the center diff lock sensor switch mounted at the 11 o'clock (from front of car looking at transfer case) position. I replaced mine and then it works. Let me search for the right article and link the fix. It's a very tight space and the replacement switch wasn't too expensive, like $18.

 

[take123]

@tahoejoe

Check this thread. My posting is here on my experience: Center Differential Lock Transfer Indicator Switch Problem - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/center-differential-lock-transfer-indicator-switch-problem.498372/page-4#post-15414305

There are a few switches on the transfer case, this is the one to replace:

You need a 27mm wrench. You need one that is under 12 inches long... I found the one with the 12-point end to be easier to use to hook onto the switch or else it slips around and is hard to grip.

I got this sensor off Amazon. The OEM one is expensive.... but this one works just fine too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001KSCYCI?tag=ihco-20

Got to be careful working under there as it is literally next to the cat converters, which get very hot even if you move the truck around a few seconds to park it.

 

[tahoejoe]

@tahoejoe

Check this thread. My posting is here on my experience: Center Differential Lock Transfer Indicator Switch Problem - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/center-differential-lock-transfer-indicator-switch-problem.498372/page-4#post-15414305

There are a few switches on the transfer case, this is the one to replace:
View attachment 3602705

You need a 27mm wrench. You need one that is under 12 inches long... I found the one with the 12-point end to be easier to use to hook onto the switch or else it slips around and is hard to grip.

I got this sensor off Amazon. The OEM one is expensive.... but this one works just fine too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001KSCYCI?tag=ihco-20

Got to be careful working under there as it is literally next to the cat converters, which get very hot even if you move the truck around a few seconds to park it.

Thanks. I got the amazon part and replaced the old diff indicator switch today. The dash light comes on beautifully now when the switch is engaged.

Mostly easy job as long as you are willing to get under the truck and work on your back.
I used a 1 1/16 inch box wrench (1 1/8 might also work) and got it off easily. Its not on there too tight.
I found some youtube videos on the procedure. Mine did have the original washer (unlike some others) and a new washer comes in the box.

My 2000 LX has the same problem. I think this differential indicator switch is a common problem.