LC200 4Lo wont engage

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V

volgapower

10 Year
Joined
Jan 24, 2015
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1
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3
Hi all
I have a problem with my 2009 LC200 4.5 diesel. when i turn the round switch to 4Lo, transfer make some sound and the lamp starts blinking- it does not engage. BUT if i turn on centre diff lock and then turn to 4Lo in this case everything works. even if i turn off the diff lock the 4 Lo still works until i turn it off.

has anyone came across such a problem? how can i make 4Lo engage just by turning the round switch?
 
I bought a used 2009 LX570 with very high miles and the 4 lo wouldn't engage. Here's a brief synopsis of how I got it to work.

Attempt 1: Shift switch into 4 lo (while in neutral). Got !, ABS, VSC lights, 4 lo light blinks. Got VSC malfunction message on MID. 4 lo is not engaged. Multiple switches (while in neutral to 4 hi to 4 lo back and forth). Would not engage. Switch back to 4 hi. Drives fine, but all the lights stay lit. Turn engine off, lights are gone after turn back on (about 15 min).
Attempt 2: Shift switch into 4 lo (while in neutral). Got !, ABS, VSC lights, 4 lo light blinks. Got VSC malfunction message on MID. 4 lo is not engaged. Rolling in drive, then reverse a few feet. Multiple switches (while in neutral to 4 hi to 4 lo back and forth). More rolling back and forth) Would not engage. Switch back to 4 hi. Drives fine, but all the lights stay lit.
Go buy gas (forums say these lights could be result of gas cap pressure/fit). Lights don't go out after fuel fill (engine off during fill). They do go out next long engine off (approx an hour).
Attempt 3: Read many forums. One tip is to move switch to 4 lo and turn car off. Then 4 lo would engage on restart. Attempt this. Same lights on 4 lo switching ( !, ABS, VSC lights, 4 lo light blinks. Got VSC malfunction message on MID. 4 lo is not engaged.). Turn off. Wait 10 seconds. Restart. Hear solenoid and 4 lo engages immediately on restart. No lights on dash except 4 lo solid. Success! Roll back and forth a few feet. Try out crawl control, etc. Car switched in and out of 4 lo two more times no issues.

What was the cause? Probably just a sticky solenoid.

Forums indicate other items to look at are: a low/faulty battery, faulty 4wd ECU, or faulty switch. My service records show a 4 lo solenoid replacement less than 10000 miles ago, so if it happens again, I'll have the battery tested.
 
grinchy said:
I bought a used 2009 LX570 with very high miles and the 4 lo wouldn't engage. Here's a brief synopsis of how I got it to work.

Attempt 1: Shift switch into 4 lo (while in neutral). Got !, ABS, VSC lights, 4 lo light blinks. Got VSC malfunction message on MID. 4 lo is not engaged. Multiple switches (while in neutral to 4 hi to 4 lo back and forth). Would not engage. Switch back to 4 hi. Drives fine, but all the lights stay lit. Turn engine off, lights are gone after turn back on (about 15 min).
Attempt 2: Shift switch into 4 lo (while in neutral). Got !, ABS, VSC lights, 4 lo light blinks. Got VSC malfunction message on MID. 4 lo is not engaged. Rolling in drive, then reverse a few feet. Multiple switches (while in neutral to 4 hi to 4 lo back and forth). More rolling back and forth) Would not engage. Switch back to 4 hi. Drives fine, but all the lights stay lit.
Go buy gas (forums say these lights could be result of gas cap pressure/fit). Lights don't go out after fuel fill (engine off during fill). They do go out next long engine off (approx an hour).
Attempt 3: Read many forums. One tip is to move switch to 4 lo and turn car off. Then 4 lo would engage on restart. Attempt this. Same lights on 4 lo switching ( !, ABS, VSC lights, 4 lo light blinks. Got VSC malfunction message on MID. 4 lo is not engaged.). Turn off. Wait 10 seconds. Restart. Hear solenoid and 4 lo engages immediately on restart. No lights on dash except 4 lo solid. Success! Roll back and forth a few feet. Try out crawl control, etc. Car switched in and out of 4 lo two more times no issues.

What was the cause? Probably just a sticky solenoid.

Forums indicate other items to look at are: a low/faulty battery, faulty 4wd ECU, or faulty switch. My service records show a 4 lo solenoid replacement less than 10000 miles ago, so if it happens again, I'll have the battery tested.
Click to expand...

How many miles are on it, also do you know of the previous owner took it off-road or occasionally engaged 4-lo and the centre diff? I totalled 145,000miles on my 200 and never had any issues as I would engage 4-lo and the centre diff at least once a month
 
i bought my 2008 with 142K on it. doubt it had ever seen 4LO or diff lock. took a few tries to get it to engage. similar to Grinchy.
 
@Desert Nomad 209k. I think it was used in 4 lo a bit (not for wheeling, but for inspecting oil installations). Otherwise they solenoid wouldn't have been replaced. I can't imagine why it didn't slot right in, 10000 miles ago was last spring, less than a year ago.
 
grinchy said:
I bought a used 2009 LX570 with very high miles and the 4 lo wouldn't engage. Here's a brief synopsis of how I got it to work.

Attempt 1: Shift switch into 4 lo (while in neutral). Got !, ABS, VSC lights, 4 lo light blinks. Got VSC malfunction message on MID. 4 lo is not engaged. Multiple switches (while in neutral to 4 hi to 4 lo back and forth). Would not engage. Switch back to 4 hi. Drives fine, but all the lights stay lit. Turn engine off, lights are gone after turn back on (about 15 min).
Attempt 2: Shift switch into 4 lo (while in neutral). Got !, ABS, VSC lights, 4 lo light blinks. Got VSC malfunction message on MID. 4 lo is not engaged. Rolling in drive, then reverse a few feet. Multiple switches (while in neutral to 4 hi to 4 lo back and forth). More rolling back and forth) Would not engage. Switch back to 4 hi. Drives fine, but all the lights stay lit.
Go buy gas (forums say these lights could be result of gas cap pressure/fit). Lights don't go out after fuel fill (engine off during fill). They do go out next long engine off (approx an hour).
Attempt 3: Read many forums. One tip is to move switch to 4 lo and turn car off. Then 4 lo would engage on restart. Attempt this. Same lights on 4 lo switching ( !, ABS, VSC lights, 4 lo light blinks. Got VSC malfunction message on MID. 4 lo is not engaged.). Turn off. Wait 10 seconds. Restart. Hear solenoid and 4 lo engages immediately on restart. No lights on dash except 4 lo solid. Success! Roll back and forth a few feet. Try out crawl control, etc. Car switched in and out of 4 lo two more times no issues.

What was the cause? Probably just a sticky solenoid.

Forums indicate other items to look at are: a low/faulty battery, faulty 4wd ECU, or faulty switch. My service records show a 4 lo solenoid replacement less than 10000 miles ago, so if it happens again, I'll have the battery tested.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your feedback I have the same problem with my 2009 LC200 , where is this selenoid located?
 
It’s at the center differential/ transfer case, but the relay is behind the glove box or in that area. So you can hear the contacts close
 
grinchy said:
It’s at the center differential/ transfer case, but the relay is behind the glove box or in that area. So you can hear the contacts close
Click to expand...

Thanks for your quick reply. Mine is doing the same thing, I scanned twice today with 2 different OBD thinking the first one was damaged but both connected to car ECU but not the four-wheel drive ECU behind the glove compartment so do you think this selenoid is whats not allowing the OBD connect to that 4WD ECU?
 
You likely need Techstream to talk to the 4wd ecu. I don’t know if there’s a command mode for it. Can you get into 4lo with the start trick if so just do that three or 4 times.
 
Ok, I will buy Techstream and will also try the trick. How would I put it back 4H in case it gets stuck?
 
My very limited experience has been similar to running a borrowed lawnmower, you have to hold your mouth just right. I have tried to put the ‘08 into low while idling in P, then shut the truck off and restart with the selector in Low, then shift to N, take the selector to high then back to Low then shut the truck off and restart with the selector in Low. If I hold my mouth just right one of these maneuvers works every time, sometime. I have never failed to light up the Low lamp eventually. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to roll a little bit at random spots in the process.
 
@Tio Conejo For some reason I never worried about that.
 
My 2010 Lx still won't go into 4 low, When I flip the switch I don't hear any relay clicking, anyone have trouble with just the switch (hoping it is this and not the actuator). I have tried numerous attempts to get this to work, It worked when I bought the truck about a year ago and has not worked for several months. Thanks
 
TTO5 said:
My 2010 Lx still won't go into 4 low, When I flip the switch I don't hear any relay clicking, anyone have trouble with just the switch (hoping it is this and not the actuator). I have tried numerous attempts to get this to work, It worked when I bought the truck about a year ago and has not worked for several months. Thanks
Click to expand...
Does the center diff lock dash light flash? Or does that not even illuminate?
 
do the other switches (Crawl, height, suspension) work?
 
TTO5 said:
My 2010 Lx still won't go into 4 low, When I flip the switch I don't hear any relay clicking, anyone have trouble with just the switch (hoping it is this and not the actuator). I have tried numerous attempts to get this to work, It worked when I bought the truck about a year ago and has not worked for several months. Thanks
Click to expand...
Have you tried to go into neutral. Switch to 4lo (nothing happens). Turn car off. Then restart? I had to do that with mine when it was still trying to remember its offroad roots.
 
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