a tapping noise when tires are spinning on the ice and snow.

I have a 2004 sr5 4x4. V6. I bought it a yr ago. it now has 91 K miles .It has been well loved and cared for & garaged kept from the beginning. Today was the 1 st time we had it in the snow.
While it was in 2wd, the rear tires starting to spin in the snow and a noise could be heard that I have never heard before. ( like a tapping sound) The spin lite was also flashing on the dash. After the wheels stopped spinning , the noise stopped to. When it is in 4wd, it does not make the sound. Is this noise normal ? or is there a problem .

 

yes, that does flash on the dash. The tapping noise seems to be heard from somewhere inside the dash .

 

sounds like VSC and ABS attempting to keep the vehicle in control. A lot have made the VSC mod which stops the Toyota "nanny" from turning on in situations like you just experienced.

 

So , you think that this is a normal duty of the computer doing it's job ? as I understand ABS , power alternates to the wheels preventing them from locking up. Would the computer possibly be making the rear wheels alternate which side is getting the power to it ? like right then left - back and forth ? the sound is too fast , it is a quick tapping sound.

 

i know when my VSC kicks on and ABS i hear all kinds of clicks, like relays. I believe the module is under the passenger side below the glove box. So that would make sense. No lights or warnings on the dash? Would be the same gauge side as the fuel/temp.

 

the trac. control lite does flash and the tapping sound also goes on at the same time. Just sounds weird, like something isn't right. is does stop when the wheels are not spinning or in 4 wd.

 

yeah, it definitely sounds like things are breaking but thats normal. Especially if the lights go and it goes away once the system recovers traction. I would look up the VSC mod if you're mechanically inclined with some wiring. its fairly simple to turn that off while wheeling.

 

mines exactly the same way, when the vsc kicks on and when abs comes on i hear the clicking

 

I am not quite that advanced in that area. But I have a friend that is. I will get him to look into it.
I am on my 3rd 4runner. has there been any issues with the 4wd knob ? I am a little nervous of the electronic transfer case.
I always had a manual shift to get it into 4wd and hi -low range.

 

not with the switches themselves but the solenoids that activate the 4Lo and if you have the v8, the center diff lock. Its a use it or lose it type.

 

ok, well, I guess it's a normal thing with it.

mine is a V6. the knob offers 2 wd ,a 4 wd high & 4 wd low. I have never used the 4wd low. I know it works, I did test it before I bought it to be sure it works and no funny sounds. The original owner was a lady that seldom ever used the 4wd at all.

 

try to put it in four wheel drive high and low and lock the center diff once a month, just to exercise the actuator

 

does putting it in 4 hi and 4 low automatically lock the center diff ?

 

no, once in four wheel drive you need to press the button to the left of the steering wheel to engage the center differential

 

Odd, I haven't heard clicking when my VSC kicks on. Plenty of beeping though. Still, sounds about right with all the noise and whatnot.