1. Welcome to 4Runners.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all 4Runner discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other 4Runner owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

4 Lo Beeping making me crazy

Discussion in '4th Gen 4Runners (2003-2009)' started by Judy L, Jun 9, 2017.

  1. Jun 9, 2017 at 10:41 AM
    #1
    Judy L

    Judy L [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2017
    Member:
    #4180
    Messages:
    5
    Gender:
    Female
    First Name:
    Judy
    Vehicle:
    2004 Sport 147,000 miles
    Newbie here wanting to know what I'm doing wrong. I drive on the beach and think I should be in 4 Lo. I stop the vehicle, shift into N, foot on brake, push in H4 button and turn to L4. VSC in. Beep, beep, beep. . . What's the deal? Make it stop. Here's a picture of my dressing room hack.

    4runneronbeach.jpg
     
  2. Jun 9, 2017 at 11:10 AM
    #2
    Relentless

    Relentless Offroad armor Fabricating beast! Vendor

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2014
    Member:
    #74
    Messages:
    221
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Eric
    Sparks NV
    Vehicle:
    05 Limited 4.7 V8, long travel, dual locked
    Lifted on 35s and Relentless Armored, too much to list!
    It's beeping because it is not in 4lo due to the shift procedure being done incorrectly.
    While moving shift into 4Hi until it clicks in and light illuminates that 4wd is active, then after that is completed you'll come to a stop, put trans in Neutral and shift to 4Low until it clicks in and 4low is illuminated. At that point there should be no beep, and you are in 4low and can go back to driving.
    To shift out of 4 low once again come to a stop, shift trans to N, shift from low to 4Hi again and wait til it clicks back and low is no longer illuminated, then go back into drive and shift out of 4 hi when ready.
    The procedure is 2-step, if you're in 2wd and stop and try to go all the way to 4 low it will not do it, it must have already gone into 4hi before then shifting into low.
     
  3. Jun 9, 2017 at 7:18 PM
    #3
    Judy L

    Judy L [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2017
    Member:
    #4180
    Messages:
    5
    Gender:
    Female
    First Name:
    Judy
    Vehicle:
    2004 Sport 147,000 miles
    Thank you, Relentless. My 2004 Sport model has 4WD all the time so the 4HI is always on unless I shift into 4LO.
     
  4. Jun 10, 2017 at 8:24 PM
    #4
    Relentless

    Relentless Offroad armor Fabricating beast! Vendor

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2014
    Member:
    #74
    Messages:
    221
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Eric
    Sparks NV
    Vehicle:
    05 Limited 4.7 V8, long travel, dual locked
    Lifted on 35s and Relentless Armored, too much to list!
    OK, so my Limited is the same. Basically, you're full time AWD so no 2wd but everything else is the same. You'll first hit the center diff lock button to lock 4wd Hi from the usual AWD mode, then do the 4low procedure.
     
    brochacho likes this.
  5. Jul 26, 2017 at 2:41 PM
    #5
    grave

    grave New Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2017
    Member:
    #3991
    Messages:
    18
    when in doubt, flip your driver's side sun visor down and follow directions.
     
    runnerjimmy and (deleted member) like this.
  6. Jul 27, 2017 at 5:41 AM
    #6
    Judy L

    Judy L [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2017
    Member:
    #4180
    Messages:
    5
    Gender:
    Female
    First Name:
    Judy
    Vehicle:
    2004 Sport 147,000 miles
    Thank you for your response, grave. I ran right out and flipped my drivers side sun visor down and found information about baby seats.

    However, the card in the plastic pocket did have some info, none of which was useful. Same old "stop, brake, neutral, turn to 2L" Then it talks about "buzzing" which is not my issue. I have a definite beeping sound. But on the off-chance of a Japanese/English translation glitch I read further. It simply says to check your speed.
     
  7. Jul 28, 2017 at 3:58 PM
    #7
    grave

    grave New Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2017
    Member:
    #3991
    Messages:
    18
    Did you figure it out? How long has this been occurring? With these trucks the saying "if you don't use it you'll lose it" kinda rings true. If you don't exercise your actuators they will wear out and the oil will settle in the transfer case. A lot of people with the V8s don't cycle their 4WD as often because it is always on, but if you never use 4LO then it will get stuck. I've read many stories of this happening, all you have to do is cycle it on and off and on and off and on and off. Do it every day until it gets unstuck. It just needs to stretch its legs. If that doesn't work you may have bad actuators that need replacing.
     
    T-Rex266 likes this.
  8. Jul 29, 2017 at 3:16 AM
    #8
    Judy L

    Judy L [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2017
    Member:
    #4180
    Messages:
    5
    Gender:
    Female
    First Name:
    Judy
    Vehicle:
    2004 Sport 147,000 miles
    Thank you. I will give that a try.
     
  9. Jul 31, 2017 at 3:14 PM
    #9
    grave

    grave New Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2017
    Member:
    #3991
    Messages:
    18
    any luck?
     
  10. Aug 1, 2017 at 6:28 AM
    #10
    Judy L

    Judy L [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2017
    Member:
    #4180
    Messages:
    5
    Gender:
    Female
    First Name:
    Judy
    Vehicle:
    2004 Sport 147,000 miles
    No not yet. But I promise to post if/when it repairs itself.
     
  11. Aug 11, 2017 at 5:26 AM
    #11
    Batmango66

    Batmango66 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2017
    Member:
    #4558
    Messages:
    29
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Tye
    N.E. Hoosier Land
    Vehicle:
    2006 Limited
    '06 Limited V8 Shadow Mica | USB Charger | OCD Console Organizer| Int. LEDs | Always on Fogs Mod | added LED strip light foot well | Smokers kit | Always on 115v | Always on 12v Cig. Lighter Mod | By-passed TPS | Wind Deflectors | 3/2 Corn Fed | 18" Moto Metal MO962 0 offset with General Grabber AT2 275/65's | Bilstein 5100's | 15% tint min. | 22" LED Light Bar Behind lower Grill | TINMANS Awesome Front Cup Holder. Yeah, I know it's mostly convenience and looks...
    I had this same issue, I went about a week with switching in and out then finally crawled under there, had my son keep hitting the actuator switch as I taped with a wrench, after about 3 attempts, it works perfectly now. Hope this helps! Just have to remember to swith it about once a month to keep it happy.
     
    Bob likes this.
  12. Aug 11, 2017 at 8:17 AM
    #12
    macdonaldarchitect

    macdonaldarchitect New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2016
    Member:
    #2228
    Messages:
    35
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Michael
    I had the beeping problem also until I "exercised" the actuator more often. I now put it in 4L about once a month and have had no problems since.
     
  13. Aug 5, 2022 at 10:37 AM
    #13
    sklwater

    sklwater New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2019
    Member:
    #8842
    Messages:
    11
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2003 Gray 4runner
    Hi all, Have an 03 4th gen, V8 doing the same thing, pretty much. Start 4runner, beeping along with 4 low light flashing. Put car in N, move switch to 4 low, 4 low lite stayed on, beeping stops (no sounds of actuator or switches). Put back into 4 high, flashing lites and constant beeping. Replaced 4wd computer, no help. Tapped on actuator. Any other ideas? Disconnected 4wd puter so I can drive it. TIA
     
  14. Aug 5, 2022 at 8:52 PM
    #14
    Thatbassguy

    Thatbassguy New member? Really??

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2019
    Member:
    #9314
    Messages:
    12,412
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    James
    S/E Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2019 TRDORP, KDSS, MGM
    RSG sliders, Yakima offgrid basket, Pro-Comp wheels, SOS Streamline bumper and skids, Warn VR EVO10S winch + Ultimate Sidewinder, Bilstein 6112 + 5100 + rear lift coils, Rigid Dually SS ditch lights w/Caliraised brackets and OEM style dash switch
    I think some of those electronic actuators can get stuck and cause an issue like that.

    You could try putting it in neutral, putting it in four low, and driving back and forth slowly to try to get it to actually engage for low. Then, go through the procedure to put it back into four high, then 2wd high.

    Or, you could disconnect the battery for an hour and see if it stops having an issue.
     
  15. Aug 6, 2022 at 9:05 PM
    #15
    NebraskaRunner

    NebraskaRunner New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2022
    Member:
    #28108
    Messages:
    2
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    07 SR5 4wd Salsa Red
    2-3” lift, rear bags, trans cooler, 275 70 17 on 5th gen wheels
    Mine did that when we got it at 70k. Probably had never been used. I tried hitting the actuator with a softish hammer with no luck. Tried the procedure probably dozens if not hundreds of times while waiting for my two sons baseball practices over a few years. Before we were going on vacation and a long trip i switched the front/rear diffs and transfer case fluids. I used the Amsoil pouches. A few weeks after we got back from our trip i tried it again. It did something different this time. Not fully engaging, but different. If I remember correctly it went in then didn’t want to come back out- I thought i was in real trouble! After cycling it back and forth a while it eventually would go in and out quickly and solidly. I try yo remember to work it every so often now. I’m actually in Wyoming on vacation right now and used 4low today. Good luvk
     
    Thatbassguy likes this.
  16. Aug 15, 2022 at 8:27 PM
    #16
    sklwater

    sklwater New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2019
    Member:
    #8842
    Messages:
    11
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2003 Gray 4runner
    Hi,
    I tried everything Thatbassguy suggested. Still, if I put it 4 low, the beeping stops but all lites stay on solid, even th e4 lo. If I out it back t 4H, the 4 low lite flashed and the unit beeps. Picked up a new 4wheel cpu and it does the same thing. No improvement. Previously, brought it to dealership,they said it was ECPU and wanted $2400. I did not let them touch it. :(
     
  17. Aug 16, 2022 at 6:55 PM
    #17
    Thatbassguy

    Thatbassguy New member? Really??

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2019
    Member:
    #9314
    Messages:
    12,412
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    James
    S/E Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2019 TRDORP, KDSS, MGM
    RSG sliders, Yakima offgrid basket, Pro-Comp wheels, SOS Streamline bumper and skids, Warn VR EVO10S winch + Ultimate Sidewinder, Bilstein 6112 + 5100 + rear lift coils, Rigid Dually SS ditch lights w/Caliraised brackets and OEM style dash switch
    Damn, that sucks.

    We had somebody's Tacoma get screwed up in a similar way on a trail run last year. I can't remember what they had to do to get it to stop beeping.

    So, you did try disconnecting the battery for an hour?

    Another thing that might be worth a try would be to start it and put it in for low, and then turn it off. Then, restart it, and then move the switch back from 4 low to 4 high, then 2 high. But, I'm just throwing it out as an idea. No idea if it will work, or if you have already tried it. :notsure:

    I hope you get it resolved!
     
  18. Aug 16, 2022 at 7:25 PM
    #18
    sklwater

    sklwater New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2019
    Member:
    #8842
    Messages:
    11
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2003 Gray 4runner
    I appreciate the ideas. I did disconnect the battery for a nite, and driving forward and reverse, to get it to work, So far,only disconnecting the 4wheel control box sops the beeping, but just have 4 Hi. I'll try the shutting the car with 4 low/ 4 hi engaged. Hey cant hurt, might jar something. Even if I knew where the sensors were, I wouldn't know how to tshoot them :(

    Thanx
     
    Thatbassguy likes this.

Products Discussed in

To Top