Is 4H locked in or broken?

I’m new to owning a 4Runner, and looking for clarification. My 4Runner is a 2011 Limited Edition and when I am parked with the engine running with snow on the ground and I turn the electronic dial to 4H, an amber colored Indicator light on the dash kicks on and blinks for a few seconds and then stops blinking and stays solid. This indicator light is amber in color and shows all 4 wheels with an “X” in the center of the axel. Does this mean it is not engaging into 4H? Is there any other settings I need to adjust to use 4H. Etc etc. please help me to understand how to properly use the 4H feature of my vehicle. Oh yeah. When not in 4H, does the vehicle still drive in AWD? Thank you in advance.

 

You have full time 4wd because it’s a limited. That light for H4L means you are locking the center diff for part time 4wd. You only need that for really deep snow or offroading otherwise you’re fine in full-time four-wheel-drive (H4F)

 

Thank you for such a quick reply. Is there any other settings that should be turned on or off when driving on slick conditions such as snow?

 

Just take it easy in the default setting and you'll likely be okay. H4L/locked center/orange light with X is for very loose/slippery surfaces, not pavement as mentioned.

It'll be good to reference the manual too since the options you have are contextual. (and it'll be good to periodically toggle - but not necessarily drive around in - H4L, L4L just to make sure no mechanical bit gets stuck!)

Edit: The light is orange because you need to be aware of it, but not that it's inherently bad. (unless it's a dry day in the city, in which that being on is bad.)

 

Maybe irs better just to say that the light means the center diff is locked. The limited is always in 4WD whether the center diff is locked or not.

@KANZAZZWIND! Congratulations and welcome.

 

A lot of people don’t seem understand what having a center diff means because they think transfer case but yeah either way is probably good.

 

Have a cup of coffee. Then pour a second cup of coffee, sit back, and watch this video. Then the mysteries of Full-time 4 wheel drive will be revealed and though it cost 40 minutes of your life that you’ll never get back you will have a crystal clear understanding of the inner workings of the full-time 4WD transfer case!

 

If you are driving your Limited in deep snow, or on packed snow, driving in H4L (center diff locked) is fine. If driving on light snow - or where you are frequently going from snow covered to cleared pavement - stay in H4F (center diff free). I typically stay in H4F whenever I am driving on snow. If you feel you are starting to lose traction just switch into H4L. Although the center diff is locked - your front and rear diffs are not - so if you get bogged down in some deep snow all the power will go to wheels that are spinning. If this happens, go into neutral and then switch into L4L (low range 4WD, center diff locked) and switch on ATRAC - you should be able to pull yourself out. ATRAC will use the brakes to stop the free spinning wheels so that power will go to wheels with some traction.

 

Can you switch into H4L on the fly or do you have to stop and put the transmission into neutral first?

 

Not really. Just drive it as is. Engaging L4H L4L helps keep the actuator exercised but if you don’t need either one for normal driving.

 

On the fly like 2wd to 4wd. L4L is low range and needs neutral and stopped.