Vibration and noice when engaged 4h

[Sandeep1994]

I have 6 speed manual . Got the truck in april and now with almost 10000 km
Last week while driving around 60 km per hour on straight road i engaged 4h and suddenly noticed strange vibration on gas pedal and growl noice coming . Vibration and noice increased with more speed so after a minute i put it back 2 wheel drive and everything went fine
Today again i did same thing and i had same issue and i had to go back to 2 wheel drive . Dont know what that problem is .
But if i stop the truck and then engage 4 h and then start driving it drives completely fine . Vibration and the growl noice is only if i engage 4 h while driving . Does anybody know what it could be ??

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[Sner]

So why are you in 4 Hi on a straight road? Assuming on dry pavement too? If so there’s your answer - you don’t drive in 4 hi on dry pavement.

 

[Sandeep1994]

So why are you in 4 Hi on a straight road? Assuming on dry pavement too? If so there’s your answer - you don’t drive in 4 hi on dry pavement.

First i wanted to check how 4 h works on this truck . Bcz never used it since bought new .
Driven 4 runner in 4h on dry pavement many times in straight line . Was never an issue for me ..

 

[Miqie]

I thought 4wd was supposed to be engaged at least once a month for a few miles to keep things lubricated. I realize that it should be under slippery conditions, ie. sand or snow, but I thought it was also OK if you were just driving straight with no turns on dry pavement.

 

[lb272]

I thought 4wd was supposed to be engaged at least once a month for a few miles to keep things lubricated. I realize that it should be under slippery conditions, ie. sand or snow, but I thought it was also OK if you were just driving straight with no turns on dry pavement.

Correct to my knowledge. It is recommended in the manuals and I do the same thing. Engage 4 high on a straight run every once in awhile to keep the spiderwebs away (if you aren't regularly doing real offroading).

 

[lb272]

And OP, I haven't noticed anything like you mention. I can "feel" that it is in 4wd but no real difference in pedal response or noise. I'm not particularly sensitive to that kind of thing though....I'm too used to driving noisy old 4 bangers with the radio volume up. Something pretty loud has to happen before it really grabs my attention.

 

[Sner]

First i wanted to check how 4 h works on this truck . Bcz never used it since bought new .
Driven 4 runner in 4h on dry pavement many times in straight line . Was never an issue for me ..

You don’t do it on drive pavement it’s in your owners manual too (Page 404) You also should have never driven your 4Runner in 4WD on drive pavement either Unless it had “full time” 4WD. It’s well known you simply don’t do that in a part time 4WD system of any kind. You were wrong to do it on your 4Runner (unless it had “full time” 4WD) and wrong in doing it on your Tacoma. Not sure what else to say. Doing it results in different symptoms you are describing,

Now all that said, if you had a 5G 4Runner limited, or a 4G with a V8 then you had a “full time” 4WD system which would allow you to drive on dry pavement The new Tacoma does not have a “full time” AWD system unless you have a Limited. You’ll need to do some reading about different 4WD systems and what you had in your 4Runner and what you now own. For some education I’d recommend watching this video and or this video

 

[lb272]

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/engaging-4x4-once-a-month.713174/

 

[Sner]

Correct to my knowledge. It is recommended in the manuals and I do the same thing. Engage 4 high on a straight run every once in awhile to keep the spiderwebs away (if you aren't regularly doing real offroading).

If you want to engage 4WD once in a while, fine - do it on a dirt road not on dry pavement, even in a straight line Small steering inputs still creates differences in speeds between wheels.

that said, engaging 4WD once in a while is old school thinking and not necessary. The reason it “was” suggested was when 4WD used to be engaged by a shifter in the truck, and you had to shift it into 4WD. Ther was a linkage that would seize up if you didn’t use the 4WD. Those days are long gone, almost all 4WD systems now are a button, the linkage is gone - anything else in the system in a modern 4WD is electronic or submerged in oil. It’s an old school left over thought process thats not necessary anymore with dial/button type 4WD systems.

 

[Fireguy67]

If you want to engage 4WD once in a while, fine - do it on a dirt road not on dry pavement, even in a straight line Small steering inputs still creates differences in speeds between wheels.

that said, engaging 4WD once in a while is old school thinking and not necessary. The reason it “was” suggested was when 4WD used to be engaged by a shifter in the truck, and you had to shift it into 4WD. Ther was a linkage that would seize up if you didn’t use the 4WD. Those days are long gone, almost all 4WD systems now are a button, the linkage is gone - anything else in the system in a modern 4WD is electronic or submerged in oil. It’s an old school left over thought process thats not necessary anymore with dial/button type 4WD systems.

Basically correct ! Confirmed by a local Toyota Service Department. Also if in 4H and driven in a straight line on dry pavement for a few miles ( km’s) does not create undo wear and tear on components.

 

[Miqie]

I have a straight 8 mile street on the way to the grocery store. Whenever it rains, I put the truck into 4Hi and that fulfills (in my mind) exercising the 4W drive system. No harm done, well maybe mpg, possibly.

 

[BLtheP]

If you want to engage 4WD once in a while, fine - do it on a dirt road not on dry pavement, even in a straight line Small steering inputs still creates differences in speeds between wheels.

that said, engaging 4WD once in a while is old school thinking and not necessary. The reason it “was” suggested was when 4WD used to be engaged by a shifter in the truck, and you had to shift it into 4WD. Ther was a linkage that would seize up if you didn’t use the 4WD. Those days are long gone, almost all 4WD systems now are a button, the linkage is gone - anything else in the system in a modern 4WD is electronic or submerged in oil. It’s an old school left over thought process thats not necessary anymore with dial/button type 4WD systems.

Electronic actuators can definitely seize up and quit working as they should if they are not “exercised” semi regularly. Probably doesn’t have to be once a month and certainly not for 10 miles every month but it’s a good idea to do so, if anything, to make sure you don’t forget.

There is nothing at all wrong with doing it on pavement if you won’t be making sharp turns. The difference in tire speeds only matters between the average front diff speed and average rear diff speed because that’s all the t-case sees. When traveling down the road, there is barely any difference in front diff ca rear diff average speeds when making long, slight highway turns following the road. And if there is any bind, the tires are weaker than the t-case chain or CVs.

OP has a front driveshaft vibration or something similar with the problem he notes. He should be able to throw it into 4wd in a straight line, pavement or not, and not have any vibes that increase with speed. That would be a trip to the dealer if it were me, unless everybody else with a manual 4th gen states the same. And I hate going to the dealer so that is saying something.

 

[Sner]

Electronic actuators can definitely seize up and quit working as they should if they are not “exercised” semi regularly. Probably doesn’t have to be once a month and certainly not for 10 miles every month but it’s a good idea to do so, if anything, to make sure you don’t forget.

There is nothing at all wrong with doing it on pavement if you won’t be making sharp turns. The difference in tire speeds only matters between the average front diff speed and average rear diff speed because that’s all the t-case sees. When traveling down the road, there is barely any difference in front diff ca rear diff average speeds when making long, slight highway turns following the road. And if there is any bind, the tires are weaker than the t-case chain or CVs.

OP has a front driveshaft vibration or something similar with the problem he notes. He should be able to throw it into 4wd in a straight line, pavement or not, and not have any vibes that increase with speed. That would be a trip to the dealer if it were me, unless everybody else with a manual 4th gen states the same. And I hate going to the dealer so that is saying something.

Owners manual says it. Don’t drive in 4WD on dry pavement. Says only for tracks that allow for wheel slippage. Do as you want, but it is not good for a part time system. Want to drive in 4WD on pavement? Then you need an AWD (with a central differential) Actuators if you must “exercise” them can be done when stopped. It’s understanding how the different 4WD systems work and what you own. Can’t argue with owners manual. If you were to bring in your truck to Toyota complaining of anything to the effect of vibration on straight dry pavement in 4WD they’ll tell you to read your owners manual and not entertain the complaint.

 

[BLtheP]

Owners manual says it. Don’t drive in 4WD on dry pavement. Says only for tracks that allow for wheel slippage. Do as you want, but it is not good for a part time system. Want to drive in 4WD on pavement? Then you need an AWD (with a central differential) Actuators if you must “exercise” them can be done when stopped. It’s understanding how the different 4WD systems work and what you own. Can’t argue with owners manual. If you were to bring in your truck to Toyota complaining of anything to the effect of vibration on straight dry pavement in 4WD they’ll tell you to read your owners manual and not entertain the complaint.

That’s ironic considering you claim you don’t need to exercise the system yet the owner’s manual tells you to.

and no, exercising the ADD rarely works when stopped. You need to be moving for 4hi almost all the time. Driving in a straight line or even in some curves is 100% fine.

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