98 4runner 4wd hi wont engage

4wd switch mounts to tranny around 70 bucks,takes about 5 minutes to change

for 4wl need to be stopped and put in neutral or park it wont actuate while driving [ blinking light indicates failure to engage ] 4wd hi can do while driving --if fails also then check and test for actuator sticking --control module --or transfer case failure

possible 4wd selector switch problem. 1st try unhooking battery for 10 min, then rehook and start engine, attempt shifting into 4wd and see if it clears up. could be multiple different things causing this, as the 4wd system is computer controlled, and electronically engaged.

its most likely the 4wd solenoid that engages the 4wd....

Sound crazy, but alot recommendations say thet when you pass from Hi to Lo must insure that you have foot on the brake pedal.

Loss of vacuum engages the front hubs; other for no 4 wheel drive and no indicator light. Go home pulled all the fuses that had to do with the 4 wheel drive system, put them back in and 4 wheel seems to work fine now. And no there were no blown fuses.

I recently had same case and it was a bad electric motor on the transfer case (31000 miles). The 4x4 light wouldn't even light up or engage so I would lean towards it being something different on your end. Also, could be the actuator pin or w/e the little plastic piece is that engages the 4LO might be broke, or maybe a couple of other things.

Keep us updated.

Most likely the button the dash is shot. I had a Blazer that did the same thing. Took the button apart,cleaned it and started working fine.[contact was bad]....just a thought before you go out and buy one !!

That depends a lot on how your truck is equipped. GM uses several different 4 wheel systems including AWD, Part-Time 4WD, Full-Time 4WD, and ON-Demand AWD. Then there is another version used on some trucks that is a combination of 4WD and On Demand AWD. - it gets a little confusing but each system as slightly different charachteristics.

Genericly speaking, if you have the push-buttons on your dash that say "4-HI", "4-LO", and "2HI" and/or Auto-4WD , the transfer case has an electronicly-controlled stepper motor which shifts the transfer case into the selected mode. An electric solenoid/actuator then engages/disengages the front differential for 2-Wheel or 4-Wheel modes. One push of the button and it shifts the transfer case and engages the front differential.

That's much easier than the old days when you had to stop the truck, get out (Sometimes in the middle of a big mud hole) and lock the front hubs then get back in and play with the lever in the floor to get the transfer case to shift into the desired mode.

check the solenoid on the front chunk these vehicles have had a lot of problems with these solenoids. have personally replaced about 10 of these on 98-02 models.

GOOGEL IT

try putting in nuetral and then shift into high gear . if still does not work sounds like the 4x4 acctuator is bad