Correct. The physical engagement involves a mechanical pin which must slide to engage. It can get stuck as it is only a small actuator that moves it. I had this occur on a 90 series Prado, an Isuzu and a Discovery. It is worth operating all the systems regularly-especially if you dunk the axles.
yes it can be a nightmare with the rear diff locker particularly if in sand because wiggling around to engage it causes you to bury the wheels. I find that engaging everything every month helps. these electronic systems need to be activated ever so often.
IMO the most important part about these operations is, doing engaging&disengaging operations when the shafts(for mid) and axles(for rear) aren't under stress. (For both mid and rear lockers.) About engaging rear diff lock: If it doesn't engage when stationary, best thing to do is to move the car someway with steering wheel turned, when the light is flashing and trying to engage. This will make different turning speeds on each axle (right and left) and get the engagement teeth alligned. About disengaging, if it flashes, it means that there is stress on the already engaged teeth, which can be overcomed by moving the vehicle slowly and making small steering movements, trying to find a gap for it to disengage. And for mid locker, it's better to engage and disengage it, when the vehicle is moving freely (when the propolsion is not under any engine load of acceleration or compression and the car is in a flowing manner), It doesn't have to be at a certain speed, but according to instructions, has to be under 100km/h. About disengaging, avoid to disengage right after a tight turn done with locked diffs, because it will be under stress right after a tight turn, no matter the surface. If it gets stuck and dosen't want to disengage, try to cancel first, accelerate hard, and press to disengage right before taking your foot back from throttle. There will be a stress free moment right when you pull your foot off the gas. These principles are valid for also part time 4WD, the rules about mid diff locker, works between 2H and 4H. Hope it helps, cheers
You don't need to switch off traction control to get the diff locks engaged, but obviously 4 low is required. It's the disengaging again after a river crossing, for instance, that can be a little frustrating. I've found that after stopping and putting the trans in neutral and releasing the 4 low and diff locks the Prado can remain in that configuration for a short distance before it goes back to normal highway settings, basically when it feels like it. I'm talking 2019 j150.
Thanks for the video. I will be renting this vehicle for some off road driving. Should Lo range be used when doing a river crossing or should i stick with hi4? Also should centre diff lock or rear diff be used for river crossing?
Thanks for the video. Just bought a GXL Prado and the tips here do help.
100% you are correct with the rear differential lock.
Correct. The physical engagement involves a mechanical pin which must slide to engage. It can get stuck as it is only a small actuator that moves it. I had this occur on a 90 series Prado, an Isuzu and a Discovery. It is worth operating all the systems regularly-especially if you dunk the axles.
You are absolutely correct, mate, to engaging the rear diff lock.
thanks for posting, helpful info, for our 2022 model.
yes it can be a nightmare with the rear diff locker particularly if in sand because wiggling around to engage it causes you to bury the wheels. I find that engaging everything every month helps. these electronic systems need to be activated ever so often.
Great vid - very informative and straight to the point! Cheers
Thanks mate, useful information
very helpful, thank you.
IMO the most important part about these operations is, doing engaging&disengaging operations when the shafts(for mid) and axles(for rear) aren't under stress. (For both mid and rear lockers.)
About engaging rear diff lock: If it doesn't engage when stationary, best thing to do is to move the car someway with steering wheel turned, when the light is flashing and trying to engage. This will make different turning speeds on each axle (right and left) and get the engagement teeth alligned.
About disengaging, if it flashes, it means that there is stress on the already engaged teeth, which can be overcomed by moving the vehicle slowly and making small steering movements, trying to find a gap for it to disengage.
And for mid locker, it's better to engage and disengage it, when the vehicle is moving freely (when the propolsion is not under any engine load of acceleration or compression and the car is in a flowing manner), It doesn't have to be at a certain speed, but according to instructions, has to be under 100km/h.
About disengaging, avoid to disengage right after a tight turn done with locked diffs, because it will be under stress right after a tight turn, no matter the surface.
If it gets stuck and dosen't want to disengage, try to cancel first, accelerate hard, and press to disengage right before taking your foot back from throttle. There will be a stress free moment right when you pull your foot off the gas.
These principles are valid for also part time 4WD, the rules about mid diff locker, works between 2H and 4H.
Hope it helps, cheers
Thanks for the detailed reply, very valid points and something for us all to consider when we engage or disengage.
You don't need to switch off traction control to get the diff locks engaged, but obviously 4 low is required. It's the disengaging again after a river crossing, for instance, that can be a little frustrating. I've found that after stopping and putting the trans in neutral and releasing the 4 low and diff locks the Prado can remain in that configuration for a short distance before it goes back to normal highway settings, basically when it feels like it. I'm talking 2019 j150.
Thank you
Thanks for the video. I will be renting this vehicle for some off road driving. Should Lo range be used when doing a river crossing or should i stick with hi4? Also should centre diff lock or rear diff be used for river crossing?
I would put it in Lo range and lock the centre diff only, you don't want to be changing once in the river!
There’s no sway bar/sway control here. It’s VSC = vehicle stability control.
Sway control is generally associated with towing.
When stuck in mud, should we engage 4H, 2H or 4L? What about sand?
Always 4L and second start if you have the Prado, traction control off
can you have the rear diff locked AND the traction control ON
No, traction control manages each wheel independently, as opposed to diff locking them together
Turning the rear diff lock automatically turns all traction control off.
Does this model have Crawl control ?
No crawl control, just downhill assist.