RCharles

Hello

My friend managed to drive my GX470 with the differential locked - she covered about 4-5 miles. Only after stopping did she notice resistance in moving forward.

We switched off the lock and then she drove forward about twenty feet to get the indicator light out.

In other areas, the car seems to have overrides to prevent damaging the vehicle. Does the car disable the locked differential if you get up to driving speed, say, over 15 MPH?

Car seems fine now but I want to get it checked/repaired if there is damage done.

Thanks

Ray

mwbuck

Isn't the differential supposed to be locked under normal driving conditions? The only time it should be unlocked is when youre putting the 4WD into low gear or if youre stuck.

RCharles

mwbuck

Actually, just the opposite: lock the differential to get unstuck.

From the owner's manual:

NOTICE
To prevent damage to the center differential
>Unlock the center differential after the wheels are out of the ditch or off the loose or bumpy surface.

Ray

gsobol

The only time the center diff would sustain damage would be on hard cornering on paved surface, high torque situations, i.e. accelerating aggressively through a 90 degree turn. Driving in a relatively straight line for even a long distance will not put a lot of stress on the center diff.
Unlocked center diff allows different wheel speeds between front and rear of the vehicle, which is very important as the front and back wheels take a different path during hard cornering and therefore they make different number of revolutions. Locked center diff will force the front and back wheels to rotate at the same speed. Hard cornering on paved surface with a locked center diff will cause wheels to do signature "skip and jump" and it will put a lot of force on the parts of the center diff causing damage and eventual failure of the center diff. Gravel or dirt surfaces will lessen impact on the center diff as the wheel slippage will relief some pressures on the diff.
So I guess the question is not how far you drove with the center diff on, but what you drove on and how hard.

RCharles

Thanks, gsobol

We drove about five miles at up to 50 MPH but relatively straight. One or two turns on exits but slow speed.

The car is running fine since I got the lock turned off. (For others who have this problem, click the lock switch until the amber 4-wheel symbol is blinking, then drive straight and slowly for about twenty feet; light should go out.)

Gsobol, can you tell me what symptoms I might notice if there was any damage done?

Regards

Ray

Booyah

You didnt hurt anything! you would know by now if you did!

SOmetimes Ill Lock up my diff after a heavy snowfall just to do it, I noticed that on my 4-Runner with selectable AWD or 4WD(locked center diff) I would have better traction or pulling power when locked up after a nice deep snow--Im guessing because you get a 50/50 split.

So I tried it with the GX and it seems to do better as well--not needed I know but hey its a feature..lol---Only thing to Remember is that when you lock the center diff you DISABLE the VSC which could be a bad thing in the snow OR if you are like me and like to play a little it allows you to do some nice 4-wheel drifts without all the VSC nannies kicking in taking out all the fun)

gsobol

One good thing about a lockable center diff is that you will know right away that you broke something. It will not stay locked (when you want it to), or it will stop sending power to the back wheels in both locked and unlocked position. You will also hear a lot of grinding noises. Or in the worst case scenario it can lock up your back and front wheels - that is highly unlikely, and it would result in extensive damage to your transfer case as well.

From your description I do not think that you hurt your truck in any way.

RCharles

Many thanks for all the replies.

MY GX470 continues to run just fine and now I'm confident no damage was done.

Best

Ray

drcwks

THANKS for the information from everyone. I somehow BUMPED my consoled switch from 4H to 4L I believe THAT turned on the Center Differential I only drove a mile didn't realize anything was different until I turned into a parking stall. NOT only did the car slow down quickly from coast....but felt like the brake was on when turning into parking space. THEN I noticed the Center Dif Lock light was on. I moved the 4WD switch from low to high and when I pushed the Center Dif lock button it started flashing...so I pushed it again and drove home another mile. Got out my manual and HOPE I didnt mess anything up. It says youre supposed to have transmission in neutral to make changes from 4H to 4L and back again....
so I did that and manual said to take car in immediately if the Center Dif light blinks...and mine was....so was worried it was messed up until I read the solution to have it flashing and make sure you drive straight 50 feet or so....and that's what I did and light turned off and turning corners are normal again.... Just wanted to say thanks for the information....

ALAN553

High to low switch?...that change is not electric, it's a mechanical, shifter on the conosle. Locking the center diff into full time 4WD is a switch on the console.

IanB2

X2, the level beside the transmission shifter is how you switch from high range to low range, and it doesn't happen by accident. The button in front of the shifter is the center diff lock (CDL) button, and it switches from full time AWD (open center diff) to 4x4 (locked center diff).

chiph9

The light will blink while the CDL is in the process of locking. If there is strain on it preventing it, it'll keep blinking. You should be in neutral when both engaging/disengaging the lock, as well as moving the Hi-Lo range lever.

Chip H.

ALAN553

You do not need to be stopped or in netural to hit that button to lock the diff, that is available on the fly...might need to let off the gas for a sec...however to move transfer case from H to L, you must be stopped and in neutral,

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

You will hear a loud grinding when you try and turn hard when it's locked on a dry surface, it will not be quiet.. you will literally feel the diff breaking itself.

If you aren't hearing anything strange grinding noises or feeling random binding, then that probably means you are good to go still.

MyFirstGX

So what are the steps for engaging the
HI 4x4
Low 4x4
and when / how to properly engage the center locker ?