dbs600

Recently lent my 2004 LX470 to my next door neighbor for a couple of hours and was upset to find the two lights in the attached photo (Locked Center Differential and VSC OFF) were lit on the instrument cluster when I got it back!

I never change these settings and even after investigating same in the owner’s manual, I had a difficult time turning the lights off.

Nevertheless, I was able to turn them off, but unfortunately, they were on again this morning, even though I didn’t touch the locking center differential button below the antenna mast button on the center console, as it was in the ‘out’ position!?

I put the truck in park, pressed the differential button, drove forward and then backward, placed the truck in park, released the differential button, drove forward and then backward. This procedure didn’t work the first time, but did the second time!?

What’s going on here? Could something have been damaged? Not happy.

Please advise.

Thank you!

AKoch

Sounds like your central diff did not disengage? The VCS OFF is the result of it. Try pressing the center diff button and driving (straight, not turning for 20-50 seconds).

Sometimes these stick, if not used for long time. I exercise mine once in a while, though naturally - going off-road.

dbs600

Thank you for your reply. Yes, but even after trying to disengage the central locking differential, are you saying you've seen times where it sticks and doesn't release!? I may now be experincing that problem. Can damage result? Thanks again!

midwest2

Your transfer case was clearly in the locked mode and if you had driven it and tried to turn on dry pavement you would have definitely noticed.

I'd say your neighbor was messing around with the system, locked it, and then was unable to get it to unlock. I also believe that when you lock the differential the VSC is turned off automatically---completely normal.

If it had been damaged I believe you would already know. Leaving it locked and driving/turning on dry pavement will create a bind in the driveline that will eventually break the weakest link in the system. It might be worth checking that your AWD is still functioning. Other than that, it likely would have been a shaft or a u-joint that would eventually break.

This happened to me when I first got my used LX, I hit the button to make sure it functioned but was then unable to get it to return to normal. I found that it unlocks better if you turn slightly as you back up, that makes mine pop right off.

dbs600

Okay; great; thank you for your insight.

So you're saying if something was broken, I'd understand it to be the case.

I do, however, know what you're talking about when the lights were lit and I was turning on dry pavement; the truck would shudder / skip; didn’t feel good.

Hope this doesn’t become a reoccurring problem, where I find the lights are on again without me having touched the central locking differential button...

midwest2

It's only going to be a reoccurring problem if you keep loaning it to your neighbor.

dbs600

Hope so!