Rav 4 Nrg-- 4Wd Or Not?

[vjm]

Hi, I'm new to the forum having just bought a 2002 Rav 4 NRG 3 door auto VTi which I was assured by the garage, was 4WD. I really need a 4WD because of my drive to work in Winter. However, when I asked him how to change it to 4WD he said press the 'shift select' button. Have now picked up the car and been reading the handbook and that seems like something he might just have thought up on the spot! No mention in the owners handbook of how to switch to 4WD- have I been had or is it just permanently in 4WD? Would really love some info before I go back and challenge him as I know some 3 door NRGs ARE 4WD, so I'm very confused now. Help Rav 4 owners- can you help a damsel in distress??!!

[crofter]

Hello and welcome to TOC and to the Rav4 section

Your car is in perminent 4WD and can not be switched off

Hop over to the RAV section and ask as many questions as you like,we are a friendly bunch of nuts

Del

[FROSTYBALLS]

Welcome to Toyota Owners Club.

Topic moved to Rav4 club.

[Raistlin]

Hi, Welcome to the club... Enjoy

[gjnorthall]

If it's 2 litre rather than 1.8 in the 3 door range - it's a permanent 4 wheel drive. If ever in doubt - a quick look under the 4WD version will reveal a propshaft going from the gearbox to the rear axle.

[Mike169]

I'm reading this thread with interest as this is a question i am not 100% sure of....i was about to ask my own question about this subject when i saw this....my own question is as follows.... Hi all and i feel really stupid asking this question, is my (2012 D Cat Auto 150bhp) and also all of your Rav4's permanent 4wd? I have read different articles and asked a couple of people and they all come up with a different answers. Replies vary from permanent 4wd and driveshafts to all wheels, 4wd but the rear wheels have some sort of electric system. 'Pulls' (Fwd) on the front wheels only but if the wheels were to start spinning the car automatically somehow electrically makes the rear wheels drive also hence the 'shift' button on the dash which makes the 4wd light appear, so you can command the rear wheels to drive.

I even asked my female doctor who has a Mini Cooper also with a 4wd Badge and she says she believes her car has some sort of electric control to the rear wheels should the fronts start slipping but of course she admitted she didn't really know and i was just transposing her thoughts onto my Rav4.
To me in the past a 4wd system was an engine, gearbox, transfer box, propshaft and driveshafts/halfshafts to each wheel, have things moved on now and i am lagging behind.
A puncture i got recently, i took it to Mr T's as they do free repairs and when the tyre was off i commented on how low the tread depth was having only done 5000 miles and the mechanic's reply was "because it't 4wd".
Can someone explain to me in detail please how my car works and why the 'shift' button on the dash board?

[gjnorthall]

The 4.1 up to 2000 had permanent four wheel drive - i.e. equal split of torque to front and rear wheels.

The 4.2 up to 2006 also had permanent four wheel drive but an improved differential which eliminated the phenomenon known as tight corner braking.

The 4.3 from 2006 had an entirely different and more refined system known as active torque control. Essentially an electronic clutch varied the torque to the rear wheels - up to a maximum of 45% of the total torque. The car starts off with maximum torque to the rear (45%) - thereafter the torque is varied according to factors such as road conditions - often there will be no torque supplied to the rear wheels thus reducing fuel consumption. The lock button you refer to simply fixes the torque distribution between front and rear to help getting out of situations where one wheel is spinning - fine for off-roading but rarely necessary in normal driving - it automatically disengages at 24MPH.

The 4.4 from 2012 uses a refinment of active torque control known as dynamic torque control and has additional features such as the facility to select a sports mode.

The above refers to manual gearboxes - the systems work a little different on autos.

[Red Yaris 54]

Your car is always front wheel drive but when conditions demand it will automatically become a 4 wheel drive.

This is because a small electrically operated clutch unit that sits on the front of the rear axle. This unit is capable of silently and steplessly engaging drive to the rear axle. It is controlled by a central computer which has inputs to the stability control and engine management computers. It provides the RAV with one of the most capable and reliable 4WD systems currently available. You would be wrong to think it only operates occasionally. That clutch is working hard all the time you drive.

Under normal conditions, the car ALWAYS sets off in 4WD then eases off as you drive to a level that is dependant on how you are progressing. If you get up to 30 on level road and are just feathering the accelerator it may be completely off and in FWD but if you accelerate hard it will stay in longer. Think of it as being connected to the accelerator - the more you press the harder the rear axle will engage.

The lock switch will rarely need using. It is really used if you get stuck in the mud or snow where occasionally the FWD and the traction control can fight each other. In reality it is rarely need but you will find that if you set off with it on it will disconnect at 25mph and will not engage above. This is to protect the transmission and tyres that would tend to tighten up and resist turning on a good road surface

[dwilson]

Hi, I'm new to the forum having just bought a 2002 Rav 4 NRG 3 door auto VTi which I was assured by the garage, was 4WD. I really need a 4WD because of my drive to work in Winter. However, when I asked him how to change it to 4WD he said press the 'shift select' button. Have now picked up the car and been reading the handbook and that seems like something he might just have thought up on the spot! No mention in the owners handbook of how to switch to 4WD- have I been had or is it just permanently in 4WD? Would really love some info before I go back and challenge him as I know some 3 door NRGs ARE 4WD, so I'm very confused now. Help Rav 4 owners- can you help a damsel in distress??!!

Why not read through http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/91067-rav4-model-range/ ?

There were some 2WD versions in 2002 but I think they were the 1.8 engined NV - but I am not an expert!!

[dwilson]

Hi, I'm new to the forum having just bought a 2002 Rav 4 NRG 3 door auto VTi which I was assured by the garage, was 4WD. I really need a 4WD because of my drive to work in Winter. However, when I asked him how to change it to 4WD he said press the 'shift select' button. Have now picked up the car and been reading the handbook and that seems like something he might just have thought up on the spot! No mention in the owners handbook of how to switch to 4WD- have I been had or is it just permanently in 4WD? Would really love some info before I go back and challenge him as I know some 3 door NRGs ARE 4WD, so I'm very confused now. Help Rav 4 owners- can you help a damsel in distress??!!

Why not read through http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/91067-rav4-model-range/ ?

There were some 2WD versions in 2002 but I think they were the 1.8 engined NV - but I am not an expert!!

This is another good source http://www.rac.co.uk/buying-a-car/car-reviews/toyota/rav/207636/

[crofter]

I do not wish to take either side in what has unfortunatly developed.

However all I have learned about my motor has been from these pages and if what I have accrued from them I have passed on to new members. I shall have to be more careful in future.

One question,was there ever a 1.8 auto made ??

I always believed not,hence my initial post to the OP's question.

Much has been said after but no-one has refuted what I believed so I can only assume it was correct.

So how come this has been dragged out and distorted to this savage and ugly extent.??

Is there not too much of this about without it spreading to these pages?

Could someone explain it to this old sod who still believes that one is innocent unless proved otherwise

So many questions to which I have no answers!!

HELP

Del

[vjm]

Thanks everyone for your replies- really helpful info.

[mrbilly]

ok here goes

the 2002 model basically has the same setup as the early rav4s 94 to 2000

the only difference was the 1.8 which was 2wd

they are all pemenent 4wd

but the vx ang nrg also have rear torsen limited slip diff

[crofter]

Jane's question answered with no fuss,(so far) I like it

Atta boy mrbilly

Del

[rambler]

Mines the very same vehicle as yours Jane.

But mines a manual not an auto.

Its permanent 4wd with the slip diff at the rear, just how I like it