Another Beeping Noise - New Owner

[hellish458]

Hello I've just bought a Rav4 second-hand today and didnt get a manual with it and it's my first 4wd. When I start the car with my seat belt on and the door closed I get a beeping noise when i press the 4wd button it goes away. hubby thinks I might damage the car if I drive it at speed with this button on?

Help please

Helen

[keithm]

Hello I've just bought a Rav4 second-hand today and didnt get a manual with it and it's my first 4wd. When I start the car with my seat belt on and the door closed I get a beeping noise when i press the 4wd button it goes away. hubby thinks I might damage the car if I drive it at speed with this button on?

Help please

Helen

hi helen

the beeping noise you here is a warning tone to let you now you have pressed the 4wd button on.yes it is bad to drive in 4wd mode on the open road.only use 4wd off road.

keith (toyota mech ireland)

[hellish458]

Thanks Keith but it beeps when its off and stops beeping when i turn it on??

Helen

NB. I wont drive it with it on then ;)

[bothwell_buyer]

The diff lock button that you refer to should light up when the diff is locked. That means that all 4 wheels turn at the same rate and cornering becomes more stressful to the car on tarmac roads just as Keith says.

It should be switched on or off when the wheels are straight preferably. I found that my diff lock is slow to dis-engage and that by reversing a few yards, it would disengage.

Driving on tarmac with the diff locked will wear the transmission and speeds above 50mph should be avoided.

By the sound of it you seem to have the thing reversed ? (its been a long eventful day) - the beep will happen when you switch it on, and also whilst its in the process of dis-engaging as well.

You should be able to tell if its on or off by the weight of the steering on cornering...heavier when on diff lock.

[anchorman]

Bothy just look in your book for the circuit. I seem to remember that the switch has a vac pipe to the gearbox that effectively warns that the diff lock switch is disengaged but is still physically stuck engaged. As you say it needs reversing to free it or the switch is duff or it really is stuck engaged.

Helen - welcome to the club. Don't wish to alarm you but this needs to be understood or as keith says you could damage the transmission - big time.

Hey Keith, welcome to you as well. Do you have access to decent technical info on the Uk spec 4.1 RAVs? The only thing we have (read that as bothy) is US derived manuals and bothy's valuable knowledge. If he gets locked up for speeding or shooting the polis, we're stuffed.

[bothwell_buyer]

The diff lock electrical diagram for the models to 1997 is fairly simple.

The diagram for 1998 - 2000 models is a bit more to it.

Neither diagram easily shows up a vacuum pipe altho there is a combination meter with extras on later models which may be it. I'll scan both and post them up. No other description. It shows what looks like 2 accuators for the diff lock, so perhaps these could be stuck - listed as VSVs (wassat?)

[anchorman]

It stands for vacuum switching valve and on a similar note I found these posts on R4W;

http://rav4world.com/forums/viewtopic.php?...light=diff+lock

Post 3 on here tells in some detail what should happen. I knew we discussed it somewhere in the past. I think an engine vac servo engages the 4WD;

http://rav4world.com/forums/viewtopic.php?...light=diff+lock

Look at post 9 here;

http://rav4world.com/forums/viewtopic.php?...fferential+lock

So. I think vacuum engages it via an ep valve (electro pneumatic) and the warning is telling you that the diff is still engaged and exhausting. If it doesn't disengage that could cause damage but it might give the same warning if the servo, ep or vac pipes were faulty.

Helen

I would print some of this stuff off and take it to a good independant or you Toyota dealer to let them see what is going on.

Cheers

[bothwell_buyer]

Well done that man - I went back to bed to, errrr, think.

[anchorman]

Bothy, have you got any decent pictures of that transfer box?

[bothwell_buyer]

Bothy, have you got any decent pictures of that transfer box?

The haynes manual just gives hand sketches of this, showing position of the bolts. Mention is made of "label and disconnect the vacuum hoses from the transfer vacuum actuator, then unbolt and remove the actuator" but there is no picture of where these hoses are.

[gasser]

Thanks Keith but it beeps when its off and stops beeping when i turn it on??

Helen

NB. I wont drive it with it on then ;)

DID YOU GET THE BEEP SORTED ?