In HL diff lock light not showing up

[rosenstok]

On my Prado KZJ95 1KZ-TE, when changing from H to HL, the diff lock light in the dashboard does not come on. When changing to LL, it does though. Could this simply be a sensor issue or might it be a mechanical issue?

I'm in rural Tanzania and it's the rainy season, nearest tarmac is 1 hour away so HL is kind of a nice to have here...

 

[rosenstok]

I forgot to mention the Prado was imported from Japan in 2009, so it's the Japanese spec. As far as I can surmise, it only has cross diff lock, no rear diff lock. There are no buttons or knobs for engaging diff lock, there is only the shifter to go from H to HL to N to LL.

Anyone any ideas?

 

[BobMurphy]

Hi,

Is the car new to you (i.e. do you know if the centre difflock light has ever come on in 'HL') ??

I suspect you have a Limited Slip Diff at the rear instead of the electric locker that we can have in the UK.

Is the gearbox manual or Automatic ??

In the UK cars we have two switches on the Transfer Box on the manual versions and three on the Automatics.

1. = Centre Difflock engaged (works from difflock selector shaft).

2. = Tells the CPU that the Transfer Box is in Low Range (so it can engage the rear difflock if required and disable ABS). This works from the Low Range Selector Shaft.

3. = On Autos, it tells the CPU that the Transfer Box is in Low Range (I think it alters the shift characteristics). Also works from the Low Range Selector Shaft.

If your light used to work, but no longer does, I suspect someone has crossed the switch connections when doing some servicing. It seems that its showing the Centre Difflock to be engaged when its in Low Range.

If that is the case, something else should be happening when you move to 'HL' - does the ABS Warning Light come on ??

Or maybe the low range switch isn't connected to anything.

Interesting .

Bob.

 

[rosenstok]

Hi Bob,

Hi,
Is the car new to you (i.e. do you know if the centre difflock light has ever come on in 'HL') ??

I bought it second hand 7 months ago, the difflock has never come on in HL for me.

Is the gearbox manual or Automatic ??

Manual.

I suppose it's limited slip dif in the back indeed. I read (I think it was Wikipedia) that the Japanese spec differed in this respect from the UK spec. I've seen African spec (redesigned in South Africa I'm told) which has the switch you refer to.

I'm hoping it's just an electrical problem that the light doesn't come in in HL, but it does come on in LL. Is there any more diagnostics I can do to test whether the problem is electrical or mechanical? Are the front wheels meant to be locked together in HL - i.e. if turning a corner on gravel should I hear one will slip on the gravel?

 

[BobMurphy]

Hi,

It won't be mechanical, the switches are connected to totally independent selector shafts - one can't accidently be confused with the other.

It does sound like a wiring problem - but quite simple to test, providing you don't mind getting underneath, removing the plastic undertrays and getting your hands dirty .

Here is a Transfer Box from a Manual Colorado (the one from an Auto has different selectors):

The shot is from the front, looking back, the Left-hand side is therefore nearest to the camera.

You can see a switch and a blanking plug high up on the box, below the selector lever - This switch is for the High/Low detector.


On the other side is the Centre Difflock switch, the plug is draped over the selector lever boot.

The switches are identical.

From below, trace both switch wires to where they join the loom, unplug and swap them over. I think that's all you will have to do .

Good luck

Bob.