2016 Tundra w/ 75k miles and transfer case failure.

Hi guys,

Looking for some insight.

I bought a 2016 tundra double cab with 71k miles 7 months ago. 4x4 worked fine when tested.

Used it once for the beach a month ago with no issues. Used it again last week for the beach with no problem until leaving. Tried to switch back to 2wd and it would not get out of 4hi. I would eventually get it out of 4lo to 4hi with some switching around and messing around. In the process, going from neutral to drive would have some major grinding. Eventually was able to get it to 2wd and drove home without any issues.

few days later I wanted to try 4x4 at home to see if it was a fluke. I ended up getting stuck in 4hi.

I ended up taking it to the dealer last Wednesday in 4hi. They told me it was the transfer case actuator, a 2000 dollar repair. They replaced it that next day, Thursday. One cycle it worked but then would not go in and out of gear. They kept it for a few more days, eventually draining the transfer case fluid and seeing metal and said something was binding and that they couldn’t move it by hand.

Today I was told it was a total transfer case failure, which is very rare and they’ve almost never seen. They quoted me for 4900 for the entire job. I went down and spoke to them and got the price down to 4400.

I called a local mechanic and they quoted me to do the job for 4200.

so I told the dealer to just do it but It’s just not sitting right with me. It only has 75k miles. The new transfer case will be brand new and have a 1 year warranty but money is tight right now.
I understand I could buy a used one online but I feel that I am playing with fire there and it could possibly happen again. I felt safer going new at this point.

what if they mis diagnosed that? What if it wasn’t the transfer case or actuator?

anyone ever hear of this? Any suggestions or advice? I basically already told them and I think they ordered it but it will take 2-3 days to deliver.

 

Replacing the actuator requires splitting the transfer case, if I recall correctly, so there's a chance they killed it reassembling Incorrectly. Hmm.

 

So, they said for the newer (2016) they do not need to split the transfer case and that it was true for the older models. I thought they maybe damaged the transfer case by not actually opening it?

 

I have never heard of this before, but it’s awesome. So, before I go down the rabbit hole here for my own edification, does this add the lever through the floor like my old Chevy trucks from the 90’s?

 

For $4k you can get a Torsen from LX570/Sequoia and have a full time 4WD.

 

I haven't heard of this happening, either, but I wonder if it had to do with shifting between D an N while trying to get out of 4Lo and the associated grinding that you heard. Either way, that's a bummer. The transfer case encoder getting fouled up is plausible - did they keep the part for you to inspect? Sometimes they get water in them and seize up.

I'd ask them for the new actuator, find a used t-case, and swap the new actuator to the new t-case. You've already paid for the actuator, after all. Installing a transfer case isn't horribly difficult or particularly time consuming, but much easier for a mechanic.

 

I think this only works for the

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