A little (probably silly) help for a new owner...

[nottheactress]

I just bought an 88 Tercel 4WD "Metro" wagon and so far I'm very, very happy with it. It looks like it's in great shape--no rust and runs well--but it didn't come with a manual. So what I'm wondering is how to engage the 4WD?

It's an automatic, so do I need to be in neutral? or driving at a low speed? shifted into low gear?

Considering how knowledgeable so many people are in this forum--I've been flipping through old posts for an answer and am very impressed--I suspect this is an absolutely inane question, but I don't want to mess my new baby up by doing the wrong thing. My car-fixing experience is pretty limited--mostly I know what it feels like when something breaks down (and how it feels to pay the mechanic's bill) after driving an 85 Subaru wagon around Australia for a year.

Thanks!

[neonsport]

Just push the button. You don't need to be in low gear, or in neutral. I wouldn't engage it at highway speeds, but it is a "shift on the fly" system.

Just be sure you don't use 4WD on dry pavement.

[xirdneh]

but it didn't come with a manual. So what I'm wondering is how to engage the 4WD?

It's an automatic, so do I need to be in neutral? or driving at a low speed? shifted into low gear?
Thanks!

My aunt drives the automatic Tercel 4x4. Every now and then she gets it into 4x4 accidently. She calls me wanting to know why its so herky jerky going around corners (this is on dry pavement).
I ask her to check the dash to see if the 4x4 light is on.
That's it! four times in three years.

[takza]

Brother in law bought a 4Runner 4x4..sister got in it and didn't take it out of 4WD on dry pavement...burned out the clutch...weakest link in the driveline? With the Terc it's probably that bearing in the trans?

[Iain]

weakest link in the driveline? With the Terc it's probably that bearing in the trans?

I'd think it would be those CV's....