# 2004 Toyota Higlander 4 wd question

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-toyota-higlander-4-wd-question/85405>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [June 12, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-toyota-higlander-4-wd-question/85405 "2014-06-12T16:54:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MM1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@MM1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MM1)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-toyota-higlander-4-wd-question/85405/1 "2014-06-12T16:54:56Z")

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Does this car have a front differential and a transfer case or are they different names for the same thing?

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 5:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-toyota-higlander-4-wd-question/85405/2 "2014-06-12T17:46:32Z")

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They’re two different things. You have a front differential, a center diff, and a rear diff. You don’t have what I would call a transfer case, which is on 4wd vehicles based off rwd trucks and SUVs, which usually includes the gearing needed for a low range. There is an extra set of gears in your transmission to take the power and send it to the rear axle.

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**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 5:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-toyota-higlander-4-wd-question/85405/3 "2014-06-12T17:56:48Z")

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The Highlander which is AWD has a trans-axle like a Camry.

Go to the interactive url below. It explains 4wd/awd systems pretty well.

[http://www.majormedia2.com/4WDSimplifiedv5/4WD.html](http://www.majormedia2.com/4WDSimplifiedv5/4WD.html)