Bambi41
Member
- Joined
- March 24, 2006
- Messages
- 25
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, United Kingdom
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1999 North Face LPG
Hi everyone
Just had to get out and get under my explorer because of the 4x4 high and low lights flashing 6 times every 3 minutes. This means that the GEM (located just to the left of the radio) is receiving incorrect signals from a variety of sensors and is basically deciding to not to allow four wheel drive. Apart from the annoying disco lights every 3 minutes I thought that if I have a 4x4 truck it should be able to have 4 wheel drive. I read some of the threads on here and then called my trusty friend Howard. This is what I did to cure the problem:
I tried the old and very easy battery fix which entails just taking off the negative terminal and waiting for 10 minutes ( I assume that this resets the 4x4 computer which is located just forward of the jack in that compartment) I also pulled out the 2 plugs into the 4x4 computer and reinserted them a few times just to ensure a good connection. My ex however was not willing to play ball and the lights kept on flashing! So you cannot select either 4x4 high or low.
Next I crawled under my Ex and had a look around. I could get under but I decided to buy a set of ramps and up my Ex went (much easier) ( don't forget to switch off the self leveling) I soon found the transfer case and all the wires coming from the loom into the TFCase. I saw the main multi-plug feeding the speed sensors the Electromagnet (brown wire mod)and the shift motor and after chatting with Howard pulled the two separate sides of the multi-plug apart. It is not easy because you dont have much room but you can pull the plug towards the rear speed sensor and wiggle it about to get it to split. Eventually I managed it and proceeded to push it in and out a few times to clean the corrosion off the terminals.
I then checked the dash for lights and sure enough they were still there!! I then disconnected the negative terminal and this I assume reset the system! Voila! no lights. I was very pleased with myself and switched off the engine and went and washed the grime from my hands and arms. It turns out that this was premature!
Started her up again and the lights had returned! I did the battery reset again and they went out! result. Switched off and re-started the engine and the damn things were there again!! I did the negative battery reset again and they went out! I decided to engage 4x4 high with the switch and the indicator light confirmed that it had engaged. I then put her in Neutral, foot on the brake and switched to 4x4 low, nothing for a while and then a clunk! the shift motor was obviously working. I repeated this a few times and the lights have been off all afternoon and I hope will stay off!!
I think that it was the multi-plug having a bad connection and the fact that I had never engaged 4x4 manually, just left it in Auto. My hypothesis is that by cleaning the connections and making the system cycle through the engagement of 4x4 high and low manually and resetting the system by disconnecting the negative battery terminal allowed the 4x4 computer to get its bearings and accept that the system was working.
Anyhow I accept that this has been a lucky fix and far from exhaustive, however it is a place to start if you get the old disco lights flashing!
hope this helps
Dave
Just had to get out and get under my explorer because of the 4x4 high and low lights flashing 6 times every 3 minutes. This means that the GEM (located just to the left of the radio) is receiving incorrect signals from a variety of sensors and is basically deciding to not to allow four wheel drive. Apart from the annoying disco lights every 3 minutes I thought that if I have a 4x4 truck it should be able to have 4 wheel drive. I read some of the threads on here and then called my trusty friend Howard. This is what I did to cure the problem:
I tried the old and very easy battery fix which entails just taking off the negative terminal and waiting for 10 minutes ( I assume that this resets the 4x4 computer which is located just forward of the jack in that compartment) I also pulled out the 2 plugs into the 4x4 computer and reinserted them a few times just to ensure a good connection. My ex however was not willing to play ball and the lights kept on flashing! So you cannot select either 4x4 high or low.
Next I crawled under my Ex and had a look around. I could get under but I decided to buy a set of ramps and up my Ex went (much easier) ( don't forget to switch off the self leveling) I soon found the transfer case and all the wires coming from the loom into the TFCase. I saw the main multi-plug feeding the speed sensors the Electromagnet (brown wire mod)and the shift motor and after chatting with Howard pulled the two separate sides of the multi-plug apart. It is not easy because you dont have much room but you can pull the plug towards the rear speed sensor and wiggle it about to get it to split. Eventually I managed it and proceeded to push it in and out a few times to clean the corrosion off the terminals.
I then checked the dash for lights and sure enough they were still there!! I then disconnected the negative terminal and this I assume reset the system! Voila! no lights. I was very pleased with myself and switched off the engine and went and washed the grime from my hands and arms. It turns out that this was premature!
Started her up again and the lights had returned! I did the battery reset again and they went out! result. Switched off and re-started the engine and the damn things were there again!! I did the negative battery reset again and they went out! I decided to engage 4x4 high with the switch and the indicator light confirmed that it had engaged. I then put her in Neutral, foot on the brake and switched to 4x4 low, nothing for a while and then a clunk! the shift motor was obviously working. I repeated this a few times and the lights have been off all afternoon and I hope will stay off!!
I think that it was the multi-plug having a bad connection and the fact that I had never engaged 4x4 manually, just left it in Auto. My hypothesis is that by cleaning the connections and making the system cycle through the engagement of 4x4 high and low manually and resetting the system by disconnecting the negative battery terminal allowed the 4x4 computer to get its bearings and accept that the system was working.
Anyhow I accept that this has been a lucky fix and far from exhaustive, however it is a place to start if you get the old disco lights flashing!
hope this helps
Dave