Help with 4x4 not engaging, I searched, got a question

[unpredictable1]

The first time we went to use 4x4 because we had snowfall - it won't engage.

The last time this happened was early in the winter a couple of winters ago.

How was it fixed? Thats the funny part.

When the truck first did this I collected several 4x4 threads and bookmarked them. Got set to do everything that night when the wife called. Not mechanically inclined, so totally unbiased she took the truck for a wash (that also does undercarriage) Fixed the problem and never had it happen again till now, 2 years later.

I don;t off road but what the heck would that have done to fix this??? Its too cold to do another wash right now but, I'm tempted to do it again!!!

My lights both times never even so much as blinked on the dash when you pushed the button.

 

[stang99x]

Probably have a bad connection or something, and hte wash's pressured water moved it and it began working again. I dunno, its always hard to diagnose an unknown problem without seeing it. I have never had the 4x4 fail on any of mine

 

[ExploringNC]

Shift Motor

I had a '91 that the 4 wheel drive stopped working and found this thread, it took about 30 min. and worked like a charm. It starts out going right into the repair but a quick explanation is that the small rubber stop gets worn and causes the switch sensor to go past the traces on a curuit board and that causes the motor to not work because the contacts are no longer touching.This thread has saved a lot of time and headaches for many.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1102904

 

[virgil's ranger]

check your main connection (i believe it was tho the transfer case) its a round connecter about the diameter of a silver dollar. my 4w went out and thats all it was, i just looked under my truck and checcked that all the connections were firmly in and my main one was lose and that was the problem.

 

[unpredictable1]

Not sure on this connector you're talking about but everything underneath there looks snug.

I had my daughter pushing 4x4 while I was underneath, nothing moves, clicks or anything. No light blinking, nothing. Tried it in reverse, neutral, park, 1, 2, D OD.

I started tapping lightly on a couple things incase something was stuck - no go.

So basically at this point I think electrical because nothing is even trying to initialize. The switch is securely connected - I pulled the gauge bezel off. The high voltage fuse under the hood is good, the large yellow 20.

In the rear compartment where the jack is, I tried checking the shift solenoid? (little black box) and no noise at that either - although if you hit the little white button a red LED comes on.

The awesome write up above basically gives that write up if you 4x4 lights are blinking when you try to engage it....mine does nothing.

Hrmm.

 

[unpredictable1]

Update:

went out tonight and drive the truck around the block. As I'm pressing the 4x4 button frequently I can hear that black box clicking like crazy in the back area of the cargo bay.

Each time I click, this thing is clicking sporatically in the back.

4x4 light comes on. It will come on if I keep clicking the button several times - but disengages with one touch. It seemed like seomtimes it was in 4x4 with no lights on...but that could have been the hubs locked?

ANyways....could it be that blackbox in the hatch area? It was always clicking several times with each button push...and it would eventually catch...

 

[peties3]

What I think is the problem is that the shift motor is not engaging all the way. Do the shift motor repair listed above, the brain box is now working. I had this happen too. It would not engage and the shift motor was trying to. I tapped LIGHTLY on it and got it to start working sporatically. Then, I would engage and disengage it several times while driving. Pretty soon, it would work any time I wanted it to. I think it was just a little gummy. I suggest you engage and disengage the 4X4 at least once a month when you are not using it.

 

[unpredictable1]

What I think is the problem is that the shift motor is not engaging all the way. Do the shift motor repair listed above, the brain box is now working. I had this happen too. It would not engage and the shift motor was trying to. I tapped LIGHTLY on it and got it to start working sporatically. Then, I would engage and disengage it several times while driving. Pretty soon, it would work any time I wanted it to. I think it was just a little gummy. I suggest you engage and disengage the 4X4 at least once a month when you are not using it.

Can the shoft motor be removed and fixed without removing the entire transfer case? Might sound like a dumb question but, can the vehicle be driven without the shift motor. I would think yes.... if not definitely.

 

[Maniak]

Yes you can take the shift motor off, BUT it usually requires cutting of 1 wire (unless someone else already cut it)..

I've heard of people driving with it off, BUT I don't know if it can move (lift lever) when the motor is off..

~Mark

 

[Bwana Bob]

Yes you can take the shift motor off, BUT it usually requires cutting of 1 wire (unless someone else already cut it)..

I've heard of people driving with it off, BUT I don't know if it can move (lift lever) when the motor is off..

~Mark

Some people have just cut and then spliced the wire, but others have had success by pulling the locking piece oit of the connector and pushing the pin and wire out.

Bob

 

[Bwana Bob]

check your main connection (i believe it was tho the transfer case) its a round connecter about the diameter of a silver dollar. my 4w went out and thats all it was, i just looked under my truck and checcked that all the connections were firmly in and my main one was lose and that was the problem.

That happened to me. The connector looked secure, but I pulled it off and sprayed some good electrical contact cleaner into it, then mated and unmated it a few times, and sprayed it again to clean the contacts. Its worked perfectly ever since. This is the round plastic connector with a bunch of wires in it that plugs into the transfer case.

Try this first before you remove the shift motor.


Bob

 

[unpredictable1]

Welp the 4x4 works, it just takes a couple of tries of the button for it to engage. Shuts off on the first touch though.

 

[Big Red]

I had a '91 that the 4 wheel drive stopped working and found this thread, it took about 30 min. and worked like a charm. It starts out going right into the repair but a quick explanation is that the small rubber stop gets worn and causes the switch sensor to go past the traces on a curuit board and that causes the motor to not work because the contacts are no longer touching.This thread has saved a lot of time and headaches for many.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1102904

I did all of this just about two weeks ago. I too decided to cut that wire and just splice it back. I took me a bit long but it only took a little piece of hose and about 2 hours and its running like a charm. I would deffinately consider doing this. Your computer is very confused and the small stop or bushing is causing these problems. Just replace it with the piece of hose and there you go. Good Luck!

 

[unpredictable1]

I did all of this just about two weeks ago. I too decided to cut that wire and just splice it back. I took me a bit long but it only took a little piece of hose and about 2 hours and its running like a charm. I would deffinately consider doing this. Your computer is very confused and the small stop or bushing is causing these problems. Just replace it with the piece of hose and there you go. Good Luck!

You know, now that I look at all this again it makes more sense. Mine is probably spinning around until it finally catches. Because once it catches, the 4x4 stays engaged till I hit the button again.