2000 Ford Explorer XLS auto 4x4 will not disengage

[riotten22]

I am having a problem with my auto 4x4 engaging because of the snowy conditions and then never disengaging when I hit the highway where the roads are dry... Does anyone have any tips or ideas on what might be the problem.. I have been able to get it out of 4x4 when i go in reverse really fast but currently dont have any long stretches of dry pavement to do so.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[Skibum1989]

I've heard switching it to 4x2 hi and putting it in reverse for 80 feet or so disengages it, not sure tho.

 

[00XLS]

I've heard switching it to 4x2 hi and putting it in reverse for 80 feet or so disengages it, not sure tho.

I hope your kidding. There is no need to reverse after using 4x4 with our trucks, esp on a '00 with the auto 4x4. As I understand it, the 4x4 is ALWAYS sending a small percentage of power to the front axle. There is a mod called the brown wire mod. on the site here that can help you make it a true 2wd. Backing up for 80 I would think can be dangerous, JMO.

 

[Skibum1989]

Yeah, thats what the guy who sold my explorer to me said to do while disengaging the 4wd, like on some chain off area or somthin where I wouldnt need the 4wd any longer, sounded strange to me too, so far my 4wd had done a fine job switching over, so I havent had a chance to test it out.

 

[riotten22]

The reverse thing is the only way i can get it to disengage so something is not right. The auto 4x4 engages fine but just never disengaes unless i floor it for about a block in reverse....

Nick

 

[Blee1099]

on the 95-01, you don't have to put it in reverse to disengage the 4WD. The control trac automatically sends juice to the front axle for a short period until it reaches a certain speed. The auto 4WD doesn't have a true 2WD per say but you can do a brown wire mod to give you a true 2WD.

 

[00XLS]

Exactly, theres always power going to the front.

 

[Skibum1989]

the 95's are equipped with Control Trac 4wd? I never noticed I guess

 

[riotten22]

So my 00 exporer xls has control trac? It has auto , 4x4 high and 4x4 low on the switch. It feels like it is in 4x4 high even know it is on auto. When i turn on dry pavement going slow you can feel the 4x4 clunking in the front wheels. If i reverse while semi fast for about a 100 feet I here a clunk and it disengages. I heard it clunk while on auto mode when the rear wheels slipped the other day on the snow and it was in 4x4 even on dry pavement until I did the reverse thing.

 

[gijoecam]

It's simple. If the switch is in 4auto and the transfer case is stuck in 4 high, the transfer case is broken. It really is that simple. If unplugging the transfer case does not force the t-case to release the front driveshaft, something is bound-up internally. There should be absolutely no need to reverse a second or third generation Explorer to release the 4wd.

-Joe

 

[IAmTodd]

the 95's are equipped with Control Trac 4wd? I never noticed I guess

You have 4AUTO. You have Control Trac. Just an earlier version that has 2wd and not 4HI.

 

[gijoecam]

You have 4AUTO. You have Control Trac. Just an earlier version that has 2wd and not 4HI.

Indeed, same switch, same transfer case, different programming of the GEM and different front axle.

-Joe

 

[gijoecam]

Exactly, theres always power going to the front.

Not quite true. The system uses a solid state relay. A solid state relay connot ever truly stop the current flow completely, but it is very good at rapidly turning the current 'on' and 'off', even if 'off' isn't completely off. That's why those with the BWM with a lighted switch see it flicker from dim to bright and back.

Mechanically, the clutch coil needs a certain amount of current before it engages, but it is either engaged or disengaged. There is no in-between where <i>some portion other than 50%</i> of the power gets transmitted to the front axle.

When the system is operating, the GEM interprets the wheel speeds, throttle position, engine RPM, etc and varies the <b>duty cycle</b> of the transfer case clutch coil as necessary, or in other words, the percentage of <i>TIME 50% of the power is applied to the front wheels</i>. That's not the same thing as varying the percentage of power sent to the front wheel.

Make sense?

So, technically there is always electrical power flowing through the transfer case clutch coil. However, the transfer case is not always engaged and sending power to the front wheels.

-Joe