4 hi indicator lights

[ashleyroachclip]

I have a 94 Ranger , 4.0 4x4 , everything works , but my question is ,
At times I can see the small indicator , beside the switch , is faintly glowing , while in 2 wheel drive.
When I engage 4 high , the light glows brightly .
There is no problem with the low range indicator lamp .
everything works as it should other than at times , when in 4 high , it seems the vehicle is disengaging from 4 back to 2 wheel drive , tho the indidcator lamps remain on .
This happens only in high range .
Another thing I recently had happen , is I was in 4 high , had stopped to let the dogs out of the rig , shut it off , started back up again , and I was no longer in 4 wheel drive .
Lights were off .
As soon as I pressed the button , It engaged as always .
This has happened a couple of times this last year .

Any one have a clue as to what is going on here ?
any insight is appreciated .
Ashley

 

[DeRocha]

I have a 94 Ranger , 4.0 4x4 , everything works , but my question is ,
At times I can see the small indicator , beside the switch , is faintly glowing , while in 2 wheel drive.
When I engage 4 high , the light glows brightly .
There is no problem with the low range indicator lamp .
everything works as it should other than at times , when in 4 high , it seems the vehicle is disengaging from 4 back to 2 wheel drive , tho the indidcator lamps remain on .
This happens only in high range .
Another thing I recently had happen , is I was in 4 high , had stopped to let the dogs out of the rig , shut it off , started back up again , and I was no longer in 4 wheel drive .
Lights were off .
As soon as I pressed the button , It engaged as always .
This has happened a couple of times this last year .

Any one have a clue as to what is going on here ?
any insight is appreciated .
Ashley

It is common to see the 4x4 high and or low button lights faintly glowing from time to time.. It is most likely receiving a ghost signal from the 4x4 computer or shift motor's geared position sensor.. During the winter this happens on my '93 explorer a few times a week, during the summer it maybe happens once a month.. In all cases I am not in 4x4..

Once you engage 4x4 and the button and Dash lights both indicate your in 4x4 then 4x4 is on (the shift was successfully made). If these lights are on and it feels like 4x4 is off then I would examine your hubs to see if one is intermittently failing causing the front end to feel lighter. Manual hub issues are rare, while automatic hub issues are very common..

 

[ashleyroachclip]

thanks

Derocka I appreciate your reply .
I am not in a position to question your response , just want to clear this up in my head .
If the high range lite is being dimly lit , from as you said , a ghost signal , why is the low lamp also not lit ?
I have rebuilt the entire front end , ball joints etcetera , have 364.000 miles on my truck ....and I have the mile marker manual hubs ... so I am positive all the mechanical connections are in working order .
I didn't mention , this feeling of 4 to 2 shifting seems to only happen while decending a grade ...not often , just ocasionnaly.
, and if I recall , the indicator on the lower instrument panel sometimes fails to light , or goes off , and that is when I some times feel this ....
Other than this the Ranger runs like a champ .
And my thanks again .
Ashley

 

[DeRocha]

The high and low circuits are separate. As such High, low or sometimes both can be dimly lit (I have seen this 1st hand in my Explorer). If you are driving and have successfully engaged 4x4 (both Button and dash 4x4 lights are on) and these lights go off without you pressing 4x4 then you have a problem.

Since you indicated you've sometimes shut the truck off in 4x4 and when you restarted the engine 4x4 was off I would suspect a loose wire somewhere in the 4x4 wire harness (a ground or power wire being the most common).

 

[ashleyroachclip]

Thank you .
Today I was messing around while in the driveway , and turned the 4x4 high switch on , and off a couple of times ,and the dim lamp went out , has been out all day .
I also notices that the indicator lamp on the ECM , at the driver side jump seat was not illuminated , so I pushed the reset button ( I am assuming that is what it is for ) and each time I turned the key off it also went off , and did not come back I turned the key on or engaged the 4 high .
just what do you think this is all about ?
Thanks again .
Ashley