4 wheel drive isn't working in my 1994 Ford Explorer. Any ideas as to why?

[rickyd123]

A friend gave it to me a few years ago. The water pump was out. He didn't want to spend the money to fix it, so he gave it to me. I replaced the water pump and it's been a great vehicle ever since. I've never needed the 4 wheel drive and being very lazy and not wanting to know never tried it. We got a lot of snow the other day and the roads were terrible and I needed the 4 wheel drive. I pushed the button and it didn't engage. No sound of it trying to engage nothing. My first thought was the 4 wheel drive actuator had gone bad, but this make and model doesn't have one. At this point I have no idea what could be wrong.

 

[DaSovietPotato]

When you engage the 4x4 is there any clicking that can be heard inside the vehicle?

 

[rickyd123]

No it didn't make any noise at all.

 

[DaSovietPotato]

I think it could either be something with the 4x4 button contacts, or it could be a faulty 4x4 module since no clicking can be heard. The aforementioned 4x4 module is located at the driver side rear of the car behind the interior panel.
Here is also a proven troubleshooting guide for the 4x4 not engaging, it could probably explain most of the problems better than I can.

How to: - 4x4 Troubleshooting guide

4x4 not working (91-94) The purpose of this thread is to consolidate troubleshooting information in one area so people can find the correct information quickly. It is not intended to become a huge run on thread where people ask questions as this would defeat it's purpose. Questions should be...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[rickyd123]

Thanks I'll read it.

 

[rickyd123]

Could the 4x4 module that has been mentioned as possibly bad also be called a 4x4 transfer case control module and does it look like the pictures I attached.

 

[DaSovietPotato]

Yes, the pictures you posted look pretty much like it.

 

[rickyd123]

Thanks. Can someone tell me where it's located.

 

[rickyd123]

I'm having trouble finding the part at the part store. I've tried Napa, O'riellys, and Autozone. and none of them carry it. Am I going have to get it online or from a wrecking yard?

 

[DaSovietPotato]

I'm having trouble finding the part at the part store. I've tried Napa, O'riellys, and Autozone. and none of them carry it. Am I going have to get it online or from a wrecking yard?

I think your best bet at finding one would be at your local junk yard. The module is located at the driver side rear of the vehicle behind the panel that has the stock lug wrench.

 

[rickyd123]

Your talking about the cargo area right? We have a you pull wrecking yard here. If I take the mudule out of my explorer, can I still drive it? I'll want to take it with me inside the yard , so once I pull the part I can make sure they are identical.

 

[DaSovietPotato]

Yes, the stock jack is also located there. The car will be just fine without the module as all it does is engage/disengage 4x4.

 

[rickyd123]

I appreciate all your help. I'll go to the wrecking yard soon and see if it fixes it. Its around 10 degrees here right now, so I may wait till spring. I've been driving vehicles in the winter without 4 wheel drive my whole life, so it's not that big a deal.

 

[410Fortune]

First off check the fuses there is a fuse for the ESOF 4x4 system

Second 99% of the problems with a 94 explorer 4wd system is usually the shift motor on the back of the transfer case, I would suspect the shift motor way before I suspect the control module!!

 

[Roadrunner777]

I never had very much luck hearing clicks from the 4x4 module. I would go to the shift motor first as well.

 

[Mike Wahl]

A friend gave it to me a few years ago. The water pump was out. He didn't want to spend the money to fix it, so he gave it to me. I replaced the water pump and it's been a great vehicle ever since. I've never needed the 4 wheel drive and being very lazy and not wanting to know never tried it. We got a lot of snow the other day and the roads were terrible and I needed the 4 wheel drive. I pushed the button and it didn't engage. No sound of it trying to engage nothing. My first thought was the 4 wheel drive actuator had gone bad, but this make and model doesn't have one. At this point I have no idea what could be wrong.

Shift motor back of the transfer case! Happened to my daughters! Rock auto has the part pretty cheap!

 

[bostonphotoguy]

If yours is anything like the 3rd generation Explorers (2002-2005) then here's what I've recently had the "pleasure" of learning: (in no particular order -- so be sure to read it all.)

• Transfer Case Control Module (TCCM) is VERY specific to your model year and even the date of manufacture in some cases. I learned the hard way - don't plug one in that isn't a direct replacement as mentioned on the Ford Parts website, or it may fry. (sizzling and smoke!) The connectors are apparently all the same but the guts are very different -- at least different enough to fry components. I'd even suggest popping it open before you plug it in to look at the guts and make sure they're similar. Wish I had done that.
• I found TCCM's at 1AAuto and at RockAuto. However, note that 1AAuto had the WRONG PART listed for my vehicle, hence my above warning. There are also some on Ebay. The Parts counter at Ford said there was 1 left in the country at a parts warehouse and it was 2-3x the price of the other options, hence why I tried.
• Definitely check all of the fuses AS WELL AS the wiring just below (underneath) the fuse box. An amazing Master Service Tech at one of my local Ford dealerships (yes, I broke down and brought it in!) tracked down why my 4WD was failing and it was a bunch of corroded wires under the fuse box that was causing shorts and fuses to immediately blow. (they discovered this after replacing a few fuses a few times.)
• On the Gen3 Explorers there is an "exposed" ground wire that gets bolted to the Transfer Case itself and that often corrodes and falls off. Check this first -- in my research I found that this is a top failure of the 4WD systems and often replacing or re-securing this one wire to a ground fixed many people's problems. I found this on YouTube and many discussion forums.
• If you have 4x4 High and 4x4 Low lights on the dash, and they're flashing, count the number of flashes. Many people experienced 10 flashes every ~5 minutes; my issue was 3 flashes every ~5 minutes. Etc.; Knowing this can help by using it as keywords when searching online for info.

Hope this helps!

 

[omendoza]

I agree. Most likely it’s the shift motor. Happened to my 93 Explorer when I had this same issue

 

[410Fortune]

I rebuilt my 1988 shift motor about 4 times over the years before I finally went to a manual t case. The “touch drive” 4x4 system lasted about 300k miles

Putting the older shift
Motors on the bench and opening them up for a good cleaning and repair can buy many many more years of service
If you wanted to go this route there is much info on the web about how to reman the motor yourself

 

[92exp4x4]

In a pinch, you can remove the shift motor and engage the 4WD by twisting the input to the case. When you remove the motor you'll see how painfully obvious it is.

Just based on history, your issue is 99% likely to be the shift motor. I'd do that first.