4WD Lights Blinking

[HelplessFemale3]

I'm supposed to be going on a trip this weekend, but in the middle of last week, the 4WD HI and 4WD LO lights started blinking on my dash. I've looked in the Owner's Manual and in the 4WD booklet that came with the car, but it just says to have the car serviced. I would much rather solve the problem myself than take it into a shop if at all possible. Help PLEASE!

 

[Brian_B]

Welcome aboard. I am sure you will find this site to be the best source of information for you.

I have not worked on mine, but I have read that the number of flashes is a code for the problem. Count them and post again. Someone should know.

You might also try disconnecting the battery for 15-20 minutes. Sometimes that will clear a code and make it go away. Not sure if that works with the 4WD ones, but I would try it anyway.


I drove through clemson last summer. Maybe I saw your x on the road there.

 

[Blee1099]

Do a search.. Most times its simply the hall effect sensors or other sensors that had an issue at the time. The next time the truck flashes the 4WD lights, try to count how many times it flashed them. Often times you can fix it by simply turning off the truck and then turning it back on.

 

[HelplessFemale3]

Blinking in Code

See below

 

[HelplessFemale3]

Times Flashing

The lights flash in bursts of 6 each time. One thing that I don't know if I made clear or not is that both lights, "4WD HI" and "4WD LO" are flashing at the same time. The transmission fluid is fine, although I haven't tried disconnecting the battery yet.

I did a little more research online and found that someone had posted this answer to a quesiton very similar to mine:

"Sounds like the actuator motor for the 4-wheel drive needs replacing."

Sounds convincing, but I have no idea what this means (hence the name: HelplessFemale3). Do y'all agree with the above quote?

I'm wanting to go out of town this weekend and don't know if I should borrow a car to go. If I'm not planning to use the 4WD while out of town, is the condition of the actuator still a problem? I'm going to be driving about 400 miles the rest of this week, if that tid bit helps at all.

Thank you guys so much for helping me out, you have no clue how helpful you have been so far! Thanks again!

 

[TPLYNCH]

6 flashes is a code for a speed (hall) sensor error. These measure the speed the front and rear driveshafts are turning, and those calculate when/if 4x4auto needs to engage. Sometimes the wires pop off, they get dirty, or just go bad. There are 2 of them, one on the front of the t/f case (behind an O2 sensor I think) and another on the rear of the t/f case. Check the wiring first, then try disconnecting the battery. If the flashing continues, then they may need to be pulled.

 

[HelplessFemale3]

Thanks so much for the advice. I really appreciate it! Does what you're saying about the speed sensors mean that it is only a problem when 4wd engages because the speed sensors calculate when both driveshafts turn? or is it a problem even when I'm not engaged in 4wd? Thanks again!

 

[TPLYNCH]

The computer is sensing an error in the speed sensors, so 4x4 most likely will not work at all. The Auto 4x4 will probably not work while the lights are flashing.

 

[HelplessFemale3]

How much do you think this will cost?

How much do you think a new speed sensor will cost? I'd like to have an idea going into the shop so they don't take advantage of me. I could see them saying, "Oh yeah you need a new johnson rod and headlight fluid too." Will this be expensive???

Thank you for the help!!!

 

[cantspell]

6 flashes is a code for a speed (hall) sensor error. These measure the speed the front and rear driveshafts are turning, and those calculate when/if 4x4auto needs to engage. Sometimes the wires pop off, they get dirty, or just go bad. There are 2 of them, one on the front of the t/f case (behind an O2 sensor I think) and another on the rear of the t/f case. Check the wiring first, then try disconnecting the battery. If the flashing continues, then they may need to be pulled.

i've only seen two sensors on the rear of the transfere case, one right behind the shift motor and one above the rear drive shaft...? are these not the two correct speed sensors? (i have a 98'). I don't recall seeing one on the FRONT of the transfere case.

 

[Bronco638]

My '96 had the same issue, 6 flashes (both dash lights flashing). I pulled both sensors (one just below the driveshaft and the other behind the shift motor) and cleaned them. When I engaged 4WD, it would work for a short time and then the flashes would come back and I could hear/feel the t-case disengage. While the truck was at the dealer (for other reasons), I had them hook it up to the computer to see what codes it read. They came up with nothing. So, I tried again a few weeks later and encountered the same issue. I ended up ditching the BW4405 t-case and installed a BW1354 (manual shift).
The sensors themselves shouldn't be too expensive but the labor to install them might be. As long as you don't need 4WD, you shouldn't have any problems.

Hope this helps - Dave.

 

[cantspell]

well, in the 98 and up, it's an auto setting that you loose, you sill have a locked high 4wd...
Anyone know if in the 98 and up there's another sensor that would throw this code, i've already changed the two on the rear side of the diff....

 

[Aussie Explorer]

Mine has done the same thing just the other day, I used Both 4WDHi and low only 3 day’s before and it all worked fine then just out of the blue 3 day’s later it started flashing like yours did.

What I did, Pulled and checked the fuse’s, then got under the car and disconnected all the electrical connections on the T/Case/ shift motor gave the shift motor a couple of sharp tap’s with a blunt object and sprayed the disconnected T/case/ shift motor Electrical connections with CRC and plugged them back in a bingo it work’s fine.