KPPCExplorer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- August 16, 2010
- Messages
- 169
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Kings Park, New York
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2002 XLT V6
I know this is probably the millionth 4x4 problem thread, but I have read close to every one of them, and I can not solve the problem.
For starters, my Explorer is a 2002 XLT 4WD 4.0L V6 I have pretty good mechanical skills, but by no means am I a mechanic. I do my own oil, I have replaced my rear blend door actuator, I have installed aftermarket lights in my car, I have installed a aftermarket air intake, throttle body mod, etc etc. I have a decent idea of what I am doing to the car, but would definitely not go out and do something like an engine swap.
It started a while ago when my 4x4 buttons would not light up. This forum said it was the control module, which I still feel it was. I ordered a new one from a Ford dealer online and installed it in my car. After I plugged it in, I smelt something burning. Yeah, the module fried. The circuit board was charred completely. Of coarse, the dealer said they cover every item they sell under warranty...except for computer parts. I put the old module back in and it did not light on fire, but I still did not have 4WD. I let it sit this way for a couple months.
I worked up the courage to spend another $150 on a new module from a different place and see if that would work. I ordered it and installed it, and nothing happened. I checked the fuse boxes, and both 4WD fuses were blown. I replaced them, and they blew again.
Today I got fed up with it and decided I want 4WD. I saw on some threads that you can take your transfer case motor off and there is a dial for 2H, 4H, and 4L. I went under and took my motor off in hopes that I could manually engage the 4WD. I would rather be ghetto and get out of my car with a wrench and manually engage the transfer case than not have 4WD at all. I checked the motor for any problems and checked the wires and connections to see if they had shorted somewhere, but they were all fine.
Once I got the transfer motor off, I saw the dial. However, it was different from the pictures I had seen. It said H, N, and L in the places I had seen pictures showing 2H, 4H, and 4L. I even tried to manually movie it from H to L to see if that would put it in 4 Low, but I could not get it into N, maybe there is a safety lock or something. Either way, this did not work either, and I put the motor back on and gave up.
This leads me to the dreaded conclusion I have been praying against for months. I believe I have a short in one of the wires somewhere between the 4x4 module and transfer case. I have checked the end at the transfer case and saw no obvious problems, and I have checked the ends at the control module and saw no problems. I imagine when my new module fried, it fried one, if not more, wires along with it, but I have no idea where.
This is where I am asking for help. How can I gain access to the wires to see if they are fried? I do not want to cut the bundle up from head to toe than re-tie it, which I don't think will expose the short anyway. And with the fuses blowing instantaneously, I don't think I can use a wire tester to check them. Is there a website I can order a whole new 4WD wiring harness from? I honestly don't even care how I get 4WD working, I just want it working. Was there something I was doing wrong when I tried to turn the dial on my transfer case possibly? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
For starters, my Explorer is a 2002 XLT 4WD 4.0L V6 I have pretty good mechanical skills, but by no means am I a mechanic. I do my own oil, I have replaced my rear blend door actuator, I have installed aftermarket lights in my car, I have installed a aftermarket air intake, throttle body mod, etc etc. I have a decent idea of what I am doing to the car, but would definitely not go out and do something like an engine swap.
It started a while ago when my 4x4 buttons would not light up. This forum said it was the control module, which I still feel it was. I ordered a new one from a Ford dealer online and installed it in my car. After I plugged it in, I smelt something burning. Yeah, the module fried. The circuit board was charred completely. Of coarse, the dealer said they cover every item they sell under warranty...except for computer parts. I put the old module back in and it did not light on fire, but I still did not have 4WD. I let it sit this way for a couple months.
I worked up the courage to spend another $150 on a new module from a different place and see if that would work. I ordered it and installed it, and nothing happened. I checked the fuse boxes, and both 4WD fuses were blown. I replaced them, and they blew again.
Today I got fed up with it and decided I want 4WD. I saw on some threads that you can take your transfer case motor off and there is a dial for 2H, 4H, and 4L. I went under and took my motor off in hopes that I could manually engage the 4WD. I would rather be ghetto and get out of my car with a wrench and manually engage the transfer case than not have 4WD at all. I checked the motor for any problems and checked the wires and connections to see if they had shorted somewhere, but they were all fine.
Once I got the transfer motor off, I saw the dial. However, it was different from the pictures I had seen. It said H, N, and L in the places I had seen pictures showing 2H, 4H, and 4L. I even tried to manually movie it from H to L to see if that would put it in 4 Low, but I could not get it into N, maybe there is a safety lock or something. Either way, this did not work either, and I put the motor back on and gave up.
This leads me to the dreaded conclusion I have been praying against for months. I believe I have a short in one of the wires somewhere between the 4x4 module and transfer case. I have checked the end at the transfer case and saw no obvious problems, and I have checked the ends at the control module and saw no problems. I imagine when my new module fried, it fried one, if not more, wires along with it, but I have no idea where.
This is where I am asking for help. How can I gain access to the wires to see if they are fried? I do not want to cut the bundle up from head to toe than re-tie it, which I don't think will expose the short anyway. And with the fuses blowing instantaneously, I don't think I can use a wire tester to check them. Is there a website I can order a whole new 4WD wiring harness from? I honestly don't even care how I get 4WD working, I just want it working. Was there something I was doing wrong when I tried to turn the dial on my transfer case possibly? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
