93 explorer, 4 wheel drive button not working

[ronrogers]

When I push either button to switch to 4 wheel drive, nothing happens, nor do any lights on panel come on or does it switch into 4wd

 

[Maniak]

Try this.. Get a friend and have them keep pushing the button as you whack the shift motor on the back of the transfer case with the handle end of a hammer.

If this makes it shift into 4wd then you know you need to rebuild the shift motor..

If it doesn't do it, you still "should" rebuild the shift motor as it is the most likely culprit.

For 4wd (high), it should shift even if your moving.. For 4wd low, you want no load on the drive train (e.g. not moving, in neutral etc)..


Here are 2 threads that should help...

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202166
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123542

I got them from the "useful thread" section of the forum.. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=54

~Mark

 

[5spdman]

Had the same in mine, but it was an easy fix...turned out to be the shift motor, which was a cheap fix.

This link will help you trouble shoot your 4x4 system to find the problem. In that thread is a link to rebuilding your shift motor.

I'm not saying that your shift motor is the culprit, but it usually is and in my case it was the problem in both of my explorers.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[ronrogers]

Try this.. Get a friend and have them keep pushing the button as you whack the shift motor on the back of the transfer case with the handle end of a hammer.

If this makes it shift into 4wd then you know you need to rebuild the shift motor..

If it doesn't do it, you still "should" rebuild the shift motor as it is the most likely culprit.

For 4wd (high), it should shift even if your moving.. For 4wd low, you want no load on the drive train (e.g. not moving, in neutral etc)..


Here are 2 threads that should help...

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202166
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123542

I got them from the "useful thread" section of the forum.. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=54

~Mark

it is an automatic "does this still apply?" and I don't get any lights on the dash saying anything ?

 

[Maniak]

Yup, the electronic shift transfer case is the same on the manual and automatic transmissions.

Those threads should help.. If the 4x4 was rarely ever used (or hasn't been used in a long time) the grease in the shift motor is probably hard as a rock AND the little rollers in the shift motor may have disintegrated.

The shift motor needing a rebuild is the #1 cause of the electronic 4x4 shift not working.. There is a troubleshooting thread in those threads I posted above if you want to actually troubleshoot it, but typically I just hit the shift motor while hitting the button to make sure it "is" the shift motor. If that doesn't work I still take apart and clean the shift motor.

This is assuming that the wires to the shift motor are still connected and not broken (I broke a few wires last time which got my transfer case stuf in 4low).

~Mark

 

[ronrogers]

Thanks for all the hints guys, I will give them all a try