help !!!!! w/ 4x4 problem ( sad in maryland )

[FAS88]

new ex.sport 2001 for me.. Well now is the 1st day with snow and i need 4 wheel drive and have none????? ( expected 12-20" in Md. rare!!! ) well when i bought the vehicle i put it in 4 wheel drive for a second while test driving and saw the light on the dash and all and know that it worked? . but now nothing.. Best buy had installed a head unit and satellite tuner and thought maybe they had did something( which they may have ) so I pulled out the dash and checked the 4x4 switch connection and all looked good. Then checked all of the fuses associated with 4x4( inside and under hood ) and all look good as far as i can tell.. Its a saturday and I'm sure everything is closed with 2 feet of snow predicted ( 6 or 7 inches already )... did i miss something in my checks... maybe a fuse could be blown and its not noticeable to the eye... is that possible?? thanx u guys.Scott

 

[ranger-93]

You could try tapping the shift motor with a rubber mallet or SOFTLY with a hammer while someone else pushes the 4x4 button. If you choose to tap on it BE CAREFUL NOT TO hit it to hard or you could break the magnets inside the motor. I don't know if your X is old enough but you never know, maybe it could be the bushing inside the shift motor thats broke and the computer is getting lost not allowing it to shift into 4x4.

 

[IZwack]

You could try tapping the shift motor with a rubber mallet or SOFTLY with a hammer while someone else pushes the 4x4 button. If you choose to tap on it BE CAREFUL NOT TO hit it to hard or you could break the magnets inside the motor. I don't know if your X is old enough but you never know, maybe it could be the bushing inside the shift motor thats broke and the computer is getting lost not allowing it to shift into 4x4.

Neg - 4wd is not dependent on the shift motor. 4wd is engaged via an electromagnet. Shift motor is only used for switching into LO range.

 

[ranger-93]

Neg - 4wd is not dependent on the shift motor. 4wd is engaged via an electromagnet. Shift motor is only used for switching into LO range.

So that eliminates the bushing but could still be stuck correct?

 

[FAS88]

how bout if i unhooked the battery for a few minutes then hooked it back up again .. would it reset something maybe??

 

[corkey]

well that might work, , kind of like a system reboot, ,

but explain to us what you mean it doesn't light up the 4wd light ??, or it doesn't work but the light is on, ?

 

[ranger-93]

I dont know that unhooking the battery would do much other than make you reset your presets on your radio.

 

[2000LXS]

You should check to see if 4 auto is still working you can hear it kick on.
Find a dirt parking lot and step on it. If 4 auto is working that should be all you need to avoid geting stuck.

 

[FAS88]

no light on dash and you can't hear anything kick in .. no dirt outside ..only 9 inches of snow.. already spun nuthin but back wheels so I know its only 2 wheel right now

 

[corkey]

is your abs light on ?

 

[FAS88]

ABS light?.. no it's not on.. i dont think

 

[gijoecam]

Neg - 4wd is not dependent on the shift motor. 4wd is engaged via an electromagnet. Shift motor is only used for switching into LO range.

Wrong year, IZ. The '01 Sport has a conventional-operating 2wd/4high/4low case (Not sure if it's a 44-05 with different internals, but functionally it works like a 13-54 with a lockup collar... No electromagnetic ball-ramp clutch for locking)

Without a thorough diagnostic scan, it's a guessing game at best. I'd start with checking the fuses that feed the electronics first:

Battery Junction Box, fuse #13 (20A), #11(7.5A) and #9(7.5A).
Central Junction Box, fuses #35 (15A), #10(7.5A), and 11(7.5A).

If those are all good, it still could be the switch, or it could be the control module (and my money would be the module, but again, that would be a guess at best). If the motor was bad, I would expect that the module would attempt to make the shift, fail, and throw a trouble code (indicated by blinking lights). I think that control module in the later Sports was similar or the same as the module in the early 3rd-gen Explorers, and I know those are prone to premature unannounced failure, so that's why I suspect it....

But again, it's a guessing game at best without a thorough diagnostic.

Good luck!

 

[IZwack]

Ah well then ignore my original post.

 

[gijoecam]

Oh, and I was traveling from Philly to DC to Michigan through the thick of the storm Saturday... I can certainly vouch for the usefulness of 4wd in that area this weekend!

 

[FAS88]

had it put on the machine today and no response from the control module, and of course none on stock and they are back ordered ..go figure, but the repair is free so i can't complain.. good call Joe

 

[FAS88]

had the control module installed today . no charge Went out and found some snow on the side streets and checked it out .. all seems good

 

[2000LXS]

Great news have fun I always do.