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No 4wd, O/D light not working, plz hlp

Xplrswede

Member
Joined
January 3, 2005
Messages
12
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City, State
Bergsjo
Year, Model & Trim Level
'95 xlt 4.0
Hi! new member from sweden so plz excuse my sometimes bad english...

I have a 95 xlt with auto transmission and switch for 4wd auto and low on dashboard. When I turn the switch no light on for 4wd turns on and the frontwheels aren´t turning. neither in in low or auto. The only thing i´ve checked so far is that it is power to the shift motor on the transfer case but the motor does´nt make a sound. I have´nt tried tapping it yet... read that you could try that in one of your treads... I´ll be very happy for some more ideas on this problem.

Next problem is the overdrive, when i press the o/d button on shifter.. the o/d light doesn´t come on, but while driving and pressing it, the transmisson seems to gear down. All other gears seems to be working as they should.

My third problem is a transmission oil leakage, and it has happend to me twice, I have been driving for a while say 2 hours and suddenly When i have stopped i have seen oil pooring out from the top of the tranny, i´m not sure but i think it is in front part or the waist (converter?) of the tranny....

I´ll be grateful for every help I can get!
 



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To shift into 4Low, you need to be in neutral with your foot on the brake. You should hear a click from the back as well and feel a clunck when it engages. Are you sure 4auto isn't working? Have you tried turning auto on while driving?
 






Thanks for answering!

Yes I´ve tried turning on auto while driving but nothing happens.. and if I´m in neutral and stepping on the brake nothing happens with the 4Low either.

I´ve tried tapping the motor today... but not so hard (if its ok I didn´t wanna damage it) and still not working. I´m now thinking about removing the shift motor and try to clean it.. like Brain describes it in one of his treads. I guess he describes it on a X '92 with the options 2H, 4H, 4L... I just wonder if there is any difference other then 4Auto/4High on my '95. And say the motor is ok what then can the problem be?


brains tread: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123542&highlight=shift+motor
 






It could be the switch on the dash, it could be a fuse (box under dash) or relay (box under hood), the General Electronic Module (GEM).

You can try disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes. Sometimes resetting the computer will "jumpstart" things.
 






Thanks again!

-All fuses and relays tested and seems to be OK.
-Tried disconnecting battery,resetting computer, but no difference.

Then what´s left is the GEM, and that one I know nothing about. I think that it is placed behind dash, left of stereo. What can be wrong with it?

Some place where I can find/download wiring diagrams would be great...
 






Unfortunately, the GEM is a dealer only item. It needs to be programmed.
 












Your OD issue and leakage may be related. Leakage as you describe can be due to overheating the transmission. The fluid "boils" and vents out the vent in the transmission top, back up through the overflow tube and out slits cut into it. Heat is produced by, obviously, friction. That heat heats the fluid. If your OD band is not applying properly it could just be producing heat without holding anything....

Accordingly - I have some concerns about your OD problem.
 






Thanks Glacier991! I was suspecting overheating and maybe that is was related with my O/D problems. But I am not familiar how the OD works... along with the transmission but I´m trying to learn... Can you please explain more? I´ll be very grateful...
 






Hmm can I test if my 4wd switch is working ok by checking for voltage on the automatic clutch wire (brown down by the transfer case) if I have someone working the button when the ignition is on?

But it is a little strange because every time i work the button the vaccum connector in the front makes a "clicking sound"
 






Update:

Both 4wd auto and low seems to be working ( with car in on a lift and olso in the snow and easy terrain) now but i´m not getting any lights on dash??

I´ve cleaned the shift motor and sensors on transfer case.. the one thing Idid´nt clean was the contacts within the gear cover of the shift motor because it did´nt look like the cover would open... could it be so that this is why my lights on dash does´nt go on or is it both lights on dash broken.. or something else???
 






If the 4x4 is working, then chances are it is the dash lights themselves. When you start the truck, do they light up at all? I think they are supposed to. If you don't see them light, then they are the problem.
 






OK thanks! no they dont light up at all.... so I guess I´ll check them out...

Thanks TPLYNCH for all your help.....
 






You might want to have the front band adjusted. Just to make sure it is correct. Has anyone touched the bands (e.g adjusted them?) That could explain the slippage in 4th and the overheating...
 






The transmission has been completely rebuilt by a company (by a previous owner, about 30-40000km ago) here in sweden the bill on the work was about 3500-4000 in US$.... So I guess the band can been touched... But I got some more info on the O/D light... I was checking the 4x4 lights yesterday they wasn´t there neither the O/D light (removed) so everything is coming to pieces now.(crappy deal) I haven´t driven the car yet but I gotten some new dashboard lights and the 4x4 lights flashes six times (sensors on T-case probably) but when I drive I probably see if the O/D light starts to blink or something... and then I´ll take to read the codes... i think that´s the right way to go on from here... or do you have any other ideas Glacier991? thx for answering btw..
 






Xplrswede,
I have a similar problem without the transmission problems. One cold snowy morning the 4wd light went out and its been ittermitent during the cold weather. I wrote it off as a cold weather problem until last night. The speed control light (cruise control) did not light up even though cruise control worked fine so I check 4wd and it did not light up. In all cases the car is working fine but the indicator lights have not. Today the problem did not show up.
Anybody else have this problem? and what did you do to fix?
Anybody have some educated guesses?
Thanks

Schroman
95 XLT 4.0, 128,000 miles
 






Update:
Since my lights had been removed I had to start over from the beginning... When I installed new lights and turned ignition on the 4x4 and 4x4low started blinking six times and the O/D light was working when i pressed the button, then when I turned the button for my headlights... the O/D light and the blinking 4x4 lights on dash went out... but my temp and compass (roof display) lit up... then when I took it for a drive just for testing the overdrive wich seemed to be working as it should. rpm drops about 500-600 when its in... only thing strange is that when my headlights where on the compass light acted as my O/D light... but i´m getting som electrical diagrams tomorrow and then I´ll troubleshoot some more with a meter..
 






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