The Case of the Blinking 4x4 lights

[espnfreak]

My 4x4 lights keep blinking. I put it into 4x4 early this morning when it was snowy, and i took the truck out of 4x4. So i kept driving and then the lights would flash 5 times or so every few minutes. This problem has happened a few months ago, and I am wondering if its a bad shift motor or a bad speed sensor? But should it even matter because im in 4x4 high? not low? Any suggestions would be helpful. this problem has been happening almost every time i go into 4x4, and apparently the 4x4 works, because i gunned it and didnt fishtail. Plus im getting a slight whine from under the drivers side while its in 4x4. I do have a warranty from Ford, but I'm not sure if it will cover this.
-Jason

 

[Fred Garvin]

Try to reset the computer by disconnnecting the battery for a few minutes.

 

[gijoecam]

Mine did that to me once and only once... got to the end of an off-ramp, took a right turn, and they started doing it... 4wd wouldn't engage at all... got where I was going (about 5 minutes from there) and shut it off. Started it back off and all was well again... Never flashed again (and it's been better than 30,000 miles since!) I have no clue what did it... could be a bad sensor for you... A drivetrain warranty should cover a 4wd-related sensor, I would think...

Let us know what they find...

-Joe-

 

[espnfreak]

yup joe. mine engages and whatnot. i am going to be doing some work on my truck this week, so hopefuly i can fix the problem. im leaning towards the speed sensor also

 

[Flounder]

espn,

I was just wondering, I see you have '01 ST gauges. Are they exactly the same as a 96 Explorer's dash? If so, that's a great idea for a swap. I can easily hit one up at a junkyard (it seems ST's are popular accident vehicles around here. I had to make a run to the yard for the steel plates that I used to install the tow hooks and saw quite a few ST's...)

 

[Jon_Herr]

Guages

If ST guages are compatible, and they are plentiful where AdamCKach lives, can you see if maybe you (AdamCKach) can pick up another set ?

Maybe you can get a discount for buying more than one.

Just a thought.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[espnfreak]

Hmm...I paid $150 for the guages and the 01 temp controls. If you could get the new bezel that comes with the '01 guages while your gettin jon's guages, that would rock! I cant seem to find one.

 

[Flounder]

Hold up haha,

Make a list of what's needed here. Mind you it'll be roughly a month or so till I can get them, since that's when Penn State is out and I return home. If you could let me know exactly what's needed, it'd be diggity. I only plan on the speedo stuff, but if you have a photo of the temperature controls, I'd consider that also. As for John, I'll see what I can do there, too. If they have extras, I'll get them too.

 

[espnfreak]

lol you know that black piece that goes around temp controls and the vents, thats the piece i need

 

[Flounder]

So you want a silver one, not the black one Do you have a photo of the temperature controls in your Expy? I'm curious how it looks...

 

[espnfreak]

ya, ill dig it out in a little while

 

[IgotTwo]

Mine flake out all the time. I do not have any drivability problems. The Ford guys keep telling, which has always been true for me, the contacts get dirty sometimes. One reason, when you do not kick it in and out of 4wd often enough. The computer gets confused and sends out a blinking messages to the dash lights. I'm told the number and duration of blinks means nothing.
I went nuts counting them myself.

The fix:
Kick it in and out of 4wd a few times to get the contacts moving (kinda a self cleaning action) Disconnect the battery to reset the codes and take it for a short ride under varing speed and accelerations.

It works for me.