hey guys, my son has a 2001 explorer sport with 139,000 miles on it. the car is semi-retired at this time and does not get driven alot since he is away at college. i took the car to town this morning and tried to engage 4wd as the road we live on was snow covered, nothing no 4 high, no 4 low, no indicator lights. the last time i changed oil on this car, ( several months ago ) it worked. i usually just check stuff like that. any suggestions as to what direction i need to head in ? what is typically the culprit on these units ? thanks in advance for any help

 

Check for a blown fuse. Had one come into the shop the other day with same complaint, had a blown fuse.

 

checked vehicle out a little further today. all fuses have power and are ok, but i never get power down at the actuator motor or at the switch in the dash. does anyone know where i should go from here ? does this unit actually have its own control unit for the 4wd ? what else is it looking for ( besides switch being turned ) before it will engage ? anyone have a wiring schematic of the 4wd circuit ?

 

The 4WD system is controlled by the GEM computer. If you pull the radio it is on the left side in that area. Try to wiggle/reseat that connector and see what happens. They sometimes have connector issues.

Anything more you need a wiring diagram. Everything 4wd related (4wd dashlights, torque on demand, shift motor) comes from that box. That box also controls wipers, cruise control, windows, wife's mood.....

I highly suggest getting a ford service dvd on ebay if you want to do anything further....they are cheap and can solve many issues inexpensively.

 

When my gem mod went bad it put mine in 4wd and wouldnt come out. I had to take it to the stealer ship. Cost me about $500

 

so the GEM is controling the 4wd module down behind the kick panel ? i dont mean to sound stupid, just trying to understand the system. anybody know of a company that makes a manual conversion to eliminate all this crazy stuff ? this is getting to be an old vehicle, just would like to have 4wd, when needed

 

no, the GEM controls everything. If the gem is bad (and it is not a sensor,bad connection or whatnot) Your best bet is to find a junkyard gem(no pun intended) from that year and explorer type (for example, a V8 gem will not work- see below). In the worst case the dealer has to program it.

The V8 AWD units have no electronics whatsoever, but it is not an option unless you swap out everything. They have their issues too but are generally pretty reliable.

Maybe someone else can shed insight on a manual conversion.

 

our 2001 sport trac has a 4x4 control module located be passenger side kick plate (the plastic cover by your feet) i read those can act up also

 

Did you ever have the gem module checked out to see if it was that. I really hope you find out and if you do let us know. Thanks

 

thanks to an electrical schematic from rrgone, i was able to check all my inputs to the 4wd control module. i have switched and unswitched power, my grounds are good as is the signal from the neutral and brake pedal switch. i have ordered a new 4wd module, when i get the part installed i will update this thread. as far as the GEM module, it controls the wipers,power windows,rear window defrost,door alarms, etc.

 

update: 4wd controle module fixed the problem. when working correctly, you see the 4 high and 4 low lights come on momentarily as vehicle is started. also when you shift to 4 high or low you can hear that module click. i priced the module at several places and got the best deal at autopartstomorrow.com ( brand new motorcraft module for 123.00 ) labeled as a TM101 shift control module. thanks again to rrgone for the electrical schematics

 

I had a similar problem with no response from 4x4 toggle (2004 Sport Trac), but fuse was blowing. Turned out to be the 4x4 transfer case shift motor was shot. Fixed it this morning with a US$80 new motor from Ebay (am-autoparts) and a bottle of (cheap) champagne to my mechanic. I was in and out in less than 30 minutes.

 

hey realtree im a little confused did you replace the gem on the left side behind the radio or did you replace something differant also did you have to have that programmed at the dealership

 

not the GEM behind the radio, that has nothing to do with the 4x4 control. the 4wd control module is what i replaced. it is located on passenger side kick panel ( to the right of your right ankle, if you were in passenger seat ) no programing required

 

Hey thanks realtree ill check it this weekend hopefully thats the problem