Okay, I'm new to the forum, but not new to forumS.

I'm Aaron. I just bought a 2000 f150 4x4, 4.6l ex. cab. (103k miles!)

Anyways during the teat drive I noticed the MSOF lever wouldn't budge. I also happen to know that is a bit of a common problem (design flaw). They said they would have the transmission shop sort it out, and I actually passed to them the info on exactly what is wrong, and how to fix it.

Next day I pick the truck up and everything looks good.

TODAY I wake up to ice covered roads (in TX!) AND a 32 mile drive to work. Turns out... 4x4 does NOT work. Lol. Shifts into 4x4 smoothly. Light on the dash comes on... Neither front tires pull.
As I obviously haven't crawled underneath it, and poked around yet, I'll add this. If I shift Tue tcase to 4 low, the lights on the cluster indicate it IS in 4xLo. When moving in 4xLo, it is definitely a much lower gear ratio, so that tells me its likely NOT a tcase issue (tentatively). Also, in 4xHi, the 4x4 light is also illuminated.

I guess my question is- WHAT tells the light on the guage cluster to indicate 4x? As in- where is that sensor located? Is it in the MSOF lever assembly? in the transfer case? coming from the GEM when its grounding the engage solenoid? Or is it like a dodge where the sensor is physically pushed by the vacuum diaphragm mounted on the differential?

 

Here you go Aaron

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...97-2003-a.html

Welcome to the forum

 

I test drove two 2003 F-150's last fall when I was looking for a truck...both were at dealerships. Both went into 4x4 just fine in high and low. But I found some gravel and tested that the front wheels grab.....neither truck did. When I brought that to their attention both places gave me some BS about "that's just how they work"...Well it's not, and some poor guy will buy them and find that out when it gets stuck..It is usually one of the solenoids behind the battery, or the fork is gunked up in the front diff....all easy to fix.