Greetings,

2004 F350 Superduty 6.0 diesel 4x4

Is anyone else having any problems with the electric shift on the fly. I had the truck in to the dealer once, but it still isn't fixed. When engaging the shift button, the dash light doesn't come on and the system won't engage.
Other times, the dash light will come on after the truck either slows down to a near stop or stops, then the dash light comes on. As long as the light is on, the 4x4 will engage.

I drove for several miles last night and the light wouldn't come on and no 4X4. I parked overnight & then tried today and it is engaging.

Anyone have same problem?
Thanks
Wayne

 

I have had the same problem, but only at a stop. I think it only happens in the low range though. I use it coming in and out of my deer lease. Sometimes, I have to stop, go to neutral, to reverse, then back to drive to get the light to go off. And I have noticed, that if the light is on, the hubs are engaged, if the light is off, they are not engaged, ragardless of the switch position. I just figured that was how it worked. No problem with high range, just have to be off the throttle to get to disengage 4x4. Last week, I pulled off the driveway into my yard. Forgot I had 7500 lbs of truck under me. The front tires sank some, so I put in 4x4 low, and backed out without any problem, but when I tried to go back to 2 wheel drive, it made a high pitched screaming noise, somewhere from the front-end. Sounded like air ratchet on high speed for about 2 seconds, then back to normal. I figure it was something in the front diff that didn't lock or unlock. I'm going to have my hubs looked at on my 30,000 miles. I also had a problem turning the passenger side hub from auto to manual lock once,about a month ago. The noise I heard sounded like it came from that side. Anyone know what that could be?

 

Hi Wayne,

Welcome to the 6.0 forum and to FTE. Please take a moment to check out the Welcome sticky post at the top of the forum page as well as the other stickies there. Lots of links to great threads and other information. The search feature works great too

And for your viewing pleasure, check out the link to the Posting and You public service announcement:

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/posting.php

 

they all do that in low range, and it is usally hard to get it out of low range, most of the time you will have to back up to disengage. never use low range on any hard surface,very hard on the drive line. I rarly use low range unless pulling something heavy or going up very steep grade, never needed it. also when offroad if you get in heavy mudd you need more wheel speed to clean out your tires.

 

Mine doesn't like to engage lo range. On several occassions it has literally taken me 1-2 minutes of playing with the transmission to get lo range to lock in. Yes, I know the procedure of going to neutral at a dead stop to engage, but it no workey 'fo me!

 

IF you dont mind me asking why do you use low range, I hardly ever use low range,also have you tryed puting it in reverese to get it out of low.

 

My '04 is iffy about the ESOF working--sometimes if kicks in like it is supposed to--sometimes I have to try 2-3 times to get it to work. This the only problem I am having in a lot of miles. After using 4L, you can tell the front end is still engaged even tho the switch and light are off.

I have to use 4L to get off grassy or muddy areas when hitched to my trailer--using 4H just results in all wheels spinning--using 4L I can creep out.

 

In the owners manual in my 04 it says not to go over 8 mph in 4x4 low range. I have to come to a complete stop engaging or disengaging put it in neutral, put foot on brake, change the switch. I have done this a couple of times and have had no problems.

 

Wow someone that actually read his owners manual. This should help the ones that don't and if you don't do it in the right order it will not work.I drove mine to the dealer in 4L and did I look stupid when he showed me how to do it.

 

Priceless

Never had a problem with mine. Everything done by the book.

 

The key here is 'Foot On the Brake' and stopped. I think there's a time delay built in for when going from low to high range or visa versa. I didn't like this when I started playing with mine. Now I'm getting use to it. I still would rather have a good ole lever to yank on. As for the hubs not locking in or not dissengaging, let off the throttle and coast a bit or cycle the throttle ever so slightly to allow tension to release or splines to mesh up. You'll hear and feel the difference when in/out of 4x4 lockup. These things are a bit different than our 74 Broncos of yester year. They brought automation into gearing conditions that may very well should have been left alone and stayed a manual operation of stopping, getting out and locking/unlocking the hubs. But, as consumers we've demaned to get lazy. The manufactures only gave us what we asked for. -more possibilties for component failure.

 

Greetings,

The truck is going back to the dealer on Monday. The problem is in 4 hi, I rarely use 4 lo. Yesterday I drove 20 miles with the shift button turned to 4 hi, the light didn't come on and 4x4 didn't engage. I left the switch in the on position, turned the truck off, and returned 30 mins later.

When I started the truck, the shift light immediately came on and the system engaged as soon as I got rolling.

Vacuum leak? I don't know much about the sytem. I will post a fix, if the dealer finds one.

Thanks
Wayne

 

I never had a problem with the ESOF but I don't use it that much. One week in Hatteras and try to engage once a month at home just to check on it. Have ESOF on an Explorer, too and no problems.

 

04 F350 CC DRW with the ESOF, no problems, might take a few seconds for 4 High to engage but it does, 4 low is never a problem, complete stop, tranny in neutral, 4 low right away, u can hear those rock crawlin gears gnawing and smashing their way into gear. So far so good no problems

 

This is out of the F250/350 Owner's Guide:

The electronic shift 4WD system is designed to allow up to 45
seconds before a shift command is performed. In the event that
conflicting shift commands are selected, allow up to 45 seconds
for the shift command to be performed prior to reporting any
shift concerns to your dealer.
Note: Some noise may be heard as the 4WD system shifts or engages.
This is normal.