Hi all need your help on this. The 4 wheel drive engaged by itself one day after my wife had drove it. when she got back in it was in 4 wheel high. she noticed the steering hard as she was backing out and seen the light on. But she looked at the selector switch and it was in 2 wheel drive. She got home and I played with it and got in 4 wheel low and could not get it back out.The lights on the dash come on when you turn the key on but go back out. I took it to a ford dealer who after extensive pin point checking ( he told me this because he first told me it was 60 dollars a hour to diagnose but it would not take a hour. But he said it took a lot longer to pinpoint it so more money.) He found it to bad a bad gem module. Said it would cost 446.42 for the test and replacing the part and I would have a fully operating 4 wheel drive. I told him to fix it. He calls back today and said after replacing the gem module he found the shift motor bad. Another 333.45 to fix and then I would have a fully opereating 4 wheel drive. Is he part swapping to find the problem? I told him I thought he was and I could have done that. My truck is the small v 8 and has 136000 miles. The 4 wheel drive is never used and is never in the mud. I told him I would let him know what to do in a day or so . I NEED YOU GUYS HELP. Thanks TOmmy

 

This sounds like Ford's typical Service department. Troubleshooting with a credit card, or shotgun full of parts. By the way, that's your credit card they are troubleshooting with.

Questions,
Did you try completely disconnecting the battery on the truck?

Was the truck actually in 4wd (feel the drag when driving on pavement etc) or was this just an indication?

When you switched the 4wd selector, did you hear the transfer case motor? If not, this could be the module or the motor. If you did hear the transfer case motor, then you bought two parts you didn't need.

If the transfer case shifted, then your problem could be with the front axle vaccum solenoid, mounted to the axle itself. This unit will stick when not used, or if old and dirty. This part is $50 or so and has 2 mounting bolts and a vaccum line. You can check this part by physically watching it and if it sticks, you can manually move the lever with a screw driver. Disconnecting the vaccum line will prevent the front axle from shifting. I had to replace my front axle solenoid some time ago.

The last possibility I can offer is that both parts were indeed faulty. A faulty transfercase motor damaged the module, but that's a slim chance. I would ask for both unserviceable parts, and attempt to verify if you truely required both parts.

Good luck, I hate dealing with Ford Service departments myself. I have to say I would prefer to abandon the truck and purchase a new one rather than deal with Ford Service. Their "technicians" are about as talented as a group of school grade auto shop students, and most have the same level of education. If you can't tell, I have had nothing but BAD luck with my local Ford Service department. I do hope that yours is better, and you are on track to getting your vehicle back.

Vincent

 

Hi Vincent thanks for your reply. I did disconect the battery first which did nothing. I looked at the vacum soleinoid was bymyself so I swapped the vaccum lines and it did operate the best I could tell. I cant say about hearing the transfer case shift causeI did not listen for it. I do know it was in 4 wheel drive. At first it was in 4 wheel high. then I got it in 4 wheel low and could not get it out. When my wife first noticed the hard sterring she saw the 4x4 light on. When she got home it was still on. when I moved it to 4 wheel low the low light came on but when I turned the switch back to 2 wheel he light went off but still stuck in low. When you turn the key to on the 4x4 light comes on the goes off like a warning light does. What I went off the deep end with the ford guy was the day before he went into great detail tell how thourghly they pin point checked my truck to find the problem said it did take longer to find than he thought it would ( 60 bucks per hour to check wonder why) but they didnt want to put a part in that wsnt needed but all i needed was a new gem module 256 bucks and it would be working as new. total would be 444.00. Then comes back with oh yeah we also found this bad after we put the moudle in and another 333 dollars it wold be like new. I found both parts on ford parts online gem module 126.00 shift motor 149.00 do you think they make a profit? Thanks Tommy

 

I do feel your pain. You are damned either way, or to say, they have you by the *****. As to whether you needed either part, the burden of proof is on you.

I would insist they give you the parts and try the module yourself. If it works, I would contact the regional or Ford Zone Manager and tell them they sold you a part you didn't need and insist they refund the money for the part and all labor. It sounds like you needed at least one of the parts, but both is a little suspect.

You might get some piece of mind by checking the part yourself.

Of course, just getting your truck back and having it past you is also piece of mind.

You are not dealing with JC Lewis (JC Screw-us) Ford in Savannah GA are you? This sounds so familiar, I think they must have a long block of instruction on screwing the customer at their service school or when they hire a new employee.

Good luck with the whole scenario.

Vincent

 

Your right about getting behind you. No this is Freedom Ford in Center AL. I did think about calling and asking for a breakdown of my charges then ask them to put my old parts back in and pay for their pin point testing but I doubt they go for that. I just dont want to use them now and your right I feel them squezzing them now. Tommy