4 wheel drive problem
 

I have a 2002 Explorer with automatic four wheel drive. The problem is that the explorer shifts hard when put into drive or reverse when started. Also when accelerating the explorer "bucks", or hesitates like the wheels are slipping and the four wheel drive kicks in causing the suv to buck. I narrowed the problem down to the 4 wheel drive system by disconnecting the 4 wheel drive control module. After a short test drive both problems seem to have resolved. My question is will leaving the 4wheel drive control module disconnected cause any problems? Also does anyone know if you can swap out the module for a newer one and a new selector switch so that you can go from auto 4x4 to now being able to select 2wd and then if you want select auto 4x4? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also if anyone asks I do not need the auto 4x4 feature and the vehicle was a gift so I did not purposly buy a vehicle with this feature. But I do want to keep the option of 4wd so I do not want to convert to 2wd. Thanks

My wife's 2002 just started doing the same thing. Where's the four wheel drive module? Is the module the problem and will replacing it fix this or is something else wrong?

well I just went to ford today to find out if its ok to drive with it unplugged until I can get it in to get fixed and I was told it should not be a problem. As for the module being the problem im not sure since ford has not looked at it yet. The mechanic today said that it could also be a problem with the transfercase but they would need to test the module and look at the transfercase to figure it out. The module is located under the dash, just under the glove box. It is mounted to the heater core housing and has two plugs that must be removed. Let me know if this helps yours when you unplug it. When you unplug it the 4 high and low lights on the dash will flash when you first turn the car on and then sporadically while driving but has not caused any issues.

After reading other posts on here referring to tire size difference, I realized that the skipping and bumping episodes came and went along with the pressure the right rear tire which has had a slow leak. Today I plugged the tire and the skipping and bumping stopped too. Guess I don't have a bad module, just a bad maintenance man, me.

4wd JERKING / Bucking / missfiring /
 

All of this is crap with ford they have replaced on my 02 explorer the axle / controller / switch / and then we were told told THIS IS NORMAL .......FU ford it is not normal for a car to accerate and feel like it is miss firing and oh yeah if you put it in 4WD drive it will not do it at all. It only does the jerking or what most people would describe it feels like my car is missing. I have had pretty much everything replaced with no results. I was told from a FORD REP AT THEIR CUST CENTER that this bucking and jerking is a normal cond. I have never bought a car before that had that as an option. Anyway if you accelerate and you get this jerking put it 4wd and it goes away but back in auto it screws up again. The tech that even worked on my car from an authorized dealer even knoew the problem before I could figure it out. So if anyone knows how to help me ....... much appreciated. There is a reason that manufactures go bankrupt. They can't help the customers tat pay there salaries. I promise you that when they built this vehicle no one ever said " we should make it run like crap in auto but when they put it in 4WD all those problems go away. SHAME ON YOU FORD for telling A LOYAL CUSTOMER that this was NORMAL! I hve had this Explorer for 6 years and still does it. GOOD MONEY PAID FOR CRAP SHOULD BE THE FOR SALE SIGN! This is not right and they know it it will only be fixed by consumers like you and I!

I have an 04' Explorer,,,As far as I can tell,,,most of the problem is with the Auto 4x4 cutch setup,,,,,when turning at a slower speed,,,like taking off from a stop,,,there seems to be an issue with the 4x4 Control module, trying to make it lock into 4x4,,because of the different tire speeds, when turning,,,with the tires aired up all the same pressure it helps this.

With my 04' taking off,,,and turning,,I can feel the 4x4 clutch ,,,like chattering,,feels like the tranny is slipping,,,but it is not the tranny,,,take off straight,,,hammer on it (I have the 4.6 v-8),,,no chatter at all ! I am going to look into the control module disconnection,,and se if it helps,,,Thanks,,Mark