4x4 Inop
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4x4 Inop
Hey guys
03 Excursion, 304,000 miles V10.
About a month ago I was "stuck" (ice and a small hill) and tried to put my truck in 4x4. Before the cold hit in Sept I locked the front hubs in (got rid of Vacuum long ago) but I got no light on the dash, and it wouldn't engage 4x4. Odd... I put it in Neutral and tried 4low. Nothing. I pulled it out and decided to look at it when the temps warmed up. Maybe something was just frozen, since it was about -15 at the time. It warmed up to 0 a couple days later so I checked ALL the fuses (thanks Ford for the perfectly ****ty diagram) and all fuses check good.
It finally warmed up last week, so I crawled under it and checked both connectors at the Tcase motor. No moisture or corrosion.
I attempted to look at a couple wiring diagrams, but they are just about as good as the Ford fuse diagram.
Anyone had an issue with this before? I found there is only 2 big wires to the motor, so something somewhere needs to change the polarity, is that done in the Tcase motor or above somewhere?
Thanks Guys!
It would be nice to have 4x4 for Ice Fishing now that we have just about enough ice for me to drive on!
03 Excursion, 304,000 miles V10.
About a month ago I was "stuck" (ice and a small hill) and tried to put my truck in 4x4. Before the cold hit in Sept I locked the front hubs in (got rid of Vacuum long ago) but I got no light on the dash, and it wouldn't engage 4x4. Odd... I put it in Neutral and tried 4low. Nothing. I pulled it out and decided to look at it when the temps warmed up. Maybe something was just frozen, since it was about -15 at the time. It warmed up to 0 a couple days later so I checked ALL the fuses (thanks Ford for the perfectly ****ty diagram) and all fuses check good.
It finally warmed up last week, so I crawled under it and checked both connectors at the Tcase motor. No moisture or corrosion.
I attempted to look at a couple wiring diagrams, but they are just about as good as the Ford fuse diagram.
Anyone had an issue with this before? I found there is only 2 big wires to the motor, so something somewhere needs to change the polarity, is that done in the Tcase motor or above somewhere?
Thanks Guys!
It would be nice to have 4x4 for Ice Fishing now that we have just about enough ice for me to drive on!
Veteran/Sheepdog
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 110
From: Western AR
Your light comes from the transfer case telling the computer it is in the proper position down there. If no light, your transfer case is either not reporting to the computer (broken wire?), or your computer is not hearing it talking. In most cases, this is a wiring/plug issue. Rarely, the shift motor on the transfer case will go out.
I helped a guy out with this same problem, and the copper inside his wiring was completely corroded away. Couldn't see the problem until I started cutting wiring back. Opened up the wire insulation, and red dust fell out.
Moral of the story: Get a multimeter and start going through everything for short to ground or opens.
I helped a guy out with this same problem, and the copper inside his wiring was completely corroded away. Couldn't see the problem until I started cutting wiring back. Opened up the wire insulation, and red dust fell out.
Moral of the story: Get a multimeter and start going through everything for short to ground or opens.
Veteran/Sheepdog
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 110
From: Western AR
Upper connector on the "talky" end of things. Driver's side of the t-case next to the front driveshaft. I have diagrams for the 00 and 01, but not the 03...sorry. If I did, I could tell you exactly what to check for what.
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Junior User
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Perfect. Now I just need to track down the wiring diagrams to know what I should be seeing and looking for.
Thanks!
Thanks!
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Mountain Pass
Joined: May 2016
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Check your relays. Two under the hood. One turns the transfer case shift motor one direction and the other is opposite. Swap them and see if it goes into 4x4 and won’t come out. If so, you’ve got one bad relay.
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Mountain Pass
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Junior User
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OK, so I checked codes at a friends shop the other day and got a code 1876 for the Vacuum Solenoids. Anyone know a way to bypass them. I don't use or need them anymore because I have manual lock outs. Apparently because that has failed it won't go into 4x4.
Thanks
Thanks
Veteran/Sheepdog
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 110
From: Western AR
You don't need/use the vacuum system with the manual hub lockers. So, your 4x4 system being out has nothing to do with that code.
SImple stuff:
- do your hubs lock in your front INNER axles? You will know this, because when you lock the hubs, the inner axle will spin when your tire rotates vs the axle not spinning when your tires are rolling.
- Does your front driveshaft spin when hubs are locked in and the tires are spinning? Do this with the front end jacked up and both tires off the ground. This can be observed while doing the test above.
- Does your front driveshaft spin when you drive with 4x4 selected and the hubs are NOT LOCKED in? This one is harder to determine, but it an be done if you have four super heavy duty jack stands.
SImple stuff:
- do your hubs lock in your front INNER axles? You will know this, because when you lock the hubs, the inner axle will spin when your tire rotates vs the axle not spinning when your tires are rolling.
- Does your front driveshaft spin when hubs are locked in and the tires are spinning? Do this with the front end jacked up and both tires off the ground. This can be observed while doing the test above.
- Does your front driveshaft spin when you drive with 4x4 selected and the hubs are NOT LOCKED in? This one is harder to determine, but it an be done if you have four super heavy duty jack stands.
Veteran/Sheepdog
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 110
From: Western AR
I understand, but the system is a two part system. You have an electrical side, and you have a mechanical side. The electrical side will work (engage the T case) even if the mechanical side is not working (vacuum to the hubs).
If you want, you can replace the vacuum solenoid on the fender (they are a common failure point in the system), and that will get rid of your code. I don't think that will solve your problem, though.
If you want, you can replace the vacuum solenoid on the fender (they are a common failure point in the system), and that will get rid of your code. I don't think that will solve your problem, though.