Been having difficulty getting my 2003 F350/XLT/Crew Cab/ 8' Box/6L TD 4X4 to switch into 4x4. The truck is a XLT with switch on the fly. Being from Alaska I need the truck to go into 4X4 quickly when it is needed. There are times it switches into 4x4 in 10 to 15 seconds. 4x4 light comes on and T-case locks in with a slight knock. But there are times it can take up to a mile and longer before I get the 4x4 light comes on and feel the T-case lock in. This occurs with hubs in auto or lock and at any speed (5 miles to 40 miles per hour)? When I first purchased the truck, the truck went into 4x4 instantly, 4x4 light on and t-case locks in with slight knock. Then all of the sudden it starts not wanting to lock in instantly and taking much longer distances to get 4x4 light and feeling T-case lock in? Ford Dealer tells me this is normal and with in specs. Had truck into dealer 3 times now and they tell me the 4x4 system on the truck in working fine? Would like to know why the vehicle went from quickly engaging into 4x4 to slow engaging. With deep snow I can not afford having to drive up to a 1/2 mile or further to get my 4x4 locked in!

Looking for help
Dawop

 

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Check back you will receive some answers to your question

 

I have heard of similar issues before - some taking up to 2 minutes to lock in...

It is caused by the time taken for the vacuum to build up to engage 4x4, so you might want to check if you have a vacuum leak, although the dealer should have already done this.

 

I had the same problem on my 99 f250. so on my 04 f350 I went to the manual shift. with lock out hubs. My 99 would shift into 4x4 but the auto hubs would not lock in unless you manually locked them in. The shift on the fly was nice when it worked. But with the lever you know you are locked in, only if you had the hubs locked first.

 

There might be a kink in the vacuum tube somewhere.

 

Guys,


So you all think it is a vaccum problem and nothing with the T-Case? I checked tonight if the problem was there with the hubs in "Locked" rather the Auto? Even in hubs locked it still requires some distance traveled up to 1 mile some times before the "4x4" light on the dash comes on? What requirements are necessary for this dash light "4x4" to come on? The system is the Ford "Shift on the Fly"

Dawop
F350 Crew Cab
8' Box
6L TD
XLT Package