Dash lights that indicate 4x4 and Low Range do not light up when activated (nor at initial startup). Just removed the dash and swaped a good bulb in but still nothing at initial startup.

Can someone confirm that it should illuminate when the key is first inserted?

Any thoughts on where to troubleshoot? Sounds and feels like 4x4 is physically working, but no light on the dash.

THANKS!

 

I don't remember mine lighting up at startup, let me go check on my 01 real quick......nope, no 4X4 lights. I know that mine work becuase I just it in 4wd yesterday (got stuck in the front yard, long story...).

That light doesn't come on until the front actuator does the final throw, so there may be a connection link down at the actuator that is linked to the dash? Are you sure you are in 4wd? i.e. front tires are engaged on a dirt road and one of them leaves a mark when you punch it? The t-case spinning may feel like 4wd, vibration and all, but you never can really tell unless you hit it,
Ed

 

Ah that's great news. Not the part about you getting stuck in the front yard, but about it not lighting at startup. Tomorrow I'll put the new bulb in and put the dash back together and drive it in 4x4.

The bulb was definitely dead so I may be near a solution.

Now, you really must tell us the full story of the front yard.

 

The 4WD lights come on when the t-case motor actually engages the appropriate range (H/L). It does not make check whether or no the front hubs are actually engaged, just the t-case.

A few things it might be. 1 - Obviously, maybe just a burned out bulb, 2 - a bad / broken wire from the sensor, 3 - sensor in the t-case is toast. No big deal as long as you 4WD still works, 4 - (This would suck) Yout t-case motor is shot and is not engaging 4WD.

 

BFR, you must be talking about manual locking hubs only? I thought that if they were auto hubs, there was a chance that the t-case could be in 4wd and the actuator be broken, then the 4x4 light would not come on. I may be wrong though??

Not too bad of a story, I was coming home from a farm with my bed freighted full of cow manure. It has been raining here for about a month straight. The yard didn't look too wet, wife said it was too wet to drive down to the garden, I said that I wasn't moving this cow ***** more than once and proceeded off the asphalt. Now it looks like a semi truck drove down my yard. Funny thing is that I did the same thing about 2yrs ago with my old F350 PSD with a full load of wood in the bed. 4WD didn't help me then though, well actually it did help me in getting more stuck. Truck sat in the front yard for a few days, had to have a buddy come over and drive my tractor and push on the back bumper (like I said, it was a beater truck), front bumper was just a mud plow. Finally got it out, and the yard is still rougher than hell in that spot!

It sounds like I live on a farm, but this is actually a nice sub division, with 5acre lots, definitely the talk of the neighborhood.....

 

Nope, the sensor is just on the t-case motor. The vacuum system may fail, but you will still get the 4WD lights. The only thing the lights do is tell you that the t-case has moved to 4WD; it does not give you an indication of the vacuum systems status.

Actually, some of the earlier SD's did not even have 4WD lights. Ford was using the $8 light as a cost cutting method. Go figure.

I like that front yard story. No matter what you do, often times 4WD only manages to get you more stuck. I "try" to use 4wd after I see that 2WD ain't gonna get me any farther. Then use it to back out (yeah, okay....that would only be if common sense kicks in).

But having that safety factor of the ARB lockers and winch, tends to over ride the common sense. Then you're really screwed.

Here is my funny with this truck. In this picture, I was coming down a power line trail and forgot to lock the front hubs (I switched my auto hubs for MM Stainless Steel manuals).

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...115399&width=0

Well, I had the rear ARB locked so you still have tons of traction and I didn't really notice. I started coming up the other side and got into a real steep spot w/ loose sand. Well, I started to get stuck and couldn't figure out what was wrong. I see the front end isn't turning and think, OH CRAP, SOMETHING BROKE! So anyways, I romp on her and just muscle up this ravine in 2WD.

As soon as I get up this ravine, after leaving 2 big trenches from spinning the TSL's up this trail, MY idiot light comes on ; YOU FORGOT TO TO LOCK THE HUBS MORON! But yes, I still had a 4WD light.