Hey whats up everyone!! still running my 2000 Expedition 4X4 5.4 and shes been perfect except for now she is doing something funny!! need you smart techs out there!! or anyone else who has had this issue, k here goes... out of no-where she goes into 4x4?!?! as im driveing i feel the front wheels in gear but the 4x4 light is off which is normal because my switch has no 2wd option, it is just awd, 4x4 hi and 4x4 lo. but i feel it go into 4x4 on dry pavement, and when i play with the switch and manualy put it in 4x4 the light still does not go on, its like all of a sudden it goes into 4x4 and the switch is useless... the only way to correct it is to shut off the truck and start again, and when i start it i can hear the relay clicking in the dash and i am back in 2wd, and at that point my switch and everything works perfectly??? very odd, this happened about a week ago, and again today so since it happened twice i am sure its a sign of something going!! please help!!! i hope it is just a switch or relay!! PLEASE HELP ASAP TO AVOID SEVERE DAMAGE!!!! Dave..

 

David, my recently did the same thing but I couldn't get it out of 4wd so I just removed the fuse under the hood that controls the 4x4 electronics. Subsequently I installed a switch in lieu of the missing fuse. One of these years I'll try to diagnose my problem.

 

nobody has ever had this issue and figured out what it was??? anyone??

 

It could be your "Transfer Case Shift Motor". I had problems with mine going into 4x4 and when it did it became stuck in 4x4 for awhile. Not 100% sure thats your problem but the part ran me about $60 and took about 30 minutes to install. Before I started taking the front differential or transfer case apart to diagnos the problem I'd give that motor a try. Its right on the back of the transfer case towards the left side. It's held on by three 3/8 or 5/16 bolts. Worth a shot. Hope you can get it figured out before it does any damage. Also you need to check the wires going to the TCSM and make sure they are all in good condition and there arn't any electrical problems that could be an easier fix.

 

thank you i will try the motor if it is a cheap fix, i just want to ask you if it is as easy on as off?? i dont want to remove it and not be able to put it back on?? and also what is the TCSM?? im sure it is some kind of computer but i only have worked with ECM or BCM before... thanks

 

There are pins in the wiring harness that you have to take out of the old motor and put into the wiring harness of the new motor. There is a red plastic piece that comes out of the connector and then you push a tab I believe to get the pins for the wires out. These wires go to the sensors located on the back of the transfer case and transmission. Make sure those pins go back in the exact same place they came out of. The factory uses silicone to seal the motor to the transfer case. Make sure that both surfaces are cleaned and be sure that you don't get any old or new silicone in the transfer case. I used "Permatex BLUE RTV Silicone Gasket Maker". You can find that at any parts store. Another thing you might want to consider doing since you will already be under the vehicle is change the transfer case fluid if you haven't ever done so. There is a drain plug and a fill plug. It takes 2 quarts of automatic transmission fluid. Make sure you put silicone on the drain and fill plugs or else you will have a leak. By the way, TCSM stands for Transfer Case Shift Motor. I also read another post today that said it could be the vacume lines going to the front differential. They are routed under the battery box and could be damaged. Worth a few bucks to check those out too although the TCSM tends to be Fords biggest problem in this scenerio. Hope this helped. Good luck.

 

David, did you determine the problem?

 

I have not had another problem with it, I checked all wiring and they are perfect, I spoke with my cousin who is a ford technician he explained to me it is most likely the Transfer Case Shift Motor, when it is in automatic 4x4 it might kick into 4x4 when I hit a patch of sand or any kind of slippage and the Transfer Case Shift Motor will get stuck so the truck will fail to go back into 2wd and the system shuts down, this is why when I manually turn the switch no light or anything happens until I shut the truck off and the system resets.. I will be monitoring the truck over the next few weeks as he also told me sometimes they stick when there not used for a while and it is possible it is not bad at all... If it sticks again I will put in another one and post my results...