I just finished reading all threads related to the 4x4 problems with the F250. I have an 04, 6.0ltr PSD. I have been switching in and out of 4x4 alot this week due to the ice storm that swept the area. The last time I switched to 4x4 it "popped" into 4x4 such as the case when the rear wheels are still spinning and the front arent. The specifics of this case are that the 4x4 switch on the dash does nothing now and the truck is stuck in 4x4. The indicator light on the dash does not come on in either 4x4 hi or 4x4 low. The truck will not switch to 4x4 low with the proper precautions taken ie: stopped, neutral, brake, etc. Brake lights work. Also, the guage cluster is totally dead remove the back lighting that occurs when the headlights are turned to the "on" position. I have checked fuses related to the 4wd sys and instrument cluster as indicated in the owners manual. I have read all posts circulating this issue and have decided that those problems are not similiar to mine. The truck has 60k miles and is never off road, NEVER! Please send out the Dogs on this one! all help appreciated!

 

I can give you a bump on this one.

 

I have found even though it's not mentioned as part of the circuit, that it might be tied into something else. Did you check all fuses under the hood?

 

Find the shift relays under the hood and swap them around and see if it'll come out of 4x4.

Sounds like something way out of whack for it to not have the lights on the dash lit but actually be in 4x4.

Remove the shift motor and shift the transfer case manually. I've heard it's a square drive in there, and a ratchet extension fits it.

 

You say your gauge cluster is entirely dead? Do you mean no gauges and lights are working? If this is so, then you can't rely on the 4x4 indicator at all until you fix this problem.

When you checked the fuses, did you check them with an ohm meter? It's not uncommon to find that fuses are blown but don't appear to be so visually.

Does everything else in the truck have power? There are no fuses under the hood on the 2004, at least not on mine. But I believe there are some fusible links on the main power feed to the CJB. But if any of those were burnt I'd think a lot of other things would not work.

I think I'd start with re-checking all your fuses with a meter. You might also check to make sure there is power at the fuse bases, just to rule out a fusible link problem. There won't be power at all of them, some of them are switched I think, but there should be power at all of them with the key on. If all the fuses are good and have power, then there is a big problem with your cluster. I'd go with Krewat's suggestion to remove the shift motor, manually shift it into 2WD and get it to someone who can replace the console.

I don't know if there is much more you can do to diagnose the 4WD problems until you have the console working correctly.

 

In addition to what I posted above. I was looking at my owners manual. There are quite a few modules that feed the console and the 4WD module. I'd check the fuses for all of them. The ones that I see that I'd start with are

4 20A* Power point - instrument panel
19 10A* Body security module/4x4 module
22 20A* Engine control
24 2A* Brake pressure switch/Speed control
25 10A* 4-Wheel Anti-lock Brake System (4WABS) module, Variable Fan
27 15A* Ignition switch Run feed
31 15A* Clutch interlock switch (if you have a manual)
34 10A* Brake on-off switch
35 10A* Instrument cluster
36 10A* PCM Memory
41 10A* Instrument cluster
45 10A* Ignition switch Run/Start feed
110 50A** Ignition switch
111 30A** 4WD/Shift on the fly
116 30A** Ignition switch
602 60A** 4WABS module

* Mini Fuses ** Maxi Fuses

Hope that helps

 

Thanks guys! I have checked all the fuses under the dash and all appear good. There are multiple relays there as well. ALthough, as DChambelain has mentioned, I dont recall seeing any 50 or 60amp fuses. I ended up switching the hubs from auto to lock and back to auto and it was in 2wd. I then actually needed 4x4 and i switched to locked and it was magically back in 4wd. I switched the hubs back to auto and the truck is now in 2wd with the switch not activating either way. I unplugged the motor on the Tcase and reconnected prior to all of this. I am boggled how any of this can happen with no fuses blown. Also, to answer your other question, all else appears to work.

One thing i know that i have done recently that i normally dont do is to pull a trailer with trailer brakes. I tried to call the ford dealership today, but they are closed due to all of this ice and lack of electricity.

As far as manually disengageing the Tcase, the motor you have mentioned is on the lower side with a two connector plug. I'm guessing that this puts power to the front drive shaft and the other plug with obviously more wires is responsible for the 4 low engage/disengage. Thanks for all the help!

 

Also, the tow/haul button doesnt work.

 

"IF" the tow/haul wires shorted out, because they have the tendency to break in the steering column, could this fry something related to the 4x4 switch?

 

In the process of switching the hubs, you probably got the auto-lock hubs to unlock. But the transfer case is probably still in 4x4. Did you check the fuses with a meter?

I don't think the trailer towing would be a problem. All the tow connector circuits are separately fused and isolated with relays. This includes the circuits going to a brake controller.

As far as the wiring on the transfer case, the two wires power the shift motor. One wire moves it one direction, the other wire moves it the other direction. The plug with 6 wires indicate the motor position back to the 4WD control module.

 

As near as I can tell, the tow/haul switch is simply a momentary switch with both wires connected directly to the PCM. The most that I would think that could happen if those wires shorted would be a blown fuse.

Also in your original post you mentioned that the instrument cluster is out. I never fully understood if you meant just the 4x4 light was out, or if the entire cluster was not functioning.

I have a manual, so I don't know as much about the automatic. Is your tow/haul indicator light in the instrument cluster, or is it on the end of the shifter?

 

Actually, the motor is supplied by BOTH wires at the same time. The polarity is reversed to make it go INTO or OUT of 4x4.

Or to be more accurate, the motor is spun one way to go from 4x2 to 4x4HI, and then spun again in the same direction to go from 4x4HI to 4LOW. Polarity is reversed (reversing the motor) to get it out of 4LOW into 4HI, and then it shifts again, to go from 4HI to 4x2.

 

Yes, that's correct. I described it wrong. I was looking at the connector diagram when I wrote that and it describes them that way.

 

THanks gents, I understand the motor electricity for sure now!

The whole entire cluster is not working. NO guages work, no lights work, nothing. The tow/haul indicator and the 4x4 are in the cluster. Although, the backlighting for the cluster is working, but with no action from any of the guages etc. The temp, mpg, etc in the headliner is working and is working properly at that.

I did not test the fuses with a meter. I am supposed to "jump" the fuses with my voltmeter and test what? What ohm loads am i looking for? Or am i simply looking for continuity across the fuses to test that they are not blown. Right?

ALso, i am confused about any fuses, relays that may exist under the hood. Where?

 

GEM issue?