I have been having a problem with my 4x4 system. My truck is AWD, and whenever I drive, I keep it in A4WD. Whenever I drive, my truck jumps when I turn, and the 4x4 light on my dashboard flashes on and off. I changed it to 4 Hi, and the truck jumped when I turned again, and the 4x4 light was on. I put it back into A4WD and the light started flashing on and off again, and the truck still jumped when I turned. I was told it might be my transfer case. Do you think it might be the problem? And how much may it cost me if I need it replaced or repaired? Thanks.

My truck spec's:
2000 Expedition XLT AWD
Approx. 110,000 miles

 

Mooops, what does the jump feel like? I posted here a few months ago that my truck got jumpy turning left but only left. It even locked up ( wouldnt move) after it got jumpy, then after sitting was fine. I didn't get the dash light though. My jumpiness felt very similar to when the truck is in 4 low and I turn the wheel sharply. By the way, I have the exact same vehicle with 85,000 miles.

 

The best way I can describe it is the vehicle hesitates when I turn, and when it is turning, it skips across the pavement. In addition, when I'm turning, it makes a noise sort of like when you slam on the brakes to stop or floor the gas taking off. That screech. However it isn't very loud.

 

Does it feel like you are in 4WD when making these turns, like the axles are binding up, trying to slip, but can't because you are on dry pavement? I know the shift motors on the transfer cases have been known to go bad. Maybe yours is "stuck" in 4HI but it's not actually registering the status on the dash shifter. Just a thought....

 

This is a very likely possibility. The sensors for the dash lights are down on the shift motor. So if the shift motor is stuck just on the edge of coming out of 4WD, but is still in 4WD, the tire jumping could stress the TC enough to cause the sensor to bounce between 4WD and A4WD.

Do you have a 2H position on your selector switch?

 

That's exactly what it feels like. If it's the shift motor, how much can I expect to pay?

 

I don't have a 2H position. I have A4WD, 4 Hi, and 4 Lo.

 

Are your tires all the same all the way around. If your tires are diferent sizes from front to back this will also cause the problems you are seeing. There are two speed sensors on the transfer case which sense's the speed of the front tires versus the back, and if different will engage the front wheels. It could also be as was already brought up the shift motor. It could be week as mine was and not shifting all the way but enough to turn off the light. With the 4x4 light blinking I would check out the speed sensors.

 

All my tires are the same size, brand, and model. Goodyear Wrangler RT/S.

 

Rock Auto has shift motors for around $85.00 plus shipping.

 

Not to hijack this thread from MOOOOOPS, but what are some indicators that the shift motor on the transfer case is giving out?

Reason I ask is that after I changed the fluid this weekend, I drove me Expy around in the yard in 4H taking some turns left and right, then put it in 4L and drove it real slow to ensure that worked. Anyway, right before I put it back on pavement, I stopped put it neutral, went to 4H and waited for the dash light to switch back, and then to 2H. Well as I was making my turn onto road I noticed I was still locked in 4X4 because I could feel the resistance in the wheel when I turned. Anyway, (and I can't recall the exact procedure I did) but I did a combination of putting it in reverse and running it through the ranges 4H/4L and it finally came out after hearing a clunk underneath.

Any ideas? Normal or indications of anything?

 

It is not unusual to have to back up for 40 feet after putting back into 2 wheel drive. This is true if you have some miles on it. My Jeep does the same thing. Put it into 2 wheel back -up for 20 -40 feet and it should come out of 4x4

 

Normally this wouldn't happen, but I think in this case you were doing so much turning in 4WD hi and low, that things just got bound up. Backing tends to relieve the stress and will allow it to come out of 4WD, which seems to be what happened. Only if the problem persists, would I consider the shift motor as being weak and on it's way out.