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Four wheel drive will not engage

Tiny
RICHARD777
  • MEMBER
  • 1993 FORD EXPLORER
  • 23,000 MILES
The four wheel drive will not engage. The light on the dash will not illuminate. Last year it worked intermittently. Now it will not at all. There is no 'clicking' noise from the electrical box in the back left side.

I pushed the white reset button on the electrical box while the car was on and a red light next to the white button illuminated for a minute or so then extinguished. Is this a rest button? I have an extra electrical box that I pulled off a junker. Could it be the switch on the dash? How could I check to see if it is the switch on the dash. Could it be the four wheel drive transfer case motor? I think if it were the case motor, the light on the dash would still go on, meaning the case motor is not the issue.


Thanks! Richard Sherlock


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Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 AT 7:00 PM

60 Replies

Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
Remove five wire connector and eight from control module. Ignition to "run" push white button if red LED flashes four times then module good. If no light or steady light then module is faulty.
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Tuesday, December 6th, 2011 AT 7:49 PM
Tiny
RICHARD777
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
I checked the control module and it is good. What would you suggest next? The dash switch or something else? Thanks again. Richard
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Wednesday, December 7th, 2011 AT 3:39 AM
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
With DVOM back probe terminal two dark blue wire in 5 pin terminal. Engage four wheel drive switch should read twelve or more volts. If so then switch good.
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Thursday, December 8th, 2011 AT 6:19 PM
Tiny
RICHARD777
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
Okay, going to check now. FYI, The light on the dash does not illuminate in either four wheel drive high or low. That is what is confusing. Okay, I just tested and there is no volts registering on my meter. It seems I would not even need to test it since the lights are not illuminating on the dash? Thanks. Does this now mean it is the switch? Is that easy to replace? Thanks, Richard
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Monday, December 12th, 2011 AT 5:18 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
Does the light on the switch illuminates for either low or four wheel drive mode?
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Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 AT 3:02 PM
Tiny
RICHARD777
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
No, it does not.
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Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 AT 5:08 PM
Tiny
KHLOW2008
  • MECHANIC
  • 41,814 POSTS
At the switch, check for battery voltage at terminal #7 (red/yellow wire) with ignition switch turned on.
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Wednesday, December 14th, 2011 AT 12:45 AM
Tiny
DDOUGLAS1123
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1993 FORD EXPLORER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
I have 93 explorer. And my four wheel drive stopped working. It worked a week ago. But I pressed the button the next time I needed to use it and its not engaging or making noise like it's trying to. I checked all the fuses and they're fine. Was wondering if it could be the button itself or something else
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
Check for power to the 4wd actuator on the transfer case. If there is power, remove the actuator and check for operation. The actuators on these vehicles often fail.
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RICHARD777
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
  • 1993 FORD EXPLORER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 19,800 MILES
When I push my 4X4 button on the dash, the 4X4 will not engage. I have manually locking hubbs. At the end of last year the 4X4 was not engaging and after repeated attempts, it would engage. Now it will not at all. I can hear a slight clicking noise inside the car when I push the button, but no engagement. Is it my transfer case motor?
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RACEFAN966
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,029 POSTS
Lets start with a self test which is very simple to do. Now in the rear on the drivers (left) side there is a compartment open it and you will see a box, this is the 4x4 module. Now unplug the 5 pin and 8 pin connector from the module. There is an LED light on the module (see pic below). Now have someone turn the key on engine off you should see this LED light blink 4 times. If it don't blink the 4x4 module you are looking at is no good replace it, with either a new one or one from a wrecking or salvage yard. If it does blink 4 times then that 4x4 module is good. Get back to me with what you find.

I am suspecting that this is an issue with the shift control module so I am attaching the wiring diagram below that will help us track power through the system.

Once we know all this info and if the module is seeing the button pressed then the module is most likely the issue. However, if the motor is getting power but not engaging, then the motor is going to be the issue.
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RICHARD777
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
The light does not blink when the car is turned on (with engine off). I'll look for a new module and replace it. I'll let you know how things turn out. Thanks! Richard
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RACEFAN966
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,029 POSTS
Great let me know how it goes.
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RICHARD777
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
I pulled one from a salvage yard and put it in. It did not blink 4X. I pluugged the rear plugs in anyway and tried to engage. It clicked several times but did not engage. I tried a couple more times and it finnaly did engage with the 4X4 light on the panel as well. I turned it on and off several times to make sure it was working. Then it just stayed in 4X4 and was not able to disengage. I finnaly unpugged it and returned the one I pulled and got another one. I have not plugged the new one in yet. Car is still stuck in 4X4. I freeed my hubs in front b/c they are manuel locking so I can at least drive on dry pavement. It makes a loud squeel though. Am I frying the component by continually trying to engage with it clicking? I'm a little afraid to put the new one in.
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RICHARD777
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
I plugged the second 'new' one that I got from the bone yard. I did the plug in test. That one did not blink four times either. Is it possible to have two new ones that are bad?
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RICHARD777
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
Well, now I plugged in my OLD one. Still no blinking light. I plugged in the rest of the connectors and voila, it works! I'm not sure why. I'm alittle nervous b/c when I need the 4X4 in the mountains in snow and mud, I'm stuck without it. Any clues?
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RACEFAN966
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,029 POSTS
Well that is a liitle strange. It should have blinked the light on the 4x4 module that is. You are checking the led that is on the module not the 4x4 lights on the dash? Just making sure. Now the only thing that I can figure it that unpluging it reset it. The test is realy simple with simple results so I don't understand that one. I would say that the one you put in at first was bad as it locked it in 4x4 and wouldn't release. If you have anymore problems we can check the T-case motor but it has to not be working inorder to check it otherwise it will test good. Let me know how it goes.
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RMC LANDSCAPING
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1993 FORD EXPLORER
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 123,000 MILES
93 ford explorer gages won't work, and 4x4 won't work
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RICHARD777
  • MEMBER
  • 14 POSTS
Thanks, I will continue to test the 4X4 system to see if it continues to work and let you know if it does not. Still not sure why the light does not blink. Thanks, Richard
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,885 POSTS
What gauges are not working? Have you checked to see if there is power to the 4wd actuator on the transfer case?

Let me know.
Joe
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Monday, December 21st, 2020 AT 10:40 AM (Merged)

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