Four wheel drive not working properly

2003 FORD EXPLORER
160,000 MILES • 6 CYL • 4WD • AUTOMATIC
Avatar
YLEKIOT9
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
When in deep snow yesterday, I engaged the 4wd high and and low and heard it engage, but the car got stuck in the snow and it doesn't seem like power was being applied equally to all wheels. Just one or 2 wheels would spin-is this normal behavior or should I have this looked at?
Mar 15, 2021 at 5:41 AM
Repair Safety Notice: This information is for general instructional purposes only. Vehicle repair can be dangerous. Verify all information, follow manufacturer service procedures, use proper tools and safety equipment, and consult a qualified repair shop when needed.
Advertisement
Avatar
KASEKENNY
  • AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
  • 18,907 POSTS
Do you have an all wheel drive or 4WD vehicle?

Do you have a 2WD button or not? That will tell us which you have.

This does sound like there is an issue but we need to find out if all wheels are spinning when you put it in 4WD. This means we need to start with putting it in 4WD and looking under the vehicle to see if the front drive shaft is spinning when you move the vehicle forward.

Then we need to lift the vehicle and put it in 4WD and see if all tires spin. You may need to rev the engine to get them all spinning as when there is no load on the drive train they don't all spin but this doesn't mean there is an issue.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/jack-up-and-lift-your-car-safely

This could be normal if the snow was deep enough but let's run through this and see what turns up. Thanks
Mar 16, 2021 at 3:14 PM
Advertisement