All wheel drive front driver side wheel locks up?

Tiny
MARKAS100
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 SUBARU FORESTER
  • 4 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 192,000 MILES
The vehicle listed above is a 2.5L AWD ATM.

The front driver side wheel locks up for a split second at 45 MPH. This is what I have done: new wheel bearing, new CV shaft, went through brakes and caliper not sticking, new brake pads installed.
When this started two weeks ago; I had no ABS/TC lights on dash or any codes.
Trying to diagnose the possible causes.
Pulled ABS fuse and disconnected wheel sensor and see if that would be the problem, test drive and at 45 MPH again it catches the wheel for a microsecond, so not the problem. Got back and put fuse back in and plugged sensor back in.
Un hooked battery to let ECM reset, test drive again, same issue!
Next, put 15-amp fuse under-hood fuse block to make system to FWD, that seem to work. Test drove car about five miles and no problem!
I drove the car back home and the next morning, started the car and the FWD light came on and right back out, check fuse, still good.
It is stuck in AWD and still has the same problem.
The rear differential is replaced and differential oil I changed in both differentials and new transmission fluid.
And now scratching my head, what is going on?
Need help. Thanks ahead of time!
Sunday, July 24th, 2022 AT 6:09 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,296 POSTS
It sounds like it could be your transfer duty solenoid coming on or going out #8, here are diagrams below to help us see how the system works. You might need a new PCM. I would try unplugging it to see what happens Check out the diagrams (below). Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem.
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Sunday, July 24th, 2022 AT 11:11 AM
Tiny
MARKAS100
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks for your advice and schematics, I will look into it and looks like a lot of work, but I think it's worth it because it's a Subaru!
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Sunday, July 24th, 2022 AT 5:08 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,296 POSTS
Yep, I would like to know what it is, you don't see this kind of problem very often.
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Monday, July 25th, 2022 AT 12:32 PM

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