4wd Shift Module

Shop deals on ebay
Advertise with us
shop deals on amazon
Ford SportTrac Forum

Help Support Ford SportTrac Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
G

Gwen Miron

Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2001
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Location
Georgetown, ON
Hi!

I believe I'm having problems with the 4wd shift module - hard bumping, like it's jumping in and out of 4wd when the roads are even just a little wet. Pulled the fuse to the model - no more problems so far. My truck has always had an issue with sticking in 4wd after shifting back into 2wd. I have to back up a few feet to get it to completely disengage. Will leaving this module disconnected cause any damage? Just can't afford to get it fixed right now (new engine and transmission because of this problem).
 
The 4WD system is not meant for use when the road is "just a little wet". The transfer case is not differentiated (when 4WD is engaged, it is "locked" and both drive shafts are driven at the same rate) and will bind when turning if the either the front or rear wheels cannot spin (slip). I suspect this is the reason for the sticking and why backing allows the shift from 4WD to 2WD (backing relieves the binding that occurred while driving forward in 4WD when the wheels could not slip by reversing the process). This is all normal behavior for a system of this type and will happen regardless of direction driven (All-wheel-drive (AWD) or full-time systems are meant to function on wet slippery roads).



This type system should be used on dirt roads, mud, snow and ice, etc.



You may have noticed a resistance to moving when turning, particularly at low speeds. That's the transfer case binding.



Leaving it disconnected should not cause any problems; at least none come to mind.



So, damage? Maybe the chain is stretched and needs to be replaced. I can't think of other transfer case parts fragile enough that this would cause damage. Others - chime-in.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks so much for the reply.

Just to be clear, I don't use 4wd when it's "just a little wet". The problem occurs when I shift out of 4wd and back into 2wd. It's not coming completely out of 4wd until I reverse - not all the time, just sometimes.

I had to have a new engine and chain because I was in 4wd on a very very slippery heavy snow day. The transfer case suddenly jumped out of 4wd into 2wd and back again into 4wd causing the chain to come off.
 
Pengwen,



Mine has had the same symptoms this past winter so I've added it to my warm weather Trac-ky-do-list. My shift motor is original (2001) so that will be my 1st suspect to go after.



I'm also interested if anyone else has had this condition. The 4X4 gives a pretty scary slam in and out while driving.
 
Hey toptobottom,



Mine is also an original 2001 and no problems until this horrible winter. It is truly scary when it slams. Even scarier when you're out in the middle of nowhere on the coldest day of the year with no attached chain!

I'm hoping that the shift motor is the culprit. My mechanic convinced me it was my transmission, so we put a new one in. Didn't make any difference. Needless to say, he's not my mechanic anymore. lol
 
You noted "just a little wet", so I went with it.



Seems to be a mechanical problem as the electronic part of the shift occurs (it goes in to 4WD and will, eventually, come back to 2WD).



Why do you shift in to 4WD and under what conditions (on-road, off-road, wet, dry, snowy, etc.) and type of driving (slow, fast, turning, freeway, side streets, etc.) exactly, does this occur?



Need all the information you can provide.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yardsale,



I shift into 4wd when it's snowy or icy (or off-roading). Normally I'm on backroads or sidestreets - rarely use it on the highway unless it's very snowy and traffic is slow. I never go over 40 mph in 4wd. When I take it out of 4wd, I can hear the switch click, but can feel that nothing has changed and the truck is still in 4wd. I have to stop, reverse a few feet and then go back into drive to get the 4wd to release. Sometimes I also have to cut the engine and restart it and reverse again to take it out of 4wd. It's been doing that for quite a while and I'm used to the routine. :)

What's been happening lately (this winter) is that I will be in 2wd on a day when the roads are wet or a little bit of snow (having not used the 4wd that day), cruising along at 55mph and suddenly there's a big "bump" - kinda feels like I've been rear-ended really quickly and then everything is fine again. Or, I will be in 4wd - not going fast and again with the big "bump" as it slips out of 4wd into 2wd and back again into 4wd.

I really appreciate your input and thoughts!
 
I didn't want to mention it, but me thinks Gavin is correct. You have stuff bouncing around in there that shouldn't.



This is really starting to irk me. Someone sold you an engine (not 4WD shift motor, but the 4.0L enging) and a transmission to fix this? They should be shot ... twice. They replaced two of the three major drive train components except for the one that would most likely fix the problem (assuming it's mechanical). (The words "small claims court" come to mind.)



Maybe you can get the brainiacs that took your money to sell you a rebuilt unit at cost. This is no money out of their pocket and almost makes-up for charging you to not fix the problem.



Wait - did you indicate that this doesn't happen with the fuse removed? Give it a week to see what happens. If it acts-up without the fuse, it's probably mechanical; if not, it may be electrical (bad module, wiring short, etc.).



toptobottom - have you tried removing the fuse?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sounds to me a transfer case rebuild is in order. I think we are all confused. Can you answer the following:

1. You rebuilt the engine because of the 4wd issue?

2. You rebuilt the transmission because of the 4wd issue?

3. You mention no chain? What led you to that conclusion?

4. When you place it in 4wd does the light work?

5. You should be able to turn the switch to 4-high in gear, idle, driving, etc, hear a click, light come on, then have the 4wd operate. Does this happen? If not then what does?

6. While stopped in neutral, turn switch to 4-low, hear a clunk, light comes on, put in gear, and your in 4-low. Stop, in neutral, switch back to 4wd or 2wd, clunk again, light off, then back to normal? Does this happen?



Judging what you described so far I would pull the transfer case and open it up to see what condition your chain and gears are in.
 
13-year old vehicle. Perhaps the engine and transmission were shot and needed replacing. Now it is time to rebuild the transfer case? Axles and suspension next?



How many miles are on the vehicle, and what is it's use and service history?



We certainly need more info to try to help you.
 
I had a new (used) engine put in because the chain was stretched/damaged and the engine suffered some damage - not sure exactly what - because of this problem. One week later it started "slamming" again. Took my "ex"-mechanic for a test drive and it did it while we were out. He told me it was the transmission. I questioned that as it doesn't feel like a tranny problem. Replaced the tranny with a used one with fewer miles on it. A few days later, the problem happened again.



When I switch into 4-high, I hear a click, the light comes on and I'm in 4-high. When I take it out of 4-high, I hear a click, light goes out but I can feel that I'm not in 2wd; still in 4-high.



When I try to put into 4-low while sitting in neutral, nothing happens. No light, no click. It's been like that for a few years and I didn't worry about as I never use it. I don't do much off-roading much any more. My driving is on backroads, side-streets and the highway.



I've got about 135,000 miles on the truck and she's always been really well looked after on the service side. I pulled the fuse out last Saturday and haven't had a reoccurrence since.



I know she's old, but I'm trying to hold on to her as I've promised her to my son for when he starts driving. Besides, I've put so much money into her lately I'm pretty much married to her. :)
 
@Yardsdale



I don't need to pull the fuse because there's no issue when it's in 2WD. It only goes in and out after I engage 4X4 HI. This happened while traveling at various speeds a snow covered road surface.



It has given me problems engaging/disengaging this past winter. A lot of times it refused to engage at all while I could here the passenger side module clicking away. One time I couldn't get it to disengage so I took a 2X4 and tapped the shift motor while truck was running and I could hear it disengage back to 2WD. This is why I'm suspecting the shift motor to be bad on mine. After all, it is the original.
 
Hmm ...



Not shifting in to 4WD low could be electrical (switch, wiring, shift motor) or mechanical (transfer case or shift motor).



Not shifting from 4WD high to 2WD is most likely mechanical.



This "ghost shifting" thing is odd. It may be time to drop some cash and take it to a Ford dealer for diagnosis.



Bench testing the shift motor might be a good idea (remove it from the transfer case and cycle the switch to see if it moves without a load).



135,000 miles isn't old. Mine has 245,000 with few problems through the years (of course, it was shipped new with a dead shift motor and the thermostat housing blew).
 

Latest posts

Top