Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and JTH1972
New Member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2009
- Messages
- 104
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Kelowna, BC
- Vehicle Year
- 1986
- Make / Model
- Ford Ranger
- Engine Size
- 2.9L
- Transmission
- Automatic
I was out test driving a 98 explorer today and although the vehicle looked good and ran well, I got some issues with the auto 4x4 in this model.
When we backed up and turned while taking a test drive, it seemed to lurch like it was going in and out of 4WD while on "auto". Owner claims it's because the wheels slip in a turn like that and the vehicle is trying to compensate with the 4WD. Driving was ok. Going uphill in a turn seemed to do something similar at high speed and I noticed the light for 4 High and 4 low flashing alternately while in the turn.
Now the odd stuff... While testing the 4x4 shifting (on a hill, paved road), the owner had me put the vehicle in park, turn the switch to 4 low, put the vehicle in reverse "to engage the pin" according to him, rolled the vehicle back and it engaged with a CLUNK that you could feel throughout the vehicle. To him this was normal. No light came on the dash to indicate we were in 4 Low besides for the slow speed. Trying to get it to switch from 4 low on to reg 4WD was a chore, and again no dash light. I had to get the owner to do it as I couldn't, and I shouldn't have to go through all that to engage and disengage 4WD!
Now, my thinking is that if i have to put a vehicle in reverse to engage the 4WD, that kinda defeats the whole purpose of me needing 4WD! If I'm stuck and I need to engage the 4wd, kinda hard to do if I can't go anywhere!
Anyway, my thinking is that there's something messed in the 4WD. Just wondering if anyone has experienced something similar, and what was the price tag to fix it?
When we backed up and turned while taking a test drive, it seemed to lurch like it was going in and out of 4WD while on "auto". Owner claims it's because the wheels slip in a turn like that and the vehicle is trying to compensate with the 4WD. Driving was ok. Going uphill in a turn seemed to do something similar at high speed and I noticed the light for 4 High and 4 low flashing alternately while in the turn.
Now the odd stuff... While testing the 4x4 shifting (on a hill, paved road), the owner had me put the vehicle in park, turn the switch to 4 low, put the vehicle in reverse "to engage the pin" according to him, rolled the vehicle back and it engaged with a CLUNK that you could feel throughout the vehicle. To him this was normal. No light came on the dash to indicate we were in 4 Low besides for the slow speed. Trying to get it to switch from 4 low on to reg 4WD was a chore, and again no dash light. I had to get the owner to do it as I couldn't, and I shouldn't have to go through all that to engage and disengage 4WD!
Now, my thinking is that if i have to put a vehicle in reverse to engage the 4WD, that kinda defeats the whole purpose of me needing 4WD! If I'm stuck and I need to engage the 4wd, kinda hard to do if I can't go anywhere!
Anyway, my thinking is that there's something messed in the 4WD. Just wondering if anyone has experienced something similar, and what was the price tag to fix it?
