2011 4X4 problems

[Bside003]

Took a look at a friends 2011 Ranger because the 4WD wasn't working. The 4WD light was on, but only the rear tires had power. Turned the switch to 2WD and 4Lo but nothing happened. Checked the switch with my meter and it looked like it was working (different resistances on pins 2 &3 at the different positions). Took the transfer case motor off and tried the switch again but the motor never moved. I turned the transfer case shaft and it appeared to go into the different gears but the light on the dash never changed from 4HI. So right now I'm thinking the transfer case motor is bad with other possible problems too. Is there any way to test the computer module to see if it's bad too? Any other items I should check?

 

[RonD]

Welcome to the forum

There are no sensors inside the transfer case, the 4WD lights are activated by the shift motor moving into correct position

Check fuse 27(20amp) in engine bay fuse box, that powers the shift motor


Shift motor has 7 wires
Only 2 power the electric motor
The other 5 are the position "sensors" in the housing, the ones that cause the dash lights to show 4high or 4low

Its a DC motor, so if one wire is 12v and other other wire a ground then motor turns clockwise, if wires are reversed then motor turns counter clockwise
Works the same as power window motors, in fact its the same motor, lol

So you can take the shift motor to the battery and use short jumper wires to test it


If the 4WD light is on thats a good sign the 4x4CM(control module) is OK, not 100% just a good sign
4x4CM is behind the radio in 2011(2004-2011)

Shift motors do fail from disuse, rarely from overuse, disuse causes the brushes in the electric motor to seize so they can't slide and make contact with rotor, so no +/- electricity can flow and spin the rotor

Good look here on what inside the shift motor: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/rebuilding-a-ford-transfer-case-shift-motor/


Once its working again tell your friend to shift from 2WD to 4high then to 4low and then back to 2WD while sitting in the driveway, once a month, don't have to drive it just shift it, that will make shift motor last longer

 

[Bside003]

Thanks Ron, thats a pretty interesting write up on rebuilding the motor. This motor looks pretty crusty though. I ordered the motor so I can rule it out

 

[CorbinsRanger]

Welcome to the forum

There are no sensors inside the transfer case, the 4WD lights are activated by the shift motor moving into correct position

Check fuse 27(20amp) in engine bay fuse box, that powers the shift motor


Shift motor has 7 wires
Only 2 power the electric motor
The other 5 are the position "sensors" in the housing, the ones that cause the dash lights to show 4high or 4low

Its a DC motor, so if one wire is 12v and other other wire a ground then motor turns clockwise, if wires are reversed then motor turns counter clockwise
Works the same as power window motors, in fact its the same motor, lol

So you can take the shift motor to the battery and use short jumper wires to test it


If the 4WD light is on thats a good sign the 4x4CM(control module) is OK, not 100% just a good sign
4x4CM is behind the radio in 2011(2004-2011)

Shift motors do fail from disuse, rarely from overuse, disuse causes the brushes in the electric motor to seize so they can't slide and make contact with rotor, so no +/- electricity can flow and spin the rotor

Good look here on what inside the shift motor: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/rebuilding-a-ford-transfer-case-shift-motor/


Once its working again tell your friend to shift from 2WD to 4high then to 4low and then back to 2WD while sitting in the driveway, once a month, don't have to drive it just shift it, that will make shift motor last longer

Wow...10 out of 10 for that answer....and because you answered that so well do you think you could look at the post need help with mazda b3000 pretty please? Another set of eyes would be greatly appreciated. https://www.therangerstation.com/forums/index.php?threads/need-help-with-mazda-b3000-1994.201107/

 

[franklin2]

Just be aware, if your 2011 is like the earlier models, there are special conditions that have to be met before it will go into 4 lo. You can't be moving, and I think you have to be in neutral or park, neutral is better. If it's a manual I think the clutch has to be pushed in before it will go into 4 lo.