Ok guys, big problem.

2005 F150 XLT 4x4 SuperCrew 5.4

Every so often since I bought my truck, except of course not durring the test drive. I'll turn the 4x4 **** to 4x4hi and sometimes it works and then again othertimes it does nothing, same with the 4x4low (and yes guys im in nuetral with brake pressed firmly).

Its extremely annoying and unpredictable. At first when this would happen I used to get under the truck and, starting at the t-case, unplug and spray with electrical contact cleaner, then plug back in and wiggle around and stuff all the way up to past tranny. Sometimes it would work after that and then sometimes it wouldn't.

For the past prolly 2 months I haven't had a problem out of it but yesterday it started doin it again. I just dont know what to do guys, is this a common problem?

any is greatly appreciated

thanks,
SouthernStyle

 

mine does it occasionally. i think ford's 4x4 system sucks as far as engaging. kinda wish i had the shift on the floor so i wouldn't have to worry about this problem. the first time i used my 4wd it would not disengage until 4 or 5 tries.

 

Thats why I love my floor shifter!

 

I also got the floor shifter after having problems with my 2002 fx4. sometimes i would turn the *** to 4x4 hi and nothing would happen. took it in they couldent find the problem and of course it worked fine when i showed them. it was always random. now I made sure to have the shifter in the floor so i dont have to deal with any problems that were a pain in the pastttt. hope you get it all worked out man let us know if you end up finding the cause.

 

This has happened to me on 2 occasions, both were after I had driven 700 miles to the beach...and attempted to switch to 4wd to get on the beach...1st time my fault..wire connection to back of switch not fully engaged(had my dash apart to play with xm and ipod connections) second time the solenoid on the transfer case was "stuck" tapped on it with a crescent wrench...problem solved

 

Having a stick on floor doesn't make a difference, the only thing the stick controls is the engagement of the t-case. The front hubs are vacuum operated on all 4x4's no matter if you a manual stick or E.S.O.F.

 

Mine has never failed to engage (knock on wood).

My 4x4 problem: its addicting.

 

Heh.. That doesn't mean ****. If somethings wrong, and it doesn't want to engage, it doesn't matter if its a ****, shifter, of set up of mechanical monkeys, It's not going to work.

Ive had issues with my 4x4 not engaging, and it was due to water getting into the fuse box under the hood, ****ty design, takes on water.

 

So, I had the same problem. When I turned my 4 wheel drive switch.... it would do nothing. Very, very, very frustrating!

I needed to get up a hill, without ruining my girlfriend's mother's grass, and she wouldn't go in 4 wheel drive. She did however, get up to about 50mph in a short distance, and bounce over the hill... anyways

I got under the truck, found the solenoid on the back of the transfer case, whaled on it with a crescent wrench, and now all is well. 4hi and low both work great. I know that this is far from a permanent fix, but it should get u where u need to go for now.

For those of you who don't know where or what the solenoid is, I brought pictures!!!

This is the solenoid:


The transfer case is located about midways under your truck. Everything is very open down there, lots of room for you to whale away your frustration.

Hope this helps!

 

thakns guys.

yeah my mud truck bronco i built definitely has the floor shifter but i had figuered after seeing my buddies z71 in 4x4 anll the time and never having trouble shifting it in and out i thought the desighns were strong enough these days to work.

and yes... so so so so frustrating, its very hard when your paying notes on something and cant necesarily even depend on it

 

Southern there was a guy with the same problem last winter and he had to have this valve thingy replaced. Because it uses air pressure to engage and disengage our 4x4 systems and one his valves was stuck open and wouldnt complete the circut or something like that. Im not sure how he worded it but thats how his story went after his system just stopped working all together. just a heads up.