On my 06' 150. Only has 30K on it. I used it on Thursday night and it worked fine. Today, I went to use it and it would not engage. Where do I start? I think its something simple like a fuse, or a relay or something like this. Someone give me a good idea here....

 

I've read people say the switch. On my CRX the sunroof switch went bad. I removed it and cleaned the copper contacts with a pencil eraser and that worked until I got a replacement. If that works then you know the switch is faulty and should be replaced. It may not be dirty, so look for broken contacts.

That's an easy place to start. good luck.

 

If you don't hear any whining or screeching noises in 2wd then I would take a look at your transfer case motor. It is a windshield wiper looking motor on the back of the t-case and the contacts in it have probably gone bad. Try tapping on it or opening it up to see if it is corroded. Search, this is a seemingly common issue with relative easy resolve.

 

shawnp - like yetti96 said I would agree to start by tapping on the transfer case motor or cleaning the connection. depending where you live there could be corrosion from road salt (or whatever it is they put on the roads nowadays that eats cars alive) in the connection.

My symptoms: Switched to 4H, no lights..noises..or 4x4 engagement of any kind, checked my fuses and wiggled my relays, still nothing. 4L same thing. Tapped on the T-case motor and cleaned it, drove about 1/4 mile in 2wd and stopped, switched to 4H, worked since.

 

Pretty common issue...Ford seems to have a knack for taking something simple and turning it into something complicated that will break...

My issue...driving in a lot of snow and slush in 4X4 a few days and turned it off. Temp dropped to 14F and remained there for 12 days. My 4X4 would not engage all 12 days, turn switch, no light, nothing. When the temp went above 32F. The 4X4 engaged fine. Something froze, a bit cold to be bothered with looking under there to find out what...

You may have to get under your truck with a helper and tap on the motor...seems to be the solution with a lot of people...

 

I too am having this same problem..almost. 4wd hi worked this morning but 15 min later, did not. tried 4wd lo, same thing...no light not 4x4 no odd sounds. later on in the day, after it warmed up a little (25 degrees) I left it in 4wd hi and the light would come on for mabye 5 seconds...i would switch it to 4wd lo and the 4wd hi light would come on for 5 sec then turn off...FML....after all that false hope...i go to make a left turn and use my blinker and It blinks a mile a minute...new bulb for me...just to top things off..ug. Im going to try to tap the motor and re attach the connector and see if it helps..

 

while troubleshooting i have come to find out that my 4x4 IS actually working....I tested this out in the snow. as for if I am in hi or low...who knows. if I listen very closely, when i switch from 2wd to 4wd, it sounds like someone blowing a puf of air. I think its the motor on the transfer case but im not 100% positive..it does seem to be directly underneath me. I know that the leds and fuses must be good for the lights on the dash because they come on when i start the truck. I inspected the solenoid thats behind the battery on the passenger side..I have the one with a little plastic cap. everything is connected and it was dry. I removed and checked the connector and it looked brand new. any suggestions?

 

any ideas?

 

Mmm...have you tried checking the relays on the driver's side inner fender are clean and dry as well? They're in a little black box with a pop off cover...

 

If you are referring to the fuse panel on the passenger side inside the truck, yes..its bone dry and all fuses and relays in there that have anything to do with 4wd are not blown

 

I did a little recon before I got back to the forum and I determined the problem to be what most of you have said. I tapped on the Tcase motor, checked the wires and relays and now it works perfect. I will clean it up a bit more when the weekend comes. I live in MN so the roads are not great for our vehicles. Dirt and water probably got in there and caused issues. Thanks guys!!

 

One more thing you should check.

Now that you have the transfer case shift motor working (sorta)......with it engaged (in 4wd) .......and the front wheels jacked off the ground (block the rear wheels).

- Turn the key to "on" (make sure 4wd is engaged)
- Turn each wheel or CV axle

See if front wheels turn. They should not. They should be locked to the front drive shaft and transfer case (basically locked to the entire drive train). Normally in 2wd they are not.

If a front wheel turns..........either you have a 4wd vacuum solenoid, vacuum, or actuator problem. If one turns and the other does not. Most likely one actuator is out. If so..........you might want to change all 3 items (both actuators and the solenoid).

Just because your transfer case shift motor works does not been your 4wd will work. My shift motor works fine and I have "0" 4wd. My passenger actuator is out, therefore, nothing on the front end does anything. All I have is a limited slip rear end. (Have the parts.......currently preparing to repair).

Hope this helps!!

 

When I turn the switch to engage the 4WD the light comes on indicating it's in hi or lo but it is not engaging. Sometimes when I go to lo I can hear a pop which I believe to be normal. However in neither one do the front wheels spin. Of course I don't find this until we have 6 inches of snow. Any ideas?
thanks

 

your transfer motor went out. its the motor that engages the front drive axles in the transfer case. my 06 screw went out last year with 18,000 pampered miles on her, and she had only been in / out 4 wheel drive maybe 10 times. It was a $800 repair at the dealer. luckily i had purchased extended warranty, because mine was out 1 month from 36 months. I threw the biggest fit on the showroom floor the dealer ever saw, and still could not get them or Ford to cover it, despite the fact that it was looked at 6 months prior for occasionally not engaging, but they "found nothing wrong." b---ards! so, 125 dollars for the deductible later, my 4x4 system is working again. i just hope this motor outlasts the last one. it goes out in 18k, im trading the truck.

 

Is the motor on the transfer case the only motor used in putting it in 4x4..meaning both high and low lock..or is there something separate for low?
I ask because I developed the same problem as many have mentioned.I have a 06 and one minute it was working and then nothing...I think...I cant tell at the moment if its just the light not coming on or if its the 4x4 since the streets cleared up.BUT if I put it in LOW 4x4 the you hear it lock..the light comes on and its in low lock.But in normal high 4x4 no light..sometimes it flickers when first put in..but just for a second...then no light.By any chance does the relay i hear in the dash when put it in 4x4 control the light also?
I assume that if it goes into low lock then the actuator motor is working and it might just be the light but with my work schedule I haven't been able to do a lot of investigating.