I have a 2010 F150 5.4l 4x4 Lariat.
When I try to put it in 4H it says shifting in progress.. and then it says Check 4x4. I can still put it in gear and drive it but I can tell it is not in 4 wheel drive. The drive shafts are not turning when I am moving the truck.
When I try to put it in 4L it says shifting in progress.. and then Check 4x4. When it is on 4L if I put it in drive or reverse and press on the gas, the RPMs go up but the truck does not move. It is like it is still in neutral. I can shift it back to 4H and it will go back into gear but its only in 4x2.
I can hear something click when I change from 4x2 to 4H
I have checked the vacuum lines, those are good. The vacuum solenoid is working. The 4x4 actuators are working on both sides.
I let my mom drive my truck and when she returned it the truck was in 4H and this is when the check 4x4 light began to come on. I believe she drove it around 40 miles in 4H.
Could it possibly be the Transfer Case Shift Motor??
The truck drives normal in 4x2 if that helps any.

Thanks for the help.

 

Usually is the shift motor or vacuum to hubs and sounds like you've eliminated hubs. Try it multiple times. Shift motor and mechanism on these things act like they gum up and stick only moving part way. Sometimes multiple attempts gets them moving.. This won't work if motor shot or wiring to it is open but sounds like you're getting some motion, just not complete travel.

 

No, no, it's not the hubs. The hubs will not engage until the 4x4 is engaged in the X-fer case. The OP is correct in that it is almost certainly a X-fer case shift motor. Most likely the shift motor has failed or more likely just sticking. I posted about this on here a few years ago, let me see if I can find the thread. It's actually a pretty easy fix and MOST of the time the shift motor is fine and doesn't need to be replaced.

OK jump over to this thread and read it and then follow the link in the last posting. <https://www.f150online.com/forums/pre-1997-models/492371-electronic-4x4-won-t-disengage-4low.html>

<https://www.f150online.com/forums/2009-2014-f-150/511271-4lo-did-t-engage.html> There are two more links in that thread that also explain the problem.

Note that there is a plastic stop in Hi-Lo/ 4WD shifting mechanism that squashes over time and the shifter travels to far and gets jammed and the shift motor can't return it to the proper position. The stop can be replaced with a small piece of 5/16" (IIRC) o.d. hose.

I haven't fixed the stop in my 2010 yet but I've pulled the shift motor off and reset the rotor to the correct position and then it works, at least for a while. It's a ten minute job.

 

Pictures of said shift motor <https://www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/how-to-rebuild-4x4-shift-motor.123542/>