Ok i have a F-150 FX4 4x4 that i bought brand new at a end of the year clearance in 03. This is the first 4x4 i have ever had. So like everyone i was anxious to try out the 4x4 functionality. Even since ive had the truck i have though damn this thing slides around a lot when i put it in 4x4. I expected it to work so much more. So anyways i have delt with it since i had it. I remember getting passed by a little honda CRV when i was sliding my *** off (granted there was a lot of snow on the ground). Recently ive been testing it out more. Thinking if it didn't go in 4x4 it would should not fish tail. Well it does. Last oil change i asked the service person at the desk (which i know from going there a lot (about this later)) and he was a pri@k as usual. They were busy and i just asked him when they got it up on the lift could they see if the 4x4 was kicking in correctly. He, in a sarcastic voice, said they couldn't put it on a ticket because they were writing it up for a little minor extended warranty work and couldn't include it on the ticket but he would see what he could do. Of course when i went to pick it up he said that it "seems" to be kicking in correctly. So i though this must be in my mind.
I remember hearing everyone at work who has a 4x4 saying they do not slide at all. Even a guy who has the say truck as me but its not stepside and his is the lariet edition (same year and all) says when it snowed last he did not even spin his tires at all. Im thinking now either all of these people are exaggerating.
So tonight i was thinking about it a lot. We got some accumulation of snow here. My parents kind of live on a country road that is not cleared a lot. So i told my dad i was going to come over and asked him to get his coat on. Well he got outside with a flashlight and i asked him to watch my tires while i gave it some gas to see if my front tires would spin on the snow/ice. I put it in 4x4 high. He said nope your back tires are definitly spinning but your front tires are not. So i said well im going to try 4x4 low. Same thing. He said your back tires are the only ones that are spinning. Then low and behold i go outside and start the truck and the light says 4x4 low. I check and its set in 2wd. I was able to get it to go off after messing with it though.

So ok im a freakn idiot. I payed for this expensive feature that i have not been able to use for like 3.5 years. I mean how was i supposed to know though. Ive never had a 4x4 before so i didn't know the feel. Its not like i can look out the window and look at the tires. Even with 2wd this thing does pretty good because of the weight. When i switched it to 4x4. THe 4x4 light came on and i didn't hear any wierd sounds either. It just makes me so mad...mad to the point im having trouble sleeping. Thank god my paranoia got the best of me and i went over my dad's tonight. I almost said im to tired and decided not to do it. It also am a little upset that a car could come of the finish line with 4x4 not working at all. Have any of you ever seen that before?!?!? Yes im sure it felt like this the very first time i tried the 4wd. Thank god i also bought the extended warranty. I mean it never worked but if i just found it now i would be TS. I bought a 6year/100,000 mile warranty from my local ford dealership eventhough it wasn't a "ford" warranty. Anyways i i just had to vent.

 

Thats a sad story man. I guess if you cant see the tires actually spinning, you have know way of knowing and since it was your first 4X4...hmmph.

It probably helps you though to come here, confess this, clear your conscious and cleanse your spirit. Good on you.

Now get out there and find a mud hole.

 

so your saying your 4x4 has not been working right? i had a problem with mind the first year i had it. they had an issue with the plastic fork that engages the 4x in transfer case. i would think it should be fixed under warranty. they replaced it and i haven't had any trouble since then. i did have problems getting it out of 4x4 low one time. i had never used it in low before so it took me like 10-15 minutes to figure out how to return it to 4 high. i guess that's what they have manuals. the worst thing was i had to ask my wife look in the manual to find out how to disengage it. talk about feeling stupid. if i had been by myself no one would have ever known.