Hello

So the 4 wheel drive in my ‘03 ranger fx4 level II dropped a steamy load in the bed, I turned my ****-on-the-fly garbage switch on this morning to get out of a slippery spot and all I got was clicking under the dash. I tried giving the transfer case solenoid a little love tap with the back of my maglight and it didn’t do squat. No 4x4 lights. Is it possible something else is amiss? Could I jump my solenoid to temporarily put my truck into full time four wheel drive? Would boosting my truck give the solenoid the power it needs to activate? Is it even the solenoid and am I barking up the wrong tree? I would really appreciate any help and thank you in advance.

 

Welcome to the forum

No solenoids involved

The switch and most likely the 4x4CM(command module) are working if you heard a relay click, 4x4CM has relays inside and its behind passenger side kick panel in a 2003 Ranger and thats where the clicking noise should have come from when you moved the switch

The 3rd part of the 4x4 system is the shift motor on the back of transfer case, it gets 12volts from a fuse in the ENGINE BAY fuse box
Fuse 13, 20amp
Check it or replace it with a known good fuse

The 2001-2011 4x4CM units were a known failure point but wouldn't hear the clicking noise if it had failed
The switches never failed, unless physically damaged, its just 3 resistors, and you wouldn't hear the clicking if 4x4CM never got "the message" to move the shift motor

The shift motor is the only moving part, so can wear out, but usually they fail from disuse, the electric motors brushes get stuck or corroded so motor no longer works
Thats why "tapping on it" is recommended to get brushes in contact with rotor inside the motor

Article here has info on the shift motor: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...e-shift-motor/

You can remove the shift motor and use a pair of pliers to shift transfer case, settings seen in above article, on where to move shift rod

 

Gee, thanks buddy. That’s extremely helpful.

 

You're welcome

Once its working again try to shift from 2WD to 4High and then 4Low once a month and then back to 2WD, do it just sitting in the driveway
What that does is it keeps the brushes and rotor in the motor clean and "loose", it also spreads out the grease on the worm drive and gear
Failure is often after it sits for 11 months, unused
And its better to find out its not work when you don't need it.............then to find out its not working when you DO need it, lol

 

Yeah I can attest to that lol. I was driving through an intersection and got stuck on icy flat ground, had to back out and turn around in front of a 2015 escape that walked it no problem. Really embarrassing in my supposed extra off-road version of an already off-road based pickup.