4WD won't engage. Dash lights test properly at engine start. Lights don't illuminate when switched to 4WD. Can hear "clicks" under dash when switched to 4WD. Transfer case motor sounds as though it's working properly. I'm thinking it's either a vacuum problem, stuck vacuum hubs or possibly a 4WD control module.

I'd really like to find an overall system description component by component.

Can anyone help?

 

Welcome to the wrong forum, lol

G'day mate

You have a T6 Ranger , we call them International Rangers

We are in North America so never got the T6 Ranger, ours were smaller trucks, not smaller version, a completely different truck

Try this forum: https://www.fordforums.com.au/forumdisplay.php?f=371

 

I'm not looking for a down under Ranger forum. I'm in the USA with a 2010 Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 with a 4.0 SOHC engine.

 

Sorry, saw Melbourne as location, didn't even know there is a Melbourne in Florida

There is no vacuum used in 2010 4WD system, that was only in 1998-2000 Ranger 4x4s, the PVH 4WD system

You have Live Axles up front, always locked, hubs are bolted to axles with big axle nut

2001 and up 4x4 system has 3 components that control it
The dash switch, just 3 resistors so unless physically damaged they don't fail
The 4x4CM, control module, these were failure prone
The shift motor, on transfer case, 12volt motor, 2 power wires, with 5 contact wires for position, 8th wire for electric clutch

In 2010 the 4x4CM will be behind the radio

With key on the 4x4CM sends 5volts to the dash switch
If it gets back 4 volts then 2wd, 3volt = 4high, 2volt = 4low selected

When you change the selector then 4x4CM activates 1 of the 2 relays inside it, each relay is a GROUND when OFF, when activated its now 12volts
Each relay is for 1 of the 2 shift motor wires, so like a power window motor 12v/GND turns motor clockwise, window up, and GND/12v turns motor counter-clockwise, window down
The 4x4CM also has the 5 contact wires connected to it, 1 common wire, a 4 position wires, for 2wd, 4high, Neutral, and 4low, neutral is there but not available on selector switch

The 4x4cm "knows" what gear the transfer is in by the contacts, and it knows which way to turn the shift motor to go to the selected gear, and it knows when selected gear is reached by the contacts, and stops the shift motor at that time

Pictures of shift motor and contacts here: https://www.explorerforum.com/forums...-motor.123542/


The 4x4CM will Flash the 4WD lights if the shift motor is not moving when it closes a relay, this could mean shift motor fuse is blown or shift motor brushes are bad
If no flashing lights it could be the shift motor connection to transfer case shift Rod is stripped, never read about that ever happening, or the 4x4CM has failed, more likely

Just FYI, the 4WD lights on the dash, along with all the other warning/notification lights, should come on with key on, this is a BULB TEST not a system test, even if you disconnected all the 4x4 parts 4WD lights would still come on if the BULBS were OK

I would pull off the shift motor from transfer case, plug it in and have someone turn on the key and select the different 4wd gears to make sure shift motor is indeed working
You can also use a pair of pliers on the shift rod to select the gears to make sure it is working
The shift rod only turns 270deg, not 360deg, so you can turn it counter-clockwise from 2H to 4L, then clockwise back to 2H

In the above pictures it shows the gears, NEUTRAL is across from 2H(2wd) so BE CAREFUL, block a tire, because when you get to NEUTRAL the truck WILL ROLL AWAY!!!

In general the 4x4CM is 99% likely to be the problem on 2001-2011 4x4 Rangers

 

WOW! Thank you!! That's the best system description I've seen!

As I'm sure you can tell, I'm no expert in this 4WD system. I thought it was vacuum actuated because there appears to be a vacuum line going to each front hub. Do you know what those lines are for?

This may seem like a silly question but does the 2H-4H-4L switch have an internal light similar to other dash lights? Mine doesn't light up so I was wondering.

As I said in my original post, I can hear the control module relays clicking when I actuate the switch for 2H to 4H and 4L. Without a wiring diagram of the module internals, I don't know of any way to test the module. Do you know what color wires control each function?

I crawled under the truck and had my wife actuate the 2H-4H-4L switch. I can hear the transfer case motor running. I'll follow your advise and pull the motor off to watch it operate.

It looks like a new module is about $150. Thank you for the great information!!

 

The "hoses" to the front wheels are sensor wires for the 4 wheel ABS system

I does read like the 4x4CM is working, and the shift motor as well, but yes check it, because if it is all working then the problem will be the transfer case, most expensive part of 4x4 system

Wiring diagram below
4x4CM = 4x4 Control module
Diagram does show the switch should have a back light, 4 wires, 2 for resistors and 2 for the light bulb

If the shift motor is turning and stopping then no need to test wiring, its all working

 

I pulled the motor off this morning. It doesn't cycle through 270 degrees as it should. It only rotated about 45 degrees. Had to order a new motor and it won't be delivered until Tuesday, 12/17. Will post progress here.

I checked the fluid level in the transfer case and it's very low. I'm going to change the fluid but will have to find the Motorcraft XL-12 fluid. I thin there's a Valvoline equivalent.

Once again, I want to thank you for your help! I was having no luck finding reliable information on the system. You saved the day! I have to ask: What's your source? I had no luck with Haynes, Chilton's or YouTube.

 

But the 4WD lights on the dash didn't flash?
They should if motor didn't go 90deg to 4H from 2H

So I would think 4x4CM, not shift motor, 4x4CM is "thinking" it moved far enough for 4H, when it didn't, so it "thinks" its in the right position so no flashing 4WD lights

The shift motor is just doing what its "told" by the 4x4CM, so I think it is working OK, but could be the shift motor's contacts, thats all the 4x4CM has to go on as far as position

 

The 4WD dash lights don't flash or light up at all. All I know for sure is that the bulbs are good as a result of the start up test.

I was thinking that if the 4x4 module "thought" it was in 4H, the 4H dash light would come on. It doesn't. Same with 4L. I'm assuming the voltage for the 4H-4L lights comes from the 4x4 CM since the signal from the motor contacts feed into the module. With no input signal from the motor, there's no output from the module for the lights. With that said, YOU MAY BE RIGHT! It could be the module. Guess I'll find out Tuesday. Thoughts?

 

Well now I'm second guessing myself! I ordered the CM in addition to the motor. I'll change the module first to see if the fixes the problem. Either way, I'll return one of the parts. You experience outweighs my gut feeling. We shall see.

Here's hoping it's not the Transfer Case that's bad!

Stay tuned.

 

Just plug the new shift motor in to the harness, and see if it moves 90deg and the 4high light comes on

You can shift transfer case manually into 4high, to see if it works

 

Will do. Thanks!

 

X

 

Well this is curious!!
The new motor came today. I connected it and cycled the switch from 2H to 4H. The motor rotated 90 degrees as advertised and the 4x4 dash light came on (steady...no blinking). This is a good thing! However...
When I rotated the switch to 4L, nothing happened. The motor didn't move and the 4x4Low light didn't come on. Could it be that both the motor and module are bad causing two different problems?
The new module will be here Wednesday and I'll do a trial installation when it arrives. First with the old motor and then with the new motor. There's a solution here somewhere!
The truck was in Park and not Neutral when I ran these tests. I can't imagine that it makes a difference.

Thoughts? Again, thank you for your help and patience.

 

I just realized that the truck did exactly what you said it should do: "Just plug the new shift motor in to the harness, and see if it moves 90deg and the 4high light comes on

You can shift transfer case manually into 4high, to see if it works "

You didn't mention 4L. What am I missing?

 

Speedometer needs to be at 0mph then you need to have foot on the brake and transmission in Neutral to engage 4low, its not part of "shift on the fly" like 4high
Might work in Park, but should for sure shift to 4low in Neutral(clutch pedal down all the way on manual trans vehicle) and foot on the brake(brake lights ON)

If you fold down the visor on drivers side it should have those instructions for 4low

2010 owners manual here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/genera...1-models-3747/

page 180 for 4low
Doesn't mention brakes though, I thought that was required as well, also doesn't mention Park

 

Hey, what happened? thread is dead and no answer on what finally fixed it.

 

Ron, I have a 2011. 4wd hi will go work occasionally. Engine off key on, when I got to 4wd hi I hear relays clicking behind the radio and motor makes some noise but 4wd light. 4wd low I hear relays clicking and motor makes noise. No 4wd lights of any kind. Lights are good as noticed on start up. After 10-20 switch changes I can get it into 4wd hi. Do you think this is a bad CM?

 

Ron, I posted messages but do not see them. However, I have a 2011 Sport. My 4wd is intermittent. I can hear relays clicking behind the radio and some noise at the shift motor but no light. The light bulbs are OK, pass the start test. Maybe 1 in 30 switch changes it will go to 4wd hi. It always makes relay noise and sometime the motor does turn. (I was laying underneath while my wife was turning the switch) Motor does not always turn but does make a little noise.When it does turn I am still not in 4wd. What do you think, bad CM or motor?

 

That's a tough call, because 4x4CM SHOULD Flash the 4WD lights if motor is NOT turning when it should

And its not doing that?

And do the 4high and 4low lights work when transfer case does shift correctly?

My best guess would be 4x4CM is failing, but only for one reason, because lights do not flash, the 2006-2011 4x4CMs are different than the earlier version(2001-2005), and did seem to be more reliable

The shift motor is the only moving part of the system(since you can hear relays lol) and its the most exposed to the elements, so often needs servicing, which is why its a tough call, but the dash 4WD lights should flash if 4x4CM doesn't "see" shift motor turning when it sends it 12v/ground, via the relays

You might pull off the shift motor and see if it moves when unhooked from transfer case, and 4WD lights work
Then you can manually shift transfer case with pliers(BLOCK THE WHEELS!!!) to see if it maybe too hard to turn shift rod, transfer case issue(unlikely)
If parked at an angle you will need to take the stress off transfer case by blocking a wheel then shifting out of Park or to Neutral so weight of vehicle is on the tire not the transmission/transfer case, then you should be able to shift it manually

I think its posted above but shift motor details are here: https://www.explorerforum.com/forums...-motor.123542/

 

Lights do not flash. When it does go into 4wd hi the light does come on. When I was under neath and wife was turning switch the motor did actually turn once or twice but the 4wd light never came on.
So I guess I should pull the window motor and see what happens first before buying anything.
Thank you for all the advice and I am glad I stumbled on this post and learned how the system operates. Thanks again.

 

Ron, I pulled the motor and checked it disconnected. When going to 4wd hi the shaft turns a little and then goes baCK TO STARTING POINT ON ITS OWN. Not everytime though. It is like it just kicks and goes back. Can I apply power to the motor yellow and orange wires with it out of the vehicle and see if it will move full travel?

 

Yes, you can do that, its a 12volt DC motor so polarity reverses direction of rotation
12v and ground = motor turns clockwise
ground and 12v = motor turns counter clockwise

The contact wheel the motor turns has a "stop" pin so it will only move so far in one direction

 

OK, I tested the motor and it runs nice in both directions to the stops. But it wont do that with vehicle power and disconnected from transfer case. I guess I have a bad control module. Ouch , 142.00 is the cheapest I can find, Rock Auto.

 

Or could the contacts inside the motor be defective and cutting power to the motor thru the feedback system?