I’m desperate now. I read a bunch of other posts with people having the same trouble. My 2003 ranger wasn’t activating the 4wd as quick as I wanted so I replaced the shift motor like everyone said was the issue. I go try it out and the 4x4cm clicked a few times then never again. I figured I must have fried the 4x4cm so I bought a used 4x4cm off eBay and it still didn’t fix it. Guy said it worked when he took it out of donor truck. I tested the switch for ohms and it works. Checked for 12 volts on the only 2 wires in 4x4cm and that checked out too. I took off the shift motor and tested it directly with 12v supply and it works fwd and bkwd. Reinstalled it and nothing. The connector at the shift motor is nice and clean with metal that is not corroded. Bright brass appearance. Initial 4x4 light comes on with key on then goes out. No blinking or anything. I don’t know what’s left to check. Anyway to check ohms, voltages or anything at the sensor wires themselves down on the shift motor?

 

Best to state Year+Model+Engin+Trans+TCase+... instead of leaving folks to guess.
Assuming a 1354 TransferCase & stock 4x4ShiftMotor + 4x4ConModul.
Make sure you're buying correct versions of the ConMod & ShiftMotor;
2000+Earlier versions & 2006+Later versions are different\incompatible with your 2001~2005 versions.

Click link below for more info:
https://2001fordexplorersporttrac.fa...n_TransferCase

A method for testing ShiftMotor\ConMod:
* park where you can crawl under DriversDoor & get to ShiftMotor
* set ParkBrake & chock wheels
* jack & jack stands as needed for safety+clearance
* remove ShiftMotor (4 Bolts) but leave it plugged into electrical harness
* have a friend\wife start engine, foot hard on brake pedal, Trans in Neutral, slowly switch thru 2WHi~4WHi~4WLo & back, while you watch the ShiftMotor
If ShiftMotor rotates properly; problem is likely ShiftMotor crusty from non-use or worn motor brushes.
If ShiftMotor does NOT rotate, problem is likely ConModul.
Best to excercise TransferCase once a month, drive at least a short distance in all three modes 2WHi~4WHi~4WLo;
so to keep Motor+TCase from getting crusty & have more confidence that it will work when really needed.

 

The guy off eBay sent me another 4x4cm and plugged it in and still nothing. I’m stumped and could use some help unlike the post above. (I replaced the shift motor). I even pulled off the sensor/encoder wheel and clocked it to see if I could get any lights or anything and nothing. Gonna try it with someone in the cab watching for 4hi 4Lo lights. Is that a good check? Going to try and disconnect the battery all night and see if that Resets all the electronics. Would replacing the 4x4cm without disconnecting the battery fry it? I’m in Seattle area. If I could meet with someone that would be awesome.

 

The 4x4CM runs the system and will flash the 4x4 dash lights if it detects a problem in the switch or the shift motor

4WD dash light will come on with key on, that's just a Bulb test not a system test, most dash light bulbs should come on with key on, same bulb test

So if the 4WD system is not working AND the 4WD lights do not flash when trying to use it then 4x4CM is the issue, or its wiring

There are two version of 4x4CM 2001-2005, and 2006 to 2011, not interchangeable

I only see 2 part numbers that match 2003 Ranger 4x4CM
1L54-7H417-AC
1L54-7H417-AD
Did replacements match these numbers?

Yes, testing for 12v at the 4x4CM is good, also test the grounds, there is no 12v unless there is a ground to complete the circuit
The fuse in engine bay fuse box just powers the shift motor, not the 4x4CM

You should hear a relay click when you change switch position, then either the shift motor starts to move OR 4x4CM will flash the 4WD lights indicating it can't change the shift motor or has bad position location from shift motor
But if shift motor position was an issue then 4WD lights would start to flash with key on, after bulb test, because 4x4CM is "lost", it doesn't know current position of shift motor, they would stop flashing after 20seconds or so

Per diagram, check fuse 11 in cab fuse box, it powers the 4WD lights with Main light switch off, the 4x4CM grounds each 4WD light to turn it on, you can test each 4WD bulb by grounding its 4x4CM wire with key on

The 2001-2005 4x4CMs are just a bad design, new is marginal, used is very hit and miss

 

All 3 4x4cms I have including the original are the same and end in AE. Fuse 11 is good including all the others in cab and engine box. Last night I unplugged the battery for a few hours and also held clamps together for 1 minute to reset the system. All connections are clean as a whistle. Having a hard time believing 2 used 4x4cms sent to me are bad but no way to check them unless I have a buddy with same truck to swap it over which I don’t. My next step is buying a NEW 4x4cm unless anyone else has ideas. Are you sure the GEM can’t be at fault?

 

No on the GEM, it was only used for 4WD from 1995 thru 2000, 4x4CM was installed in 2001 and up Rangers

 

Ok so where should I go next ?

 

I can't say
You have tested everything else

There are OBD2 codes for the electric shift system in Ford trucks

Partial Ford OBD2 code list here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...trouble_codes/
Scroll down to P1820, that's the first of MANY transfer case 4WD codes
I assume there are no codes
Not all code readers can see these and they don't always turn on the CEL(check engine light) but should

Most, if not all, of these codes would be generated by the 4x4CM and passed on to the Computer using C281A pin 4 (ISO BUS)
So absents of codes and no Dash 4WD lights flashing would point to 4x4CM problem
But no one can be 100%
And there is no way of testing the 4x4CM except to plug it in and see if it works

 

Ok I replaced the 4x4cm with brand new Ford Motorcraft unit and does not work. Yes it’s the same exact part number. Disconnected negative battery cable before install. Start it up and flip the switch and nothing. I’m at a loss for words. 🤔

 

You don't need to start the engine, just FYI, key on is fine to change 4WD settings

These are the two IDs that work for 2003 Rangers/Mazdas
1L54-7H417-AC
1L54-7H417-AD

These do not
2L54-7H417-AA
2L54-7H417-AA
2L54-7H417-AB
7L54-7H417-AA
7L54-7H417-AB
8L5A-7H417-AA

Do the 4WD lights come on with key on?
Bulb test

And do they flash when you try to change the 4WD switch?

 

1L54-7H417-AE is what was in the truck when it worked from the factory. All 3 replacements ended in AE.

it does the bulb test. 4x4 lights do not flash.

 

1L54-7H417-AE is listed as a "replacement" module, Ford built that one because the AB, AC and AD were having issues
I assume the 4WD system has worked since you bought it

How long did you have it before the 4WD issue started?
Or have you owned since new?

And you do not hear a relay "click" in the 4x4CM when you change the switch ****?

 

I’ve owned it for years. Recently I read on some forums I could replace the shift motor and get more reliable switching in/out of 4wd. It sometimes takes several times to get it to work since I wasn’t exercising it throughout the year. Got the new one in and went to go switch it. 4x4cm clicked as normal for maybe 3 times and then nothing. All fuses good.

 

Yes, the shift motors, like the power window motors, use 2 spring loaded brushes that contact the armature, if left sitting long enough a brush can stick, not slide, or armature and brushes get corrosion in contact area, best practice is to shift from 2WD to 4high and back to 2WD just sitting in the driveway once a month, this keeps the brushes and armature cleaner and spreads out the grease in the gear drive
You can also shift to 4low but doesn't clean any better, more of a "lets see if it works", lol

You seem to have done all the right testing, so "it should work"

The 4WD system is separate from other electrics in the vehicle, and just has the 3 parts
Dash switch
4x4CM
Shift motor

4th part would be the wiring

Found the 2003 Ranger manual 4WD test pages: http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/mu...IwNDUuNTguMC4w

Try this link as well
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...1&opi=89978449

 

The wires for the shift motor go from the control module through the floor under the driver's seat, and then down to the transfer case. If you look under the truck, you will see connector 340. This is the one thing you don't seem to have checked, and I have read numerous instances of people having issues relating to circuits that pass through this connector, from loose pins to corrosion. It's worth a check since you've exhausted your other options.

 

Fordzilla, “connector 340” you mean 350? Is that the round connector right at the shift motor? If so, visually it’s very clean inside and the brass connections are still bright. I even slid a piece of sandpaper in there to brighten it up more. no dice. I don’t see a 340 connector in the above wiring diagrams. Thanks.

 

C340(2001) and C309(2000) were no longer used in 2003 as far as I know
It was a connector under drivers seat for wiring to pass thru to the under side of the cab, was an issue in 2000/2001 Rangers

 

Ron, my truck was built in May of 2003, and has C340 under the driver's seat. I had to repin a wire there for my manual swap. This connector also features in my 2003 factory wiring diagrams, so it is definitely in 2003 trucks. 2004 saw the fuse box move, and that's likely when the connector disappeared. C309 does not appear in my wiring diagram, so that one is correct.

 

Good to know, the TSB about water intrusion into this connector just mentions 2000(C309) and 2001 for C340 so I assumed they came up with a new type in 2002

2001 connector diagram is in this thread: https://www.ranger-forums.com/genera...-issue-146864/

Is yours the same style?

 

Yep, same style, and the pin count and wire colors are pretty much the same as well. There are a few differences in wires, but I don't see anything different in layout of the pin holes. There may have been an update to the seal between connectors, but I can't verify that without having the two connectors side by side. My 2002 Ranger was built in 2001, but I'm not sure if it's included in the TSB.

After reading the TSB, it appears they simply told dealers to replace corroded pins but didn't actually address the moisture intrusion part. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't fix it by 2003, because they were still having moisture intrusion/corrosion issues on the 2004+ Fuse Box Panels. lol.

 

Ok so cleaned c340 connector really well with electronic cleaner and still no joy. Really stumped here. Don’t know what else to do besides going to the dealer but not sure what they would do that I haven’t.

 

If you can read+understand the wiring diagram that RonD provided. Go thru that with a Voltmeter or TestLamp. Point by point in all 3 switch positions. Have to be calm, logical, persistent, thorough. Otherwise you're stuck.
I used a length of bicycle innertube, slipped over the ShiftMotor connecter, cable ties both ends, for waterproofing.

 

Well I took it to a shop and they pulled codes P1867/P1891. “Transfer case contact circuit fault, ground open.” “Diagnosis states to check voltages to each plate wire, if all are the same to replace the shift motor. All read 11.66 volts and ground shows to be ok.”

So there you have it. There is a test for the contact wheel in the shift motor. Once I replaced the shift motor AGAIN it worked immediately. Apparently I got “lucky” and bought a bad one off Amazon😤. Spent several hundred in parts I didn’t need. I can now move on! 🥲

 

Hey RonD, I am having a similar issue with my 2008 Ford Ranger 4.0 with 4x4 and automatic trans. Long story short, my truck has a track record of not wanting to shift from 4x4High back into 2wd. I hear the audible clicking noise coming from the 4x4cm behind the dash. I have had this happen twice where I can't get it to go back, so I place the switch back into 4Hi and continue driving along. Then the speedometer says I am going 40-50 miles faster than I actually am going which is weird. This is the method I used to try and unstick it from 4Hi: stop truck, hold brake, go into neutral, select 2wd, and then go into reverse and try to disengage 4x4. Didn't work. Also, when the 4x4 is still stuck and the 4x4cm is clicking to get back into 2wd, I am not seeing the 4x4 icon flash, don't know if that means anything.

Side note, while I was doing this in a snowy area my back wheels slipped a bit and caused a nasty grinding sound when the shift motor was trying to shift it back into 2wd. I understand now that trying to shift when wheels are slipping is an issue. I have no idea if the transfer case would sustain damage from something like that.

Anyway, I waited about an hour and turned the truck back on. I shifted into neutral, clicked the selector switch back to 2wd and it shifted back into 2wd with no issues! It seems the transfer case motor is bipolar and only wants to shift in certain conditions? Any ideas? Thinking I should just replace the shift motor, but I don't really want to pay for OEM. I heard SKP has a decent aftermarket part that matches.

 

2001 and up, Rangers get the Speedometer signal from the PCM(engine computer)
On 4x4s the PCM will adjust the speed signal to speedometer for 4low, and for some reason the PCM was getting a signal from the 4x4CM that shift motor was in 4low, so it changed the speed signal

The 2001 and up transfer cases do not have the "shift on the fly" electric clutch that the 2000 and earlier transfer cases did, because it was no longer needed since the front hubs/drive shaft were always locked, so would be spinning at the same RPM as rear drive shaft while moving, so shifting in and out of 2H and 4H needed no clutch
But yes, if rear drive shaft was spinning(wheel slip) and front drive shaft was not there would be grinding in transfer case, not great, but probably wouldn't damage anything if it was stopped when you heard it, but that also means shift motor was trying to move the shift rod

You shouldn't need to stop to shift in and out of 2H and 4H, but if stopped then shifting to Neutral is a good idea

Unreliable shifting in and out of 4WD is "usually" a shift motor problem as its the only "moving part" of the system, especially if the 4x4CM relays can be heard "clicking" behind the radio(in 2008)
The shift motor is also the Position "sensor" that tells the 4x4CM what position the transfer case's shift rod is in, so it knows which way to turn the motor when switch on dash is changed, so could be position "sensor" has some corrosion inside, or ??, so is giving 4x4CM incorrect information

Good read here on a shift motor: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...e-shift-motor/

2 wires to power the electric motor part
5 wires for the Position sensor, which is a contact wheel with 6 contact arms, if there is any corrosion on the wheel surface or arms it can play "merry hell" with the 4x4CM, lol

No, I don't know what brands are best for replacement shift motors