4lo not engaging

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Dazza63

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Hi folks new hoping to get valuable intel from you all at some point. I know probably been asked and answered hundreds of times but I am having trouble on my D40 the 4Lo light flashes but doesn't engage I have removed cleaned switches on gearbox put it back in no different. 4 high engages. If you dont want to answer please point me in right direction of posts already up if any thanks. I backed it out driveway and put in 4HI drove about 5 mtrs nd it just sort of pulled up. I had to disengage 4HI and back up to get moving again. Any ideas. If none do you know where I can buy new switches from apart from Nissan. I removed and cleaned the 3 of them on the box but no difference.
Thanks for any help or info you may give...Or if you have any tricks to try.
 
Hey mate, I know there has been threads about this in here. There was mention in one of them about removing the switch and rotating something inside there with a screwdriver from memory to make sure the transfer case itself is working correctly. Can you swap the high and low range solenoids between each other and see if the low range one still works or are they different? I haven't got a D40 so can't really help much more than that.

The only other thing you can check is fuses and relays under the bonnet. It would probably also be a good idea to check and see if the solenoid is getting power with either a test light or multimeter when the switch is turned to low range. Hopefully that helps a bit.

Sent from my moto g(6) plus using Tapatalk
 
Welcome to the forum, Dazza.


If your car is binding up after a few metres of driving in 4WD, it means you're turning the steering wheel on firm ground. This does mean that 4WD is engaging.


The trick to getting the D40 into 4LO is to:


* Place the car in neutral
* Put your foot on the foot brake pedal (so that the brake lights come on)
* Engage 4LO via the rotary switch on the dash


You will hear the transfer case thump as it engages. Also, when you put it back into gear, it will start moving very easily and rev high in first gear very quickly - this means you're in 4LO. Don't do it for too long on solid ground, the transfer chain can be stretched by too much of it.


If it still doesn't work, you might have blown a transfer relay/fuse. These are in the engine bay, I think the transfer relays are in the box just behind the battery, but it's dark and cold and I'm not going out to have a look right now! If they're not there, they'll be in one of the distribution boxes near the ABS unit over on the left hand side of the engine bay.
 
Thanks Guys for all info will try the engaging moves and see how it goes many thanks for help and info greatly appreciated...
 
Sadly it didn't engage like you said Old Tony so Ill look further I guess the 4Lo light on dash has to stop flashing to say it is engaged???? When I turn switch on dash it goes to 4Lo but it continually flashes the revs don't change at all so will check relays and fuses now thanks again.
 
I don't think you can swap the solenoids bods as one pulls and pushes different polarity to make it work if you follow so Ive been told but all ideas and info greatly appreciated...
 
I just read another post old tony the guru put on a while ago but you should get a 4WD orange light to come dash at top left of dash when engaged in 4x4 I see it light up when I start car but it has never been on while I am in 4x4 I do get 4HI but no 4 LO as this post is about is this true....
 
I'm thinking - because of another post you've made - that it's a switch problem on your brake pedal.


There should be TWO switches on your brake pedal. BOTH need to work. One is going to fire up the brake lights, the other is used for cruise control and 4LO engagement.


Check that switch before you go much further.
 
You are the man with the know mate I love these forums the amount of info you can get is simply amazing and invaluable again thanks for your wealth of knowledge I will check the switches thanks so much for all your help..
 
Relays all good under bonnet no blown fuses switches on brake pedal all good to so im back to solenoids on gear box.
 
I tried mine - if I didn't have it in neutral with my foot on the brake, my 4LO symbol flashed but the transfer case didn't switch into 4LO.


Is your ABS light on? That can cause the car to fail to go into 4LO - it should stop it going into 4WD altogether, and flash the 4WD light too, but stranger things have happened!
 
Got it sorted broken wires apparently 4Hi and $LO work but the 4WD orange light don't come on but I guess that's not too bad thanks for all the help.
 
Good stuff. Could be just a blown globe, but it depends how keen you are to pull the cluster out to check...
 
Was none of the above but was broken wires working now just doesn't have that orange 4WD light come on but I can live with that it goes into high range and 4LO so that's the main thing.But I appreciate all replies and help thanks.
 
The trick to getting the D40 into 4LO is to:

* Place the car in neutral
* Put your foot on the foot brake pedal (so that the brake lights come on)
* Engage 4LO via the rotary switch on the dash

You will hear the transfer case thump as it engages. Also, when you put it back into gear, it will start moving very easily and rev high in first gear very quickly - this means you're in 4LO.

If it still doesn't work, you might have blown a transfer relay/fuse. These are in the engine bay, I think the transfer relays are in the box just behind the battery, they'll be in one of the distribution boxes near the ABS unit over on the left hand side of the engine bay.

There should be TWO switches on your brake pedal. BOTH need to work. One is going to fire up the brake lights, the other is used for cruise control and 4LO engagement.

I've got the same problem with my 09 D40 ST-X, I've checked both brake switches and they work fine, I've replaced all 3 transfer switches and contact cleaned all the plugs for the transfer switches and the servo and still no 4Lo.

When I switch to 4Hi the servo on the back of the transfer case makes a noise and it engages, also the 2 black relays under the bonnet click when engaging and disengaging 4Hi, but when doing the same with 4Lo there is no noise from the relays or the servo.

Is there just the 2 black relays for both 4Hi and 4Lo or are the black ones just for 4Hi, are there different ones for 4Lo?

Got it sorted broken wires apparently 4Hi and 4LO work but the 4WD orange light don't come on but I guess that's not too bad thanks for all the help.

How did you end up diagnosing the broken wires?
 
Neutral Position switch? The one up at the top, just under the gear lever. Is it a manual or auto? If manual, you can test by engaging cruise control about 70km/h, when there's not much load on the engine (flattish section of road) bump the gearstick into neutral without using the clutch. If the cruise control stays on, your Neutral Position Switch is either cactus, or the connector has come apart (happened to me), or the wires to the connectors have been damaged...
 
Neutral Position switch? The one up at the top, just under the gear lever. Is it a manual or auto? If manual, you can test by engaging cruise control about 70km/h, when there's not much load on the engine (flattish section of road) bump the gearstick into neutral without using the clutch. If the cruise control stays on, your Neutral Position Switch is either cactus, or the connector has come apart (happened to me), or the wires to the connectors have been damaged...

I did the test on the way home this morning, set the C/Control @ 70kph the road was slightly down hill so definitely no load...knocked out of gear and the revs took off towards redline.....tried it again and same thing....so I guess my neutral switch/and or wiring is cactus.

Thanks for that info Fuzzylogic I will look at fixing that and hopefully it sorts out 4Lo not engaging....
 
Unfingbelievable...the NPS was just unplugged this whole time.....4Lo works perfectly now, probably could have saved myself $130 for the new transfer switches I probably didn't need (will keep the old ones as spares) by looking at that first.....



Cheers Fuzzylogic, looks like I owe you a beer for that if your ever in Perth...
 

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