4lo works, 4hi doesn't

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Nicholas

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Hi guys,

I'm new on this forum after buying a d/c D40, 2010 ST manual recently. This is such a great owner's resource; thanks for everybody who contributes!

I'm really happy with the ute; all seems to be in good condition, but there is one problem:
4hi doesn't engage (but 4lo does?!)
I've searched the forum, but couldn't find a thread dealing with this scenario (but may have missed it, so sorry if that is the case).

So what happens is the following:
When trying to engage 4x4 high range, nothing happens, except for the 4x4 indicator on the dash that starts flashing and the fwd warning light comes on. Stopping, putting in neutral with foot on the brake - nothing works.

But switching to 4x4 low range (stopping, putting in neutral with foot on the brake) does work. You hear the "clunk" of the transfer case engaging, the 4x4 indicator shows 4x4 lo engaged, the fwd warning light goes off and moving off confirms that it is actually in low range, 4x4.

I've seen previous threads about ABS sensors or the switches / sensors on the transfer case, but don't know if this applies to what happens with my Nav?

Anybody has any ideas what is the problem with my ute? I would love to be able to take it to the beach - the mulloway are supposed to arrive any day now...
 
I once owned a Pajero with a simular 4 x 4 system as you have and if this flashing lights when selecting certain 4 x 4 modes came on the cause was one of the Selector Switches on the transfere case was sticky or the wiring to that switch was not making a good contact. firstly you need to find all on those switch units on the transfere case and clean all wire terminals also make sure no wires are broken. if still no good you need to find out which switch on the transfere case opperates the 4 x 4 High mode , then remove it and clean it making sure the in / out rod is no seized. hopefully this should fix your issue without having to buy a new switch solonoid which arn,t cheap going by Mitsubishi anyway. good luck.
 
Thanks jonney. I got a service booked for this week, so will ask my mechanic to look into the switches / sensors on the transfer case. Also, could it be a relay?
 
not sure about the relay if there is one for these switches but there could be a 4 x 4 computor. one other thing you can try before taking the car in for a look is start the engine and go in and out of 4 x 4 high several times slowly . by doing this if there is a sticky switch solonoid the in / out method might free up the faulty switch. these switches if the same as mitsubishi 4 x 4 ,s have a short rod that moves in and out when a drive is selected , so if the switch is sticky it can,t move in or out freely thus causing no 4 x 4 selection of that particular selection ie; 4 x 4 high or 4 x 4 low. this is why all should select 4 x 4 drives every month or so if not using the car in 4 x 4 mode, keep things awake.
 
This link describes a bit how the 4wd system works. Maybe the controller isn't turning far enough to engage 4wd in high, but is then turning far enough to engage low. It appears the selector is working.

Are you sure that 4wd high is not engaged and the display is just not registering it properly?
 
Agreed with both of the above.

#1 contender for the fault is the switch that is activated when the pawls engage the front drive gear. If the pawls move into position and that switch doesn't register the move, the ECU considers the condition of "4WD Selector Switch in 4HI + 4WD Drive Transfer Switch OFF" as an error.

But, as these things are always out to prove us all wrong, it could easily be just an electrical connection. The transfer case has a couple of connectors on it, and since they're exposed on the underside of the vehicle they could see some debris getting into them, and could see some corrosion forming on the contacts. It only takes a tiny amount of muck to stop the flow of electricity - it's not a high voltage operation!

Finally - and this has happened before too - it could be the relays. There's a box near the wiper washer (look in my garage, I have a pic with it labelled) that contains the relays. There's one for high range and one for low range. Have someone change from 2HI to 4HI and see if one of the relays clicks. Then engage 4LO and see if one clicks. If only ONE relay clicks, you've found the 4LO transfer relay and the other transfer relay is the 4HI one and is faulty.
 
Thanks for the replies!

I went for a drive on a gravel road yesterday to test it again, and this time on selecting 4hi the 4wd indicator just kept flashing (but the 4wd warning light didn't come on). On stopping and selecting 4low, I heard the sound of the transfer case engaging, the 4wd indicator indicated all wheels engaged with 4lo indicted below it, and on driving off the 4wd warning light would come on and go out again intermittently.

Gunmetalgrey, I cannot categorically say with 4hi selected that 4wd is not selected, but I heard no sound and felt nothing happening (plus nothing changes on the steering wheel in terms of feel).

I'm taking my ute to the mechanic tomorrow (mucking about with turning the switch on and off repeatedly didn't get something to suddenly wake up and start working). My mechanic is old school, so after chewing my ear out for not getting something with a lever, he'll get it fixed.

So in summary it sounds like most 4wd errors involve one of the following if I understand everybody correctly:
* The switches and sensors on the transfer case not working (dirty / corroded or dead)
* Wiring for these switches / sensors
* Relays for hi range and low range
* ABS sensors on each wheel
* Brake sensor
* Gear selection sensor

Then ECU / wiring harness earthing, servo or other gremlins.

My previous ute (before a ute-less period condemned to driving a Territory as family wagon) was a D22, and the previous 4wd before that was a series II Landrover diesel. The D40 with a dash-mounted switch and 4x4 on the fly is nice, but somehow I long for the simplicity of the Landie's system...
 
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my D-22 has the old school lock in front hubs and an extra gear lever to select 4 x 4 drive just like the Landy. :rofl2: take your car on a dirt road then select 4 x 4 high and have someone look at your front wheel when you do a wheelie. if it spins its in 4 x 4 hi.
 
Sounds good to me. ABS sensor = brake sensor in the older models, the data is used for both.

For what it's worth, you could put the car on ramps, engage 2HI, get underneath and remove the transfer servo. With the ignition on, get someone to turn the dial in the cabin. The servo should turn 90 degrees between 2HI and 4HI, and then do 180 degrees more when changing from 4HI to 4LO. Don't forget to return the in-cabin selector to 2HI before reinstalling the servo. The person in the cabin might notice the 4WD light activating, but it's the servo you want to watch.
 
So just a quick update: had it checked out and the mechanic said everything engaged as it should; then took it on the beach and everything worked perfectly. The warning light etc. may just have been the system telling me that the surface (the gravel road I tested on) was too firm and 4wd wasn't called for? Anyway, all absolutely perfect on sand. The mulloway were not interested in biting, but that is another story.
 
You won't get an indicator warning you about the surface - you can (it's not advisable to) engage 4HI or 4LO on solid bitumen and the car won't complain it'll just do it. There still might be something in the works causing an issue - or maybe it was a loose connection and the mechanic fixed it by poking around - that's happened before!

Great to hear it's working!
 

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