Ford - Explorer :: 1996 - 4WD Low Does Not Engage
Jul 22, 2012
My new-to-me Explorer appears to switch to 4WD high but refuses to engage 4WD low. And now I have the 6-times-flashing 4WD and 4WD low dash lights when turning the ignition on.
I used the correct procedure: Stop the car, put it in neutral, and switch to 4WD low. Nothing happens.
I looked for a ground wire from the top of the transfer case to the chassis. I can't find any such wire. All the under-hood fuses are intact.
In the process of looking for the ground wire I discovered a capped 3/8 inch or so vacuum hose about 6 inches long with a right angle fitting at the front of the transfer case. I also found a capped 2-foot-long hose of similar size connected to the top of the front differential. What the heck are these hoses? Has somebody intentionally disabled the 4WD?
I am reasonably adept at electrical repairs, troubleshooting, and modifications..
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Sometimes in the morning the AC will work just fine, but after a while it stops working. It looks like the clutch will not engage and I don't know how to troubleshoot it. I'll take a picture later on today. I'm wondering which part is what, and what might be causing the problem.
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I have a 2003 Explorer, I went to use the 4X4 the other day and the light comes on when I switch it 4H or 4L but nothing else happens. So I am thinking it might be the 4X4 mod. How can I test it?
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I have a 2004 Explorer 4.0 4x4 with 130,00 miles that started with the transmission periodically going into neutral while driving and sometimes while stopped at an intersection. Engine running, but no reverse or drive gear. After shutting down engine and restarting, I can drive again only to have it happen soon again. I have changed rear speed sensor, throttle position sensor, dropped the tranny pan and changed the ATF as well as tranny filter.
I also attempted to replace the transmission range sensor but was unable to remove the nut that holds the shift level onto the sensor. Sent 5 hours one day.... nut will not budge. Now the shifter inside the truck does not feel the same when shifting through the gears. Now the transmission will only engage in reverse but the truck will not move. If I wait 30 sec or so the truck will move in reverse. No engagement in drive, 3rd, 2nd, or 1st.
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My wife has a 2008 Eddie Bauer 4x4 explorer and when you are backing up or pulling forward with the wheel turned, it feels like the automatic 4wd wants to engage. The Ford dealership mechanic told me this is normal but it does not do it all the time. Is there anything I can look at to try and figure out why this does it sometimes or if this is even supposed to do this at all?
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When putting vehicle into park, every so often it will barely enage or not at all. Can hear a clanking noise when rolling back or forward. Trans position sensor?
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I have a Ford Explorer that my mechanic says needs a new trany. The vehicle takes a while to engage in reverse and does so with a loud clunk. Otherwise it runs good. I have 198K mi. It's an "02 4wd. Their asking $2,100 for the rebuilt trans. Wondering if it's worth it? May have reached the end of the line on this vehicle?
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I have a 2000 Ford Explorer XLT. V6, 4x4
At very low speeds (5-10 mph), attempting to accelerate while turning (like coming out of a parking lot OR out of a curve) the transmission fails to engage. I hit the gas, the RPMs go up, but it doesn't get into gear. I will let off the gas, give it a couple seconds, hit the gas again and usually it engages. Sometimes I will have to repeat this step a second time. This problem started very slowly and has gradually gotten worse. It happens about once a day.
Concerned, I took it to the local Ford dealership and they have thus far changed/flushed the transmission fluid and replaced the filter. The mechanic said he found no metal shavings in the fluid, which might indicate grinding gears. They also said there were no codes coming up pointing to a transmission problem. It is still having the same exact issue however. The trouble now is they cannot "verify" the problem. The mechanics have put 40+ miles on it in similar driving scenarios and it will not act up for them.
After a couple weeks of back-and-forth, I'm really frustrated. My understanding is that they're "not sure" it is a transmission problem. They don't really want to open up the transmission case until they have a place to start. It should either be something mechanical with the transmission or a problem with the computer that controls the transmission, right? After getting off the phone with the mechanic today he said it might be a sticky throttle body?
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I got myself a 1997 explorer Australian model when I got it (here's the problem) if you put it in drive it will not engage but if put in first will drive normal then shift into second all good now u have push O.D then shift into drive all good (unless u slow down to almost a stop) ? New problem is, it has gone and lost reverse, put it in reverse and it engages with a small clank (normal) but just slips with any revs. I have read posts here talking about upper and lower valve body gaskets and transgo shiftkit which I have ordered but do there maybe more parts needed? Cause it's going to cost me lot just to put transmission fluid back in.
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So my Push Button 4 wheel drive wont engage. The light on the dash wont light up and it doesn't shift into 4x4. Where to start? I would like to check the simple stuff first. O and my heat only gets hot when im giving the vehicle gas. This is all on a 2003 Ford Explorer.
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My 96 Tacoma has recently developed an issue where the starter doesn't engage when I turn the key. If I let out the clutch/break and start over, it typically works.
The weird part is that I never had this issue until I had the clutch replaced. The day after I got it back was the first time I had any issues. It is intermittent and doesn't happen anywhere close to all the time. I took it back to the shop that did my clutch and they told me I needed to replace my starter but I'm wondering if there is any other explanation for what's happening that would make sense given the timing of the whole thing. Could work they did replacing the clutch be causing this?
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I have a 96 Impala SS with over 100k. I have a problem with it not starting, it is random as far as time of the day or if its been doing it, I will crank the key and it does nothing, all lights are on but the starter does not engage. I tried moving the shift lever and no luck, until I put it in neutral rock it back and toward and then it will start, I've done this three times in a row and it has started each one.
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My 1996 Ford Explorer makes this dreadful droning noise - but only when the outside temperature is above 78 degrees and the engine is warm. This is summer 3 and it seems to get louder and louder each year. The doing is loud. I am embarrassed in parking lots. It does not matter if a/c is on, or the fan. The noise goes away with throttle. Which may mean the engine vacuum is involved in the noise.
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My 96 Explorer has been sputtering on me. I took a right turn one day and now its sputters at acceleration. It has a new fuel pump, filter, injectors, coil pack, plugs, wires, idle sensor, EGR valve. Also, all vacuum lines are good and not cracked or broken. My mass air flow sensor is also clean and clear. I have done all my own repairs on my cars and trucks all my life and thought I was good at it (not so sure about that now).
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Parked in driveway and 2 hours later it cranks but will not start. Pushed on fuel rail Schrader valve and it squirts out. Turn key and the fuel pump runs for 2-3 seconds then off...... Thought I had fuel... assume electrical. Read posts last night and thought crank positioner pickup was a good place to look. Took spark plug leads off #1 and #4 at coil and set a 1/4 steel dowel in each so they were 1/2 inch apart. Crank motor and I get spark out of coils so I assume the plugs are getting fire... Took off intake hose and shot ether in the tube while cranking... no fire or pop at all.
Where to now ? Seems like I have fire to the plugs, and fuel available but will not start. I have only one code and that's PO1116 coolant temp out of range..I don't have a cam sensor code or a crank sensor code...I thought they might effect the timing ? With spark at the plug wires, you would think I would get a "POP" now and then, especially with the ether ?
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On my 96 explorer the speedo most always reads 50mph. It goes to this as soon as you take off. You can be doing 5mph or 75mph and the speedo goes to 50mph and stays there. Everything else on the instrument cluster works. Is there something I can replace on the speedo only or do i need to find a good used instrument cluster?
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1996 Explorer xlt 4.0l ... I ran into this issue a few years ago on a drive up through the mountains. Had the tranny replaced shortly after.
Rebuilt the engine once due to leaking head gasket.
Rebuilt it again 2 months ago due to leaking rear main seal.
Had a new torque converter installed during last engine rebuild, so tranny has been shifting and driving like a dream.
Just drover about 30 miles on highway, all pretty flat. OD light started flashing. I didn't notice ANY change in the way it was driving, sounding, shifting... anything! I know this is some sort of oddball error with this transmission in this vehicle, but i need to know if it requires further investigation.
Also, sometimes upon starting up (i am a pizza deliver, so i often shut it off and start it again 1 minute later) the OD and (i think) the 4x4 light flash at the same time, and my windows wont work for around 15 seconds. I've also noticed that my ABS will sometimes kick in randomly on dry ground during slow stops.
I am not in the mood to just start dropping cash on random sensors or modules or repairs if i can find any solid evidence of an issue (i've been battling an EGR issue for 4 years). I was thinking maybe the vehicle speed sensor?
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I'm replacing the oil pan gasket and the new gasket came with a half moon plastic seal. I noticed that there is a grove in the new engine at the rear of the engine but the old engine does not have this grove. Looking for info about this seal, do I need it or not?
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I have a 96 explorer, and it will just shut off, but restart ok. V6 push rod motor. It has only done it 2 times in the last 2 weeks. One time I was driving slow, been running for about 20-30 min
The other time I had left it run, while I ran in to pick up a pizza, and my wife said it just shut off, had been running around that day , but started it about 15 min earlier. I fill it up before it hits 1/4 tank....
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I recently acquired a 1996 Ford Explorer XLT with a 4.0 OHV engine 62K mile. During vehicle evaluation I found a small coolant leak on coming from the timing cover gasket. I had the timing cover gasket and water pump replaced by a trusted mechanic.
Upon receiving the vehicle from the shop I immediately noticed wildly fluctuating engine temps, going above normal to nearly overheat and then suddenly dropping too cold. This would happen as I am driving at speed or at idle. I replaced the t-stat with a fail-safe type and find that it still does the temperature fluctuation. Called mechanic and he recommended burping the cooling system. Freed air in the system by topping off during cold start and adding coolant till full, and the condition seemed to improve but not fixed.
The fluctuation is much more minimal now, but the engine temp is always lower than normal on the gauge display. Before the initial service, temp gauge read dead center at operating temp always. Now it always runs colder, no matter what. The heater works too, and sometimes it seems to affect the temperature when I engage the heater during driving after warmup, the temp will start fluctuating.
I noticed that the upper radiator hose is much hotter than the lower radiator hose. In this case, after a drive the upper hose had surface temp of 200 F and lower hose had surface temp of 130 F. I have heard of backwards water pump manufacturing and I am beginning to think that is culprit. I can see the flow indicators on the upper hose showing coolant flowing from the radiator to t-stat, but hose surface temps testing suggest that it is operating backwards to me. I do not have the original water pump to comparison.
It became apparent that the fan clutch may be sticking some. When I cold start (30 F ambient) the fan runs at high rpm for several minutes before slowing. Even warm start fan will spin up with engine until second or third gear, then spin down. Is that normal operation?
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I am having a problem with my 96 ford explorer.
Usually this only happens on warmer days, but after a few starts, my car will suddenly not turn over. I have found that the only solution to starting it is by pumping the brakes about 6 or more times, fast and hard. Its not the battery because all lights and everything work.
Something it may have to do with, I just found out when going to get my car smogged, my monitors reset everytime I turn on/off my car.
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