4 Wheel drive wont engage

It sounds like you have the same type of luck as I do. Have you checked for power to the actuator on the transfer case? (can you hear the actuator shifting when you select 4wd?) Also, check the vacuum hoses going to the front axle near the hub assembly. Make sure they're in good condition and not damaged.

Since you just got the truck, won't the dealer help you with this?

Joe

the 4wd high light comes on but the 4wd low doesnt, 4wd doesnt engage in either case. had some problems last winter with it engageing intermitantly. when it did it wa an audible thud you could hear and feel.

It sounds like the actuator is going bad. It is the electric motor on the transfer case that engages the 4wd. When this happens, check to see if there is power to the actuator. IF there is, chances are it is bad.

Let me know what you find.

98 ford ranger 6 cyl 5 spd 120,000 mi. The yellow 4wd indicator lights on dash come on when I start the veh and then turn off like the rest of the start-up lights. When I turn the knob to engage the 4wd nothing happens, it stays in 2wd. 4wd does not engage (High or Low) and regardless of the position of the 4wd knob the 4wd indicator lights on the dash occasionally flicker while I drive. However when they flicker, that is all that happens, there is no 4wd activity or noises to indicate something is trying to happen. I checked all the fuses near the door panel and they all look good. Could it be the switch itself?

How do you go into 4wd.

[quote:1bd15a0a16="Fordman16"]How do you go into 4wd.[/quote:1bd15a0a16]
I turn the selector knob on the dash so it's pointing at 4wd high. This is done while the vehicle is stopped. Bought the vehicle used last winter and it worked fine for most of the winter then one day it didn't work anymore. :(

I have a 1998 ford ranger 4x4 with a 3.0 liter engine. Today I was driving it home when I noticed the four high and four low indicator lights on the dashboard will blink a few times and then stop for two minutes and then start up again. I tried to put it in four wheel drive but it wont go into either one. I recently had it inspected and I also had to disconect the battery a few days before, could this have caused a code to reset? Pease help, thanks.

You need to have the code(s) read, Autozone does it free, then post the results. Check the vacuum lines to the hubs and see if one broke or came off somehow....

1998 Ford Ranger

i have sent my truck to a mechanic twice because my four wheel drive is not locking in they thought is was the valve but it is not they tried the part and still did not work....what could this be..

Have them check for vacuum hoses to the wheels, if it has the vacuum, check for vacuum leaks. Check the hose for vacuum, trace back to origin on motor, and repair or replace the hose.

I have a 1998 Ford Ranger 3.0L with 108000 miles. I have been having problems with my 4wd working. The problem is that the 4wd will not engage and when this happens the 4x4 high and low dash lights flash on and off about 8 times or so. The lights continue to do this every 5 minutes or so. This is not the first time this has happened to me, but last time the problem went away. Any ideas as to the problem? Also any estimate at what it would cost to fix? Thanks alot.

I found this question elsewhere...Looks like it is a good start...

https://www.2carpros.com/forum/problem-with-the-4-wheel-drive-vt24532.html?highlight=explorer

There is another one that is identicle also:
https://www.2carpros.com/forum/1998-ford-ranger-4x4-vt24225.html?highlight=4wd+ranger+lights

The fix was never said though. I would pm or email both of them to see how they made out. I couldn't find anything about the flashing lights. Scary part is I own one too!

I have a 1998 Ford Ranger extended cab with 4x4 and the 3.0 liter 6 cyl and 5 speed manual transmission. After one week of ownership and driving on a lot of snow and ice the 4x4 no longer engages. The indicator lights for 4HI and 4LO flash together 6 times every few minutes and truck stays in 2WD no matter where you put the knob on the dash. Found no blown fuses. Could this be the actuator motor for the transaxle or probably the automatic hubs ?

Ford has issues with both the GEM module and the 4x4 control module, the latter of which is cheaper.I have seen both fix a problem that you are describing. When you say dash light do you mean all of them or just the 4x4 indicators? If all th elights I might lean toward the GEM odule, just 4x4 lights, the 4x4 controller

Most likely the motor on the transfer case. There seems to be a bit of a problem with them, have seen several posts with the same problem

Hello. I have a 98 ford ranger 4X4 with 125,000 miles. Just recently, my 4whell drive won't work. I turn the switch and the dash light comes on, but the front tires won't go. I then shift the transmission to neutral and switch it into 4 low, I can feel it change into low but the front tires still won't spin. Is it the hubs?

If you have lockout hubs, this is most likely your problem. One of your hubs could be hung up. You can check by putting the T case in FWD and jacking one front wheel. Turn the lifted wheel. If the lifted wheel turns, but the axle shaft doesn't. Your problem is in that wheel. If the shaft on the other side turns, the problem is in the oposite wheel. IF, the drive shaft to the transfer case turns, your not in FWD and the problem is in the T case. Hope this helps.

I used my four wheel drive on my 98 ford ranger like a month ago worked fine then a week later I went to use it again and the 4hi and 4lo lights started flashing and hasn't worked since. been trying to figure out if its the switch or transfer case. I checked all the fuses and they're all fine. and it seems like everyone has a different answer for what's wrong with it. And I don't wanna just go out and by random parts and play a guessing game. Oh and I remember when I put on my manual lock hubs on it a couple of years ago I plugged off one of the vacuum hoses so I unplugged it and put it back where it originally was and now the four wheel drive lights stopped flashing but it still wont go into 4hi or 4lo. So what could the problem be? its a older truck with 225,000 miles on it but it runs and drives really nice and is in really nice shape with very little rust. I've taken very good care of it and wanna drive it till its completely retired...

scan for codes first a pro may have to do it. check items in pic as well.

I have a 97 ford ranger xlt 4x4. I once pulled the fuse out for My dome light and it made the 4 hi and 4 low lights flash on every few minutes and would not engage when I turned switch. So I put the fuse back in. Then it stopped flashing and 4 wheel would engage. The same fuse for dome light operates something with 4 x4. So I would check fuse on drivers side dash.

There are four fuses that run the 4wd system we should check (8 and 4 in the under-hood fuse panel and 27 and 13 in the interior fuse panel. here is a guide to help run the test with the key on engine off, I have also included the 4WD wiring diagrams so you can see how the system works.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

Check out the images (below). Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem.