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4WD and 4WD Lo and O/D off lights flashing?

Tiny
HARDROCK72
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 FORD RANGER
  • 4.0L
  • V6
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 148,750 MILES
I was driving my truck and the 4WD and 4WD low lights started flashing, then about 3 minutes later the O/D off light started flashing. My truck started to shift hard and back and forth from 2nd to 3rd then back to 2nd. I was approximately 2 miles from my house, so I drove very slowly the rest of the way home. The next day I cranked my truck, and the lights were not flashing anymore so. I drove my truck around for about 5 to 10 minutes. I also put it in 4WD. I drove forward and then in reverse. When I went in reverse the lights started flashing again, both the 4WD and 4WD low lights and the O/D off light. It made a popping noise when I went in reverse. I'm very confused as to what the problem could be because both lights (4WD and O/D off) were flashing. Please help.
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Thursday, January 5th, 2023 AT 5:53 PM

13 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 43,072 POSTS
This sounds like you have a speed sensor that is out or a transfer case actuator that is not working correctly. Can you tell where the noise was coming from? Maybe you can upload a short video of the noise, also we should run the codes to see what comes up.

here is a guide to help:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

I have left the two items that can be causing the issue in the images below. Check out the images (below). Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem.

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Friday, January 6th, 2023 AT 11:41 AM
Tiny
HARDROCK72
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Hello Ken L. Thank you for your response I ran a code scan on my truck and these three codes came up:
P1838
P1804
P1729
I also reset the codes on my truck and drove it maybe a mile. The 4x4Hi, 4x4, and O/D off lights came on again. I tried scanning again for codes and nothing come up I know that's because I cleared all the codes but when I ran the test again no codes came up. Please excuse the ignorance because this is the first time, I've ever used a code reader by myself.
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Friday, January 20th, 2023 AT 4:40 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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  • 43,072 POSTS
P1838 is the Transfer Case Shift Motor Circuit Failure, so the shift motor can be bad or the wiring to the shift motor has an open circuit. This guide can help you test the connections and I have included the transfer case wiring diagrams below:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-wiring

Check out the images (below). Please let us know what happens.
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Saturday, January 21st, 2023 AT 10:06 AM
Tiny
HARDROCK72
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Okay, I also heard this morning when I went to crank it a clicking nose underneath the dash. Could that be a relay gone bad?
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Saturday, January 21st, 2023 AT 10:43 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 43,072 POSTS
Yes it can, there are three relays under the dash can you check around to see which one is clicking?
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Sunday, January 22nd, 2023 AT 12:01 PM
Tiny
HARDROCK72
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Thanks again for the response Ken. I'm in the process of installing the new transfer case motor. When I took the old one off the shaft in the transfer case it pointed at the four-wheel low location. How do I get the new transfer case motor in the position to put it on the transfer case? The shaft doesn't line up in the same position. In other words, how do I get it in two-wheel drive to be able to install the new motor? Please help
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Thursday, January 26th, 2023 AT 5:48 PM
Tiny
HARDROCK72
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
I tried to upload a couple of pictures but it keeps saying file not allowed?
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Thursday, January 26th, 2023 AT 7:03 PM
Tiny
HARDROCK72
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Finally, lol here are the pictures.
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Friday, January 27th, 2023 AT 2:12 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Can I ask what changed for the images to upload? On the actuator plug it in and work the controls until the motor aligns with the selector shaft. Of you car grasp the selector shaft with a pair of pliers and work it around, you will need the transmission in neutral and you might need to turn the driveshaft as well.
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Friday, January 27th, 2023 AT 11:10 AM
Tiny
HARDROCK72
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Okay, thanks for the help. I uploaded my pictures to Google Drive and then added the images. It wouldn't let me send them by picking the pictures from my files. Idk what's with that. So should that make the OD off light stop flashing also?
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Friday, January 27th, 2023 AT 11:22 AM
Tiny
HARDROCK72
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Okay, couldn't turn the selector shaft with pliers and turn the driveshaft. So I plugged the Actuator motor in and turn the switch on and turn the switch from two wheel drive to four wheel High and the motor moves to that position, but when I went to four wheel low the motor didn't move. Could I relay be bad?
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Friday, January 27th, 2023 AT 1:34 PM
Tiny
HARDROCK72
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
And FYI, yes, I had it in neutral just letting you know.
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Friday, January 27th, 2023 AT 1:38 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 43,072 POSTS
It sounds like the switch is not working but here four relays that run the system as you can tell by the wiring diagrams I would try swapping the relays out on at a time to see if that makes a difference if not try the switch.
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Sunday, January 29th, 2023 AT 1:54 PM

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