I left my 2002 Explorer outdoors during a recent hard freeze. I noticed that during that cold snap (freezing temperatures) my 4WD would not engage. I was hoping that once the temperatures warmed up the problem would go away, but it has not. Ever since that day I have not been able to engage my 4WD which includes the absence of the button light and the indicator light on my instrument panel. Any ideas on what I can check? Is there a dedicated fuse for the 4WD?
Frozen without 4WD in Indianapolis
If your 4wd lights don't prove out momentarily at startup my first thought would be the 4wd Module. If they do, it is most likely the 4wd shift motor. Soemtimes they can get stuck and giving them a good wrap with a wrench can sometimes free it up.
This of course assumes you have first checked all your fuses and they prove out.
I have replace all 4WD related fuses with new ones and I did not see any indication that they were compromised when removed. At startup the "4WD Low" light is momentarily on. I have never looked for the 4WD indicator light so I am not sure if I should see "4WD High" and "4WD Auto" as well. I will check my manual for the location of the 4WD shift motor and consider giving them a good "kick in the pants" with a wrench, if that is what it takes.
I will report back on the result.
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