4wd Light flashing while engaged

Engines, Gearboxes, Transfers, Tailshafts, Diffs, axles and CVs

Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby viking shippy on Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:26 am

Yesterday I went to blacksmiths for a beach fish in my ml
when I put the selector back in x2 it stayed in 4h for quite a bit I tried everything...neutral, h ,l,rocking .dropping clutch..ext....then all of a sudden back in
of its own accord....hmmm..any idea's....fellas
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby the d on Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:00 am

It will be the pair of vacuum solenoid in the RHF wheel area on the chassis rail. Very common unfortunately.
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby viking shippy on Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:39 am

the d wrote:It will be the pair of vacuum solenoid in the RHF wheel area on the chassis rail. Very common unfortunately.

And?
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby the d on Wed Mar 05, 2014 1:52 pm

And what?
Unless you can visually see that you have smashed the front diff actuator then these are 95% of the problems
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby viking shippy on Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:01 pm

the d wrote:And what?
Unless you can visually see that you have smashed the front diff actuator then these are 95% of the problems

Oh sorry mate but I thought you might be able to elaborate a bit more on 95% of the problem...
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby rogermtt on Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:41 pm

Mostly the solenoid coil in the diff actuator is faulty. Try by pass the actuator and the 4 wd light should go off.
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby viking shippy on Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:53 pm

rogermtt wrote:Mostly the solenoid coil in the diff actuator is faulty. Try by pass the actuator and the 4 wd light should go off.

Ok thanks so the solenoid controls the vacuume...?if I pull the hose off it should disconect...but I realise not with wind up i guess..
The light has gone out it just took ages to drop out .i inadvertently drove on the road to the servo with it in 4x4 ,will axel wind up hold it in?....it's working fine now..
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby the d on Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:48 pm

These 4wd systems require vacuum to hold the Out of 4wd. So if its stuck in 4wd there might not be any vacuum getting to the actuator. You can also test this by turning off the engine while rolling. You will hear the diff trying to lock up. Don't go too fast while attempting this
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby viking shippy on Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:54 pm

the d wrote:These 4wd systems require vacuum to hold the Out of 4wd. So if its stuck in 4wd there might not be any vacuum getting to the actuator. You can also test this by turning off the engine while rolling. You will hear the diff trying to lock up. Don't go too fast while attempting this

Arrrr that's the "what" I was looking for thanks mate....
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby fridgie on Wed Mar 05, 2014 7:31 pm

Yes, if there is strain/windup in the drive train it will make it harder to change out of 4wd.

I have had mine jam in 4wd for a while, took a few 'manoeuvres' to release the strain.
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby viking shippy on Wed Mar 05, 2014 7:36 pm

fridgie wrote:Yes, if there is strain/windup in the drive train it will make it harder to change out of 4wd.

I have had mine jam in 4wd for a while, took a few 'manoeuvres' to release the strain.

Thanks fridgie..I thinks thats what happened...good to learn how it all works ...did no harm
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby the d on Wed Mar 05, 2014 8:10 pm

No worries skippy.

Your suppose to reverse on full lock to disengage 4wd if it becomes stuck.
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby Triton newbie on Sun Apr 20, 2014 6:21 pm

Hey guys,
I have a similar problem I think to what was mentioned in this thread,
Just spent the day at bribie.. Was travelling the inland tracks a bit so had the 4wd engaged with centre diff.. then on the way home drove along the hard sand on the beach. I left it the centre locked which I did wonder if that was wise as I was worried about gearbox lock up. Anyway get off the beach fine and try and put it back into 2 wheel drive but the top two green lights still flashing.. I should mention that as moving the gear stick from 4 hi to 2 hi it didnt really want to move as easily as it does but it did go in fine. centre diff turns off fine. I have tried reversing for a bit and clutch in and out but still keeps flashing. Any suggestions would be awesome. I am driving a 2010 MN manual
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby salt36 on Sun Apr 20, 2014 7:00 pm

How far have you driven with the 4wd lever in 2wd ?

if more than a couple of k's then it could be a vacuum leak, provided you have the vacuum operated actuator which I think was deleted in 2011-2012.

It could be the switch that gives the 2wd signal or a wiring issue.

Check the front diff oil, if the actuator and half shaft have no oil they could bind preventing release of the actuator which would keep the lights flashing...
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby Triton newbie on Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:34 pm

Hmm ok well I'm a bit of a newb at all things mechanical so will probably book it in to get Checked out.. I had a play with reversing it and engaging the centre diff and pulling it out again.. Nothing will make it renengage into 2wd.. I also noted that when stationary I could not move the 4wd seletion gear stick at all but it went in reluctantly when moving.. Hoping I have not done real damage :s
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby Colsha on Mon Apr 21, 2014 6:10 am

Was it in neutral when stationary? I get caught out every now and then when I stop to change to 4wd and can't move the transfer lever because it's still in Drive.
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby Triton newbie on Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:41 am

Yeh was in neutral pretty sure.. At any rate I have tried a few times now and all have been stationary when needed to be
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby triton_guru on Sun Jun 01, 2014 2:36 pm

Hi guys having a bit of a problem well have done for a few months now, my 4x4 light flashes when im in 2wd but solid in 4x4 it seems to go in and out of 4wd without a problem just the light keeps flashing, so last week i got the car on the hoist to see what was going on and well i had 2 hoses snap off, the one on the actuator and the one on one of the solenoids :S ive attempted to fix these think i have done an alright job but still the light :S anyone able to clear this up? also if i need to replace the 4x4 solenoid how much are they and how much is an actuator? might be time to call the wreckers hahaha
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby biggibbo on Sun Jun 01, 2014 4:41 pm

The vacuum takes the car out of 4wd in into 2wd, so a loss of vacuum or a dodgy solenoid/actuator will basically have in in 4wd but flashing as you have selected 2wd.. When u select 4wd no probs as that does not require vac.

Maybe PM triton wreckers and see if he has any
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby triton_guru on Sun Jun 01, 2014 5:53 pm

That's the thing though my car is in 2wd ive tested it :S lol
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby mike72 on Mon Jun 02, 2014 3:22 pm

Hi. I have a 2006 ml. Just recently I have found that the 4x4 light flashes when in 2WD every time I start the car. Will flash for a few minutes of driving and then turn off. The car does not feel like it is in 4WD when it's flashing. Any ideas?
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby Knuckle on Mon Jun 02, 2014 8:27 pm

Mike,

I have a ML and had the same problem, I suspect in my case it was a lack of vacuum issue, although mine has seemed to correct itself.

more often than not though when i turn ignition on 4x4 front wheel lights flash, start up and all goes back to normal, my guess is that it goes back to normal when enough vacuum created, i would assume it get vacuum from manifold (please correct me if im wrong).

looking foreward to responses.

Cheers
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby variflex on Sat Jun 14, 2014 5:39 pm

I had a problem today that the vehicle would not go into 4wd, no 4wd lights at all.
Once I got home I took the rubber cap off the vacuum tube that runs up the firewall, gave it a bit of a blow out then refitted it, now the 4wd light activates and. I can feel her click into 4wd,
Just seems a little different to the symptoms that others have mentioned here so I'm not overly confident I have fixed the issue,
Guess I need another 4wd trip now to gain confidence in her,

I can say the sphincter was rather tight when out bush today doing wet tracks with only one wheel driving.
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby variflex on Thu Jun 26, 2014 8:04 pm

So, two weeks on and my 4wd light is now flashing when engaging 4wd, guess I will remove that same rubber cap for closer inspection, may get wifey to bring a new one home though
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Re: 4wd Light flashing while engaged

Postby variflex on Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:41 pm

Does anyone have a photo or lineart drawing of the rubber cap on the vacuum line so that I can pass it on to wifey so she can advise her parts dept what I need to order?
I was unable to get my camera in for a photos
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