4 hi and 4 low lights flash

[Brian_B]

I just had something weird happen. Well..it has happened twice now on the way to campus.

2001 explorer, 4.0 SOHC, 5R55E, 4X4 (Auto, 4 hi, 4 lo), almost 95,000 miles.

The two lights for the 4 hi and 4 low flashed on and off. I think they flashed twice both times, but I am not real sure. I was in heavy traffic at the time.

I can't see any issues with the vehicle. All the gauges look fine. It is running fine. It does not feel like the 4X4 is engaging when it is not supposed to.

No CEL on.

Any clue what is going on?

BTW: I am a little over 50 miles from home and still have two more places to go before I head home. I hope I don't have major issues before I get home.

I knew I should have driven the 56 today! I wanted to stay cool today because of a job interview.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Brian_B]

Since we cannot edit posts after a few minutes......


Whatever is going on, I now have no 4 wheel drive. None at all apparently in any setting. The lights flash every so often.

I hope I am not destroying something. I am going to head home now. That is a little over 50 miles. LOL

 

[john112deere]

I believe the lights are flashing a trouble code.

I seem to remember seeing something similar in a Ranger forum elsewhere, where those lights would blink out the trouble code from the system, but as I do not have 4x4, I didn't pay that much attention.

Try to figure out the pattern of the blinking, and I believe that can be used to tell you what the problem is.

 

[lenny1carl]

i had a similar issue after i sunk my '97 4x4 ranger. (through the ice and yes beer was involved). i unhooked the batt for 24 hrs and never had another problem. i know that's not supposed to work on OBDII, but i had 4whl hi & lo, and good running 'till Nan made me use it for the trade on her Van.

 

[Brian_B]

I believe the lights are flashing a trouble code.

I seem to remember seeing something similar in a Ranger forum elsewhere, where those lights would blink out the trouble code from the system, but as I do not have 4x4, I didn't pay that much attention.

Try to figure out the pattern of the blinking, and I believe that can be used to tell you what the problem is.

Hmm...the best I can tell....it is 2 blinks a pause and 2 blinks. There are 4 blinks total and then it doesn't do it for a little bit.


I made it home with no issues...so that is one good thing.


I will go out and disconnect the battery later and see if that stops anything. That used to work on my 89, but it didn't have all this electronic garbage on it.

I knew I should have driven the 56 today.

 

[bowtiehatr]

i just checked in the books, and cannot find anything about flashing lights. it loks like the gem module controls yours, and the gem module could have had a glitch. before you disconnect the batteries, see if you can get som codes pulled and post them.

 

[Brian_B]

Oh ok. I didn't know it was all tied together. *I think* my flasher will pull the codes.

Now..where did I put the darn thing....

 

[Brian_B]

I can't find it. It is burried under all the electronics in the back of the explorer somewhere.

I have work to do tonight (most of the night). Maybe after dialysis I can drive it into town and get auto Zone to run the scans.

 

[Brian_B]

I found the SCT tuner (blue one). I ran the DTCs. No codes exist.

The lights still flash. No 4X4 still.

Any clues?










Unfortunately, I have to go to work in the monrning (50 miles). I either have to drive the explorer or the 56.

 

[bowtiehatr]

it might not be able to communicate with the gem/pcm communication line.

 

[Brian_B]

And? Sorry all this electronic stuff is new to me.

 

[bowtiehatr]

basically your scanner wont work. there are different modules that talk differently "languages" and the scanner has to translate all of the words into a simplified generic text.

 

[blacksnapon]

Brian, those are also extremely sensitive to tire size and air pressure. Have you had any tire issues recently?

 

[Brian_B]

basically your scanner wont work. there are different modules that talk differently "languages" and the scanner has to translate all of the words into a simplified generic text.

No clue then.

Brian, those are also extremely sensitive to tire size and air pressure. Have you had any tire issues recently?

No. They are the stock size tires (255/70/16s). I put them on new in May (or so) of 06.

No flats, blow outs, anything different.

 

[bowtiehatr]

i dont know what else to tell you brian. if i had the truck then it would be another story. sorry dude.

 

[Brian_B]

Yeah.... This is why I hate modern vehicles. On my 89 everything was manual and I never once had an issue.

 

[bowtiehatr]

then never get a 6.0 or a 6.4.

 

[Brian_B]

I do not plan on it.

 

[Brian_B]

I fibbed. They are flashing 6 times. I only saw 4 yesterday.

Anyway, I went to an old explorer site I used to frequent. There are a zillion threads on this same topic. Most of the time it is the speed sensors are gummed and nasty. Sometimes they are simply bad.

No clue how expensive they are or where they even are.

Also, some suggested removing the shift motor and seeing if it has power down there. If it does and will not engage...then the motor may be bad.

Sounds like fun...I had other plans this weekend.

Oh...the battery is disconnected now. Might as well give that a try first.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

I replaced a speed sensor on the rear differential on my pickup about 3 years ago, but it really through off my shifting points and made it drive totally wacky.

Ryan