I took my 04 D, HEMI, 4x4 into my dealership yesterday. I'm having an issue when I lock in 4WD (4HI) from AWD. I switch to 4WD in for two miles as I trek through streets with snow. Then I set the switch back to AWD. Drive another 8 miles into work. When I park at work, the vehicle is still locked into 4WD. When I shut the vehicle off and start it up, it'll drop down to AWD.
My dealer tells me this is how it works. I disagree with them and told them I would come in and take an 06 off the lot and test it myself.
Shouldn't the system unlock from 4WD within a mile or two after it's switched from 4WD (4HI) to AWD?
IndyHemi
12-22-2005, 10:52 AM
Mine unlocks in just a matter of a few seconds. Sounds to me like they are feeding you a load of crap.
canyonD
12-22-2005, 11:03 AM
Gen 1 Durangos have transfer cases that are shift on the fly. This means that they can shift between AWD and 4HI at any speed up to 50 mph. Sometimes, you need to let off the gas to get the transfercase to shift. Either Dodge discontinued the shift on the fly ability, or your transfer case is faulty.
rhythm1
12-22-2005, 11:22 AM
I agree with IndyHemi. When I select 4HI, the indicator light blinks two or three times, then locks into 4HI. Shifting back to AWD causes the indicator light to blink two or three times, then go off.
Pressure the dealer until they fix it!
ryanmd
12-22-2005, 12:18 PM
Hi,
Similar thing happened to me once with my D. I switch to 4HI and the light blinks two or three times, then stays on. When I switched back to AWD, the light blinked 2-3 times then off. I was now driving on a somewhat dry parking lot and when I turned to put the D in a parking spot, the thing felt like the parking brake was on in one wheel (I am assuming this was due to still being in 4HI even though the light was off -- the outside wheel not being able to turn faster than the inside wheel).
I have yet to try it again as I am now in California on vacation. Anybody with further insight would be helpful.
NYHemiDurango
12-22-2005, 12:46 PM
Check your tires to be sure that the air pressure is the same in all 4. On my XJ this will cause TC to stay in 4-PT. From the Jeep, I learned the best way to switch the transfer case is to drive about 5 mph, slip the trans into neutral, switch into 4-lock (or AWD) wait for the process to complete then put in drive again. This seems to put the least amount of pressure on the internals of the case.
I am sure you know this, but you should NEVER use 4-lock on dry pavement, it will bind and cause damage to your axle's, differentials and transfer case.
goathead75
12-22-2005, 01:50 PM
Check your tires to be sure that the air pressure is the same in all 4. On my XJ this will cause TC to stay in 4-PT. From the Jeep, I learned the best way to switch the transfer case is to drive about 5 mph, slip the trans into neutral, switch into 4-lock (or AWD) wait for the process to complete then put in drive again. This seems to put the least amount of pressure on the internals of the case.
I am sure you know this, but you should NEVER use 4-lock on dry pavement, it will bind and cause damage to your axle's, differentials and transfer case.
Ditto, I had a Cherokee that did the same thing. I had one tire that was down 3psi and had to do a lazy S in reverse for it to disengage. Check the tire pressure.
Big3
12-22-2005, 08:45 PM
Turning sharply in 4WD on dry pavement will screw up the transfer case and will feel like the parking brake is on (cause both axles can't turn at the same speed).
ryanmd
12-22-2005, 09:44 PM
Thanks for the replies. I'll check the air pressure when I get back next year. Just to clarify I had turned off 4HI after I was out of the deep stuff, the light went off and that's when I turned into the somewhat dry parking lot :)
Big3
12-24-2005, 11:21 AM
Remember, you do not really need 4WD in snow that's less than about 6" deep. AWD will do the job just fine. Never drive on dry pavement in 4WD unless you are going straight and slow.
rangouno
12-24-2005, 01:19 PM
I think that the transfer case on the '99 D I had was better than the transfer case on my '05 D. On the '99 D I was able to use my 4X4 on any road surface and making sharp turns in parking lots was like it was never on 4X4, now when I was to shift it to 4Lo that when I used to feel the funny movements. For some reason I feel like the electronic transfer case on the 2nd gen D's is suck. :tdwn:
NYHemiDurango
12-25-2005, 07:38 PM
But the 04-05's have Full-Time 4-wd (AWD) which allows 4X4 on any surface too. It also has a part time option which locks the front and rear axle's together. Your 99 probably had an NP 242, which had a full time and part time option, just like the newer ones.
bbodyguy
12-26-2005, 09:50 PM
Are you shifting it in neutral and gliding about 5 mph?
wh88
01-06-2006, 01:46 AM
The dealer is feeding you some crap. Every time I switch from AWD to 4lock, the light blinks and then stays on. When I switch it back to AWD, it blinks and then disappears.
Both going into 4lock and out of 4lock from AWD takes about 3-4 seconds, no longer. You can actually do that while in gear and moving slowly or not. Going to 4lo requires you to be in neutral and stopped or slowly moving.
Willy
canyonD
01-06-2006, 08:02 AM
[QUOTE=wh88]Both going into 4lock and out of 4lock from AWD takes about 3-4 seconds, no longer. You can actually do that while in gear and moving slowly or not. Going to 4lo requires you to be in neutral and stopped or slowly moving./QUOTE]
My 02 Gen 1 Durango works the same. You can actually shift between AWD and PT4WD (known as 4Lock in Gen 2 Durangos) at any speed up to 50 mph.
Shifting into 4Lo does indeed require being in neutral.
