Hello all, This morning I finally got the recall done on the HVAC switch. Took in about 9am and got it back around 10:30am. All seems fine with the switch, however I didn't seem to have any problem with it before so I guess now its just piece of mind. Now for the weird behavior. When I got home and parked in my space I decided to cycle the 4 wheel drive buttons. Put the car in neutral and pressed the 4hi lock, all normal, pressed the 4 low lock, heard the little clunk etc..all normal, pressed the axel lock button and nothing as if the button was dead. Then tried to go from 4low lock to 4 lock, and nothing it was like the 4 low lock button was stuck. Then service 4wheel drive system came on. I was like oh crap I'm stuck in 4low lock!, moved the car back and forth, seemed fine but in 4 low lock. Could not figure out what was going on so I turned off the car sat for a minute and restarted, button lights went thru their usual routine lighting up, blinking etc. that they do when ya start the car. Then all the buttons worked again. I was able to put it back in 4 hi, then 4 hi lock, then 4 low lock and the axel lock also worked as it should. I was also able to move it all the back to the normal 4 hi position. Backed out of my spot and drove around the parking lot for a bit and all seemed normal, also no more service 4 wheel drive on info center? Now one weird thing is I did notice when driving my kid to school before all this that it had a slight high pitched whine from somewhere not sure if from transmission or wheel or under hood pulley's? I did have the belt tensioner changed and the water pump/temp sensor replaces a few weeks ago and they also got rid of the clunk in the front end which was a front diff mount. Any ideas what could be going on? I'm not getting any binding from the front wheels or anything that I can tell and this has never happened before. All fluids looked full and to proper levels. Any ideas/suggestions please let me know as I just paid it off and just got the pink slip a few days ago. Oh and it only has like 77K miles on it. Thanks!

 

According to my manual (2008), while shifting into and out of 4LO can be done while stopped or moving less than 3 mph, the "preferred method" is to be moving (while in nuetral) at 1-2 mph. I wonder if, since you were stopped, it hung up "not quite" fully engaged in 4LO, and so it wouldn't allow the rear diff lock or anything else? Were you in Park, perhaps? Restarting may have forced it to fully engage, putting it back normal.

The whining? Could be just coincidence. I'd keep an eye/ear out for unusual noises for a while, just to be sure.

 

Was in nutual but not moving. I was just cycling it because I have not wheeled in a long time. The noise sounded kind of likegear whine, but car seems to drive fine. Guess I'll just keep an eye/ear on it. Have not had any problems with buttons so far, but have not tried to switch it since this morning for fear I'll get stuck in 4 lo somewhere. Thanks for the reply. If anyone has any other ideas please let me know. Thx.

 

You will not be able to lock the rear axle when not moving (other than by complete stroke of luck). The rear locker extends pins when activated that have to be aligned with the holes on the back of the side gear. No alignment, no movement, no lock. You have to be slowly rolling to get the locker to engage.

The vid....

 

Well I'm sure your right but the light on the button stays on even if not moving. Might not actually be locked. Anyway today didn't hear the whine so maybe something just got stuck a bit and cycling the buttons and reversing etc fixed it. Good for now anyway. Thanks for the help and suggestions. I still can't believe it finally paid off and is all mine lol.

 

How can I know if my locker works without lifting the truck? When I engage mine it does not make any noise like I would expect...

 

Well ya cant really hear the locker in the rear axel if that is what ya mean? You would have to jack up all 4 tires and test it that way to see if back wheels lock and turn together but all 4 would have to be jacked up off the ground since its all time 4wheel drive.