Malfunctioning Transfer case HELP!
 

hello, lately i have been have some problems during turning full-lock (or near full lock). When the steering is at full tilt (to make the tightest turning radius) the vehicles is very hesistant to move and feels as if the parking brake is being applied. I thought this may be a power steering problem but the dealership in edmonton said that the transfer case is actually shifting to LOW all by itself and actually locking the differential. Could this be possible?! How popular is this problem? They unofficially quoted me 6-7 hours of labour and $200 in parts to get it fixed (rough estimate). The h2 is a 2004. please help me asap! thanks

RE: Malfunctioning Transfer case HELP!
 

i can't see why turning would cause the rear locker to engage, i think your service techs are on crack. have you noticed the lights changing on the dash to different 4WD modes? and going into 4lo doesn't automatically engage the locker. have you tried cycling through your different 4wd modes to make sure they work? if i was you, i'd start looking for another repair shop. if you're out of warranty and have to pay for the service, you'd be better off taking it somewhere with mechanics that actually know what they're doing.

if you have your truck in 4hi-lock mode, that will make your turning feel sluggish. you have 3 modes, 4 hi, 4 hi lock and 4 lo lock (none of which will engage the rear locker). during normal driving you should be in 4hi, so the top button should be the one with the light on.

RE: Malfunctioning Transfer case HELP!
 

okay, the light always seems to stay on 4 Hi which is normal driving. it is strange that the differential would switch just as you turn.

RE: Malfunctioning Transfer case HELP!
 

yes, it would be very strange if turning caused your transfer case to change modes. are you seeing the lights change when you turn? have you looked at the frame members in the front of your truck to see if your tires are rubbing hard when you're at full turn? check both the sway bar and the frame rail at the back of the tire to see if there are indications of rubbing.

RE: Malfunctioning Transfer case HELP!
 

the lights do not change.
how possible would it be that the tires are just rubbing? I'll have to check it out but is that a common occurence?

RE: Malfunctioning Transfer case HELP!
 

anything is possible. i've seen stock tires rub, and oversized tires that don't rub. not sure if you've got stock rims or not, so it's hard to say over the internet.i just really doubt that your transfer case is shifting when you turn, but, anything is possible, could be a loose connector. there's a connector to the actuator motor on the transfer case, roughly even with the pillar between the doors on the driver's side. climb underneath and make sure the connector is plugged in all the way. it should be connected to the top of the motor mount. i've got a post on here that shows a picture of it, i'll post the link for ya.

RE: Malfunctioning Transfer case HELP!
 

here's the pic of the connector for the encoder motor on the transfer case, but i seriously doubt the transfer case is your issue.

https://www.hummerforums.com/upfiles...3E4EEB3FC4.jpg

RE: Malfunctioning Transfer case HELP!
 

thanks for the link
unfortunetly the hummer is not mine, its my dads and he has already sent it in.
i guess we will see what happens, i hope the dealership isnt just rippin him off for an easy fix.
locking differential as you turn... still makes no sense to me, maybe the service guy can give me an answer.

RE: Malfunctioning Transfer case HELP!
 

okay so i talked to a mechanic at the dealership and his explanation was basically when you are turning, the outside wheels and turning faster thanthe inside wheels and that can cause the gears in the t-case to bind up (front differential)

RE: Malfunctioning Transfer case HELP!
 

that's bull$hit. they're yanking your chain. unless the diff is broken already, this wouldn't happen. the fact that your outer wheel turns faster than the inside is why the drives aren't locked to each other. the only way this should happen is if your diff is stuck in a 4wd mode other than 4hi.