Edward Langhm (69.211.97.23) - Sat Dec 6 21:56:56 2008

I switched my Expedition into 4 Wheel Drive Low. Now it will not switch back to 2 Whheel All Wheel or even 4 Wheel High. I've never used low before, is there a trick to switching out of low?

Reply #1 Rebecca Dean (75.169.163.183) - Mon Jan 5 10:27:26 2009

Did you ever fix the problem with your Excursion? I m having the same problem. If you could help I would appriciate it.

Reply #2 Rebecca Dean (75.169.163.183) - Mon Jan 5 10:30:34 2009

Did you ever fix the problem with your Excursion? I m having the same problem. If you could help I would appriciate it.

Reply #3 Lee Sanders (24.66.35.2) - Mon Feb 16 23:13:00 2009

Foot on brake car in neutral then turn switch, I had similair problem.

Reply #4 William Hewartson (216.109.206.54) - Tue Jun 23 13:07:23 2009

Had same problem with my 1996 GMC Jimmy, was just a blown fuse.

Reply #5 john (70.126.76.105) - Sat Jun 27 21:26:04 2009

can some one help? i have a 98 expedition 4x4 and i i needed the 4 low and like the other gent. it won't go back into 2wheel drive and the overdrive switch on the chifter handle starts blinking. i took it to the dealer and they wanted alot of money to trouable shoot the problum and that wasn't including what they would fine. hope somecan help? i've tried the brake and n with switch turned 2wheel drive, didn't work. not a good mechanic

Reply #6 Dave Bulla (98.156.124.204) - Tue Aug 4 19:23:26 2009

I just had this happen to my wife's '98 about an hour ago. Had to leave it and get a ride home. Definitely not a procedure problem. It's something electrical. Last thing I noticed when driving it to it's current resting place was that the speedometer is also not working. Almost has to be something electrical related to speed sensing. Any ideas? I'm in a hurry and NEED this vehicle fixed ASAP!!!!

Reply #7 Dave Bulla (98.156.124.204) - Tue Aug 4 21:58:47 2009

Update....

Speedo does work.

Problem may be the selector switch. Continuity check across the 4 pins stays the same (Outside two pines. I'll call them pins 1 and 4)) no matter the switch position. Reads 42 ohms. No other combination of pins gives continuity in any switch position.

Reply #8 Dave Bulla (98.156.124.204) - Wed Aug 5 18:43:14 2009

Update 2...

Problem fixed!

Called around and the switch is a dealer only item. Ford wanted $84 and change. If you saw the switch, you'd surely think that was about $50 or more dollars too many.

Went to a local salvage yard and found a switch from a 97 expedition that was the same as the one in my 98. FYI, the 99 model was different.

New switch shows resistance changes on the middle two pins (2 and 3) when selecting different positions.

Installed sw. and dang thing didn't work. Checked fuses, all ok.

Was about to give up and go pull the solenoid motor but noticed that I no longer had a dash indication of being in 4X4 mode but it still was. Also noticed that the mode next to the switch was not lit up. I pulled the switch and there is a little plastic stem with a blue tip that is an LED I guess that lights the indicator next to the knob. It is off center of the little circuit card inside the switch and if you don't have continuity across the two outer pins, take the stem out by rotating it 1/4 turn and clean the contacts and reinstall. I did that and also turned my dimmer switch all the way off and back on and just that quick my transfer case shifted from 4 low to 2 high. I don't have a schematic but I'm guessing that there may be a circuit reset in the indication system or maybe it was just coincidence but either way it's working fine now.

Reply #9 Dave Bulla (98.156.124.204) - Wed Aug 5 23:04:20 2009

Just thought I'd add a little more gee whiz info for the next poor sap who has this problem since I found practically nothing about it in my Chilton manual.

Pulling the switch is pretty easy. The plastic panel that goes around the radio that has the switch mounted to it will pop right off with a flat screwdriver or knife. There are 4 tabs holding it on out near the corners. Just slide something thin behind it and start lifting gently in a couple places.

The switch has a wire connector going to it that will need to be taken off by lifting the tab on the side and pulling at the same time. Then there are two small screws about 1/4" that hold the switch in place. I just used the pliers on my multi-tool. The knob is only a friction fit and the switch housing will pull out from the back and the knob will fall off the other side.

Use a meter to check pin continuity between the middle two pins. From memory, I think they were open in 2 high and 4 auto then they had resistance in 4 high and 4 low. One showed two hundred something ohms and the other position I think was six hundred something. Probably doesn't matter much exactly, just need to see it change. The outer two pins (1 & 4) are for the power to the light and possibly go to something else? Anyway, I had 42 ohms resistance on them when I first checked it and after I had it apart and took the little plastic stem with the LED out and cleaned it it dropped to 16 ohms. The new (junk yard) switch read open at first until I cleaned it and it also went to 16 ohms.

I definitely suggest checking this and also getting the used part from a salvage yard.

If you decide to take the switch apart, there are three little clips on the sides of the housing that need to be pried out one at a time as you pull on the end plug. Inside is a small circuit card with about 5 little resistors that all lead to pins 2 and 3. A 3 cornered copper contact is connected to the shaft and bridges different contact sets in the circuit board depending on the switch position. This is what changes the resistance going to the shift solenoid I guess. If you pull the contact piece out along with the knob stem, be aware there is a small spring with a ball bearing on top of it that goes inside a hole. The ball bearing moves across little detents in the housing to provide positive positioning clicks when you turn the knob. Only take this apart over a clean work area as the ball bearing and or the spring will probably fall out.

Reassemble by holding the contact piece vertical with the shaft up and the spring and ball in the hole. Put it up through the housing and make sure the ball is towards the side with the detents. Hold it in snug by holding the shaft sticking out the back side and then snap the other half of the switch in on top of it being careful to center it on the little pin in the middle. Screw it back onto the panel, stick the knob on from the other side and you're good to go.

Name:           
E-Mail:         

Optional (please add to our directory first)
Web Link:       
Link Title:     

Message: