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Post by ES_97Sport on Jan 3, 2014 18:16:03 GMT -5
Hi all! Happy 2014! Question I have is my 4wd won't shift at all. In reding thru this thread sounds like they could shift to possible work the oil. We can't get mine to budge and we have no clue what I am actually driving in because I have the fabulous periodically flashing 4wd light along with the constant check engine light and periodical abs light on which I have read are all common in the 2001 but trying to figure out how to get my 4wd shifter to move I was told I need new solenoids is that hard my bf works on cats t home just wondering if doing new solenoids will fix this Thanks for any help!! Hi, laura. I would suggest starting new threads for each issue. The ABS and CEL may be connected, but have nothing to do with the 4WD. If the light is flashing, you're in 2WD or AWD if you have an AWD vehicle. The process for putting the vehicle in 4WD is documented in your owners manual. Since the light is flashing, you must have gotten it the shifter into 4WD HI at least. With the transmission in neutral, straight back down is 2WD/AWD. To the right and straight up is 4WD LO. Does the shifter itself not move?? If that's the case there are two basic things. The first is that if it was forced into 4WD, the shifter ball which is just plastic may have broken and a piece fell down and jammed the shifter. The second thing is someone took the shifter off the transfer case and didn't install it correctly in the slot in the transfer case. This will prevent the shifter from shifting at all but will appear as if its correctly installed. What I would suggest is having your BF take the console out, remove the main tunnel boot and than take the three bolts out that hold the transfer case shifter to the transfer case. If the plastic shifter ball is broken, it'll be very obvious. You'll need to replace the shifter - which you will need to get from Mitsu. If the ball is ok, reinstall the shifter - correctly - and at that point it should shift. It doesn't take much force and the VERY LAST thing you want to do is try to force it because YOU WILL break the shifter ball. Last I checked the shifter was about $200, but it's a repair that can be done in about 30 minutes if you follow the service manual. I can't remember if the transfer case shifter bolts are all the same length or not. I KNOW the 5-speed manual shifter bolts are different lengths and they have to go in the correct holes or it won't shift - or won't shift correctly. Which is the third thing I'd check. You will need a service manual to check that unless someone here remembers. Edward
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Post by laura on Jan 7, 2014 2:13:01 GMT -5
Thanks Edward! I thought I would just tag on this thread as I was more curious about my 4WD shift not moving. Not too worried about all the Christmas lights on the dash they have been there for years. I did find the old info from the dealer they said the 4WD light intermittently comes on and flashes and then goes off due to a solenoid switch. We tried moving that shifter by pushing on it with our foot even and no go. So then we were wondering what we were stuck in if it was 2 or 4H we don't think its in 4L. So the light flashes on and off periodically then goes off for a while then comes back on and flashes, I'm used to it just started happening one day.
But in your 4th para. you ask if its the shifter itself not moving, yup we can't move that sucker at all. I bought the truck in 06 and it didn't have that problem when I bought it or for a while, can't remember how many years before that light went on maybe 3-4 years.
Thanks for figuring out that in my last post saying my bf works on CATS was really CARS, durn smartphones make you fat finger LOL! I will have him do as you suggest. We just had to put a new alternator in yesterday, thank god for this forum as my battery and brake light both came on and I as like huh…reading through on this forum told me it was the alternator so got him to do that in about an hour, just need to get the 4wd fixed…I love my Mitzy and would love her more if I can play in 4WD!!
I will look for a service manual as well. And hope to find a shifter.
Thanks again for all the suggestions! Cheers! Laura
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Post by phideaux on Jan 8, 2014 20:30:57 GMT -5
Hey all,
My 99 Sport has 160,000.
4WD-Low engages almost instantly.
4WD High has always been sluggish to engage. After driving a mile or two, it usually kicks in (I can feel it in the front end) but the dashboard light doesn't come on.
After driving another mile or two, the 4WD light starts blinking. Then the weird thing happens: The blinking 4WD light goes off, and then the yellow Anti-Lock Brake light comes on!
Somebody tell me if this makes any sense at all, or am I just going nuts! :-)
EDIT: I just saw the post above. I thought I'd just tag along with this thread too. Sorry.
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Post by ES_97Sport on Jan 9, 2014 15:32:00 GMT -5
Thanks Edward! I thought I would just tag on this thread as I was more curious about my 4WD shift not moving. Not too worried about all the Christmas lights on the dash they have been there for years. I did find the old info from the dealer they said the 4WD light intermittently comes on and flashes and then goes off due to a solenoid switch. We tried moving that shifter by pushing on it with our foot even and no go. So then we were wondering what we were stuck in if it was 2 or 4H we don't think its in 4L. So the light flashes on and off periodically then goes off for a while then comes back on and flashes, I'm used to it just started happening one day. But in your 4th para. you ask if its the shifter itself not moving, yup we can't move that sucker at all. I bought the truck in 06 and it didn't have that problem when I bought it or for a while, can't remember how many years before that light went on maybe 3-4 years. Thanks for figuring out that in my last post saying my bf works on CATS was really CARS, durn smartphones make you fat finger LOL! I will have him do as you suggest. We just had to put a new alternator in yesterday, thank god for this forum as my battery and brake light both came on and I as like huh…reading through on this forum told me it was the alternator so got him to do that in about an hour, just need to get the 4wd fixed…I love my Mitzy and would love her more if I can play in 4WD!! I will look for a service manual as well. And hope to find a shifter. Thanks again for all the suggestions! Cheers! Laura No worries. I would be concerned not knowing what its in. If its in 4HI without the front engaged - which seems very likely - and the front decides to engage while you're turning on ice or gravel (or any other loose surface) you're going to end up doing a doughnut - if your lucky - or flipping it on it's roof. Honestly, this is dangerous to you, your passengers and anyone else on the road around you. I had this happen while I was a passenger in an old Wagoneer. My uncle went to make a left hand turn through an intersection covered in road sand and the front locked half way through doing about 20 MPH. That thing did a doughnut so fast we didn't even know what happened. Thankfully it wasn't a top heavy vehicle like ours and one of the wheels didn't manage to catch a bare piece of pavement or we would have ended up on the roof. Trying to move the shifter with your foot is just silly. Almost certainly the shifter ball is broken. God only knows what that's done inside the transfer case, too, at this point. It IS NOT in 4LO. Besides the simple fact you'd never be able to drive it on the street because of the low gearing, from '99 or '00 Mitsubishi put a limiter on the speed in 4LO. You'd never get to highway speed in 4LO. Edward
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Post by laura on Jan 10, 2014 2:26:34 GMT -5
Hi Edward, I'm gonna guess I'm in regular 2, it's been this way for 3 years and right now I live in Hawaii so no snow or ice to contend with and the only sand is in the truck I have copied your suggestions in a word doc and hope its that plastic ball since you don't like the innovative maybe it's stuck and just needs a good shove with my foot approach LOL. If/when I get it figured out I will let you know. I do appreciate the information and advice and definitely do not want to be doing unexpected doughnuts in the road! That's crazy! Will report back when I have time to tear into Mitzy's evil shifter. thank you again!!
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Post by 37mountainguy on Nov 10, 2016 13:09:59 GMT -5
I had the same issue getting my 4wd to engage. I took the above advice and drove around for about 30 minutes shifting it in and out of 2h and 4h. I also stopped and shifted into 4L and back to 4h many times. After doing this it all of the sudden the light came on and it engaged into 4wd. It worked! So to keep this from happening again I'm going to engage 4wd on a more regular basis to keep everything oiled up and working properly. Thanks for all the advice.
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Post by jar on Nov 11, 2016 15:07:12 GMT -5
I own 03 Sport AWD and funny thing I was working on this issue about the 4WD indicators coming on an off. Took the truck to a 4WD shop so they can check all that. They told me that my 03 AWD does not have a solenoid and regardless of the light coming on or not we still engaging in 4WD hi-lo because the system is pretty much all mechanically. No vacuum lines there or solenoids. In my case the problem are the switches on top of the TC. I think I am looking around $350.00 parts and labor.
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Post by muddblood on Dec 2, 2019 14:03:47 GMT -5
@es_97sport. I know this post is old, but I am in need of some assistance. I picked up a 2001 Montero Limited (not a sport) and the 4WD will not engage. I know the Montero Sport are vastly different, but the 4WD system should be very similar, especially the front axle (which is where I suspect my issue is).
I’ve read through this post and I believe you said the front axle is normally locked/engaged? As in if I spin one wheel by hand, the other side should spin (opposite direction as it’s open diff), even in 2WD. Is this correct? I got lost on the part about the 2WD/4WD switch on the t-case sending the signal to the solenoids, so l’ll have to reread that section again. Having a hard time trying to figure out if my issue is mechanical or electrical.
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Post by peacemaker on May 21, 2022 21:25:17 GMT -5
Yep, sounds about right. if blinking and not engaging... 9 times out of 10 its solenoids. Easy fix. Just 2 bolts and replace the vacuum hoses. Done.
Just track the hoses to be sure you put them on the right spot of the replacements. Can be found on Amazon for less than $30. I bought 2 of them for back ups.
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