02 tahoe 4x4 problems

just bought 2 months ago from forest service went to shift into 4 high but would not engage light on dash just flashes, not stedy. same when trying 4low. read owners manual and did just as it stated. but no real luck. runiened by weekend :frown: tryed again last night in drive way and got it to engage by putting it into netural and rolling down into street, when shifted into drive it was engaged, but light was still flashing. i don't know if auto4 wheel was engaging. any help or direction to go would be great :banghead: also anybody had stearing issues being stiff when come to a stop or trying to pull in and out of a parking spot?

You can not drive a 4x4 with the transfer case engaged in 4WD while on dry pavement without doing damage to it.

You MAY have a faulty electrical contact in the 4x4 push-button module on the dash or perhaps a bad connection at the transfercase.

The module just pries out and can easily be disconnected. When out, check all the soldered points, there may be a loose one.

just bought 2 months ago from forest service went to shift into 4 high but would not engage light on dash just flashes, not stedy. same when trying 4low. read owners manual and did just as it stated. but no real luck. runiened by weekend :frown: tryed again last night in drive way and got it to engage by putting it into netural and rolling down into street, when shifted into drive it was engaged, but light was still flashing. i don't know if auto4 wheel was engaging. any help or direction to go would be great :banghead: also anybody had stearing issues being stiff when come to a stop or trying to pull in and out of a parking spot?

if the 4wd light continues to flash this is USUALLY the encoder motor..this is mounted in the transfercase....

when the encoder motor is unable to complete its movement the light will flash...

this may mean the tracII fluid needs replacing,,parts worn damaged,,wiring issues...or as mentioned the select switch solder joints..


the switch should be re-soldered,,also try the fluid change...the fluid should be blue,,,not gray...and if its black this usually means the transfercase needs replacement..

the other method of troubleshooting would be to have the drive train scanned with a GM specific code scanner..then report here what was the DTC...

normally the 4wd LT should flash 3X and it will engage/dis-engage

also as mentioned driving this vehicle in 4WD on dry pavement ,,will damage this transfercase/drive train in a very short time...and yes if you make sharp turns on pavement it will be difficult to turn the steering wheel as the front axles are locked together...

hopefuly you did not already damage this...

I will start checking it out, the issue of hard stearing is without being in 4 wheel drive i thought it might be the pump going out.. and to those concerened the only time it has been locked in 4 wheeldrive on pavement was when i tryed it out in the drive way. about 15 feet long

I will start checking it out, the issue of hard stearing is without being in 4 wheel drive i thought it might be the pump going out.. and to those concerened the only time it has been locked in 4 wheeldrive on pavement was when i tryed it out in the drive way. about 15 feet long

the steering being hard to turn when stopped could be the pump...or the belt is slipping,,because its leaking at the pulley shaft seal...


replace the fluid and add some prestone seal conditioner with the regular prestone power steering fluid...

after I replaced my fluid the steering ease came back...buy a 1/2gallon of p/s fluid..

Ive been out to tucson many times,,,lots of off roading and dust out there...I was gonna live out there but the illegals are ruining the area..

got no leaks around pump. or anywhere else, but couldn't hurt to change the fulid, would be a cheep fix. love it here too, hot in summer, my tahoe is the old color that border patrol used, fun to watch them scatter when tooling around the desert.