4 wheel drive not working

walleye1 · #1 03-29-2006, 07:39 PM

I have a 1999 Chevy Silverado Z71 with a 5.3L engine and 160K. I'm having trouble with the 4wd system. My 4 auto works but the 4Hi and 4low do not.When I push the buttons to change them you can hear the transfer case switching but the front axle doesn't engage. Can anybody help me out with this.

silverado122775 · #2 03-29-2006, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walleye1

I have a 1999 Chevy Silverado Z71 with a 5.3L engine and 160K. I'm having trouble with the 4wd system. My 4 auto works but the 4Hi and 4low do not.When I push the buttons to change them you can hear the transfer case switching but the front axle doesn't engage. Can anybody help me out with this.

I am not far from you on miles..lol I have a 2000 with 146K.
About your 4wd. I am going to guess that if the 4hi and 4low does not engage. that the auto is not working either. I would check the 4wd sensor. i believe it is located in the xfer case

firedawg81 · #3 04-03-2006, 03:11 AM

WAIT!!! Before you get into messing with the transmission I would put money on it being your 4x4 switch on the dash. I had to replace mine at 57k miles on my 99. When you try 4 H and 4 L will the engage lights on your buttons blink then switch back to 2 H? Thats what mine was doing and I took it to the dealer and I FINALLY got a service tech who was willing to take time out and listen to my issue instead of trying to set me up for a time to rip my tranny apart. I bought the switch for $60 and it took 3 min to replace, its as simple as popping your dash off, popping the switch out then plugging the new one in and my 4W drive was like new.

sierra99 · #4 04-03-2006, 05:00 PM

still wait....instead of buying a new switch...take your old switch apart and resolder the connections and solder points..I had the same problem and save myself 60 and it is as good as new.....pretty simple.....on a scale of 1 to 10 and 10 being the hardest I would rate this a 2 or a 3......really simple

silverado122775 · #5 04-04-2006, 08:34 AM

wait some more!! you could just leave the whole thing alone and do nothing and live with the problem

CodyJackson311 · #6 04-04-2006, 11:20 PM

there is a expanding finger in the front gearbox that went bad on my 2000 chevy 3500 i would make sure it is expanding sorry forgot the name but i bought one at the oriellys store here.

LHThunder · #7 04-06-2006, 09:43 AM

This problem is why I came to these forums. Popped mine out, Carefully took it apart (Don't break the little ear things) and re-flowed the solder joints where the pins meet the circuit board. Good as new!! Like the other guy said, 1-10, 3 tops. If you do not have a soldering iron or have not ever done it, you can get by with with a Radio Shack Iron and very small 1/16" solder. Touch the solder to the tip, to get a very small amount on the tip, then touch the solder pad where the pins meet the board. Once it is all melted, (flowed is the technical term) you can move on to the next one. A good Hot iron and it should not take more than a few seconds to flow. Before you start, if you look close you will see hair-line cracks in the solder, that is your problem.

grego10r · #8 04-12-2006, 09:37 AM

i got the same pro but my blows the atc fuse when i put in 4x4hi or auto could be the swich or something ells

MT-2500 · #9 04-12-2006, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walleye1

I have a 1999 Chevy Silverado Z71 with a 5.3L engine and 160K. I'm having trouble with the 4wd system. My 4 auto works but the 4Hi and 4low do not.When I push the buttons to change them you can hear the transfer case switching but the front axle doesn't engage. Can anybody help me out with this.

What transfer case does it have 236 or 246/or a 261?
A good engine/transmission capable scanner will read out the transfer case shifting and problems and test it out for you.
That takes out the fix this or fix that or may be this or that.
It will point you right to your problem.

If you get any codes post back codes.
MT

umpire4life · #10 04-12-2006, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walleye1

I have a 1999 Chevy Silverado Z71 with a 5.3L engine and 160K. I'm having trouble with the 4wd system. My 4 auto works but the 4Hi and 4low do not.When I push the buttons to change them you can hear the transfer case switching but the front axle doesn't engage. Can anybody help me out with this.

Take off the Neg. battery cable for about five min. and reinstall it this resets the computer and your switch should work now.

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