Can't get into 4HI?

[Alin999]

Hi,

I'm new to Jeeps and have just last week bought my first, an 07 KJ with 145k km from the auction. It had/still has some random problems but the most serious is the inability to actually engage 4wd.

Just from my googling, it seems this transfer case design is fairly old and hoping the problem is simple (like the other issues i've encoutered so far) but I don't want to be left stranded so experimenting has been minimal.

From what I can tell...
The jeep does not go into 4HI. When I try and change it to from 4HI from 2wd, the Partial 4wd light comes on.

Trying to take it any further does not seem to make any difference. I haven't really felt there was any "break" at N (but honestly, I thought i'd have to be in Neutral with my transmission to put it in 4LO and that N indicator is just a reminder to put the ****** in N before entering 4LO). I don't think I noticed any difference between partial 4wd and 4LO.

Switching back to 2wd from the partial 4wd; it makes some noise but doesn't fully disengage the partial 4wd:emotions34:. I googled and seems the solution (drive backwards) for a 1986 Cherokee still applies on a 2007 Liberty. (Easy enough fix but WTF have those engineers been doing for the last 20 years if not fixing this kind of stuff??)

Since having done this one time experiment, the Liberty has gotten louder driving in 2WD. Before this.. it would start getting noisy at 70 km/h.. now that noise has come down to about 50....

I have found the 2002 Liberty Service manual but I'm not overly mechanical and don't want to make things worse.


Help? Anyone have ideas?

Thank you in advance!

Alin

 

[tommudd]

First which transfer case do you have?
Select trac ( 242 )
2WD
PART TIME 4WD
FULL TIME 4WD
N
4 LOW

COMMAND TRAC
2WD
PART TIME 4WD
N
4 LOW

Now as far as the dash light goes the switch goes bad so you can not always count on it.
Are you sure you are getting it out of 4 wd all the time or is the cable off possibly and its not working as it should
As far as what have they been doing for twenty years, this system is far better than a lot like GMs electrical switch that is garbage. Much rather have this setup.

 

[Alin999]

Mine doesn't say "Parttime" 4WD but it also doesn't have the two 4WD HI options so it should be the Command Trac.

I am not sure if it's fully disengaging 4wd but I know it's a lot smoother and without a rubbing noise than when it's clearly misbehaving. I'm also afraid if I try and switch it back and forth, I'll end up having to call a tow truck...

As for the cable being possibly off.. it doesn't go all the way to the bottom when switching into 2wd but this Liberty has been lifted and from googling, that sometimes happens(?).

There didn't seem to be any difference between the 4HI and 4LOW but I also wasn't offroad when I tried them at almost no speed.

 

[Cardhu]

Mine doesn't say "Parttime" 4WD but it also doesn't have the two 4WD HI options so it should be the Command Trac.

I am not sure if it's fully disengaging 4wd but I know it's a lot smoother and without a rubbing noise than when it's clearly misbehaving. I'm also afraid if I try and switch it back and forth, I'll end up having to call a tow truck...

As for the cable being possibly off.. it doesn't go all the way to the bottom when switching into 2wd but this Liberty has been lifted and from googling, that sometimes happens(?).

There didn't seem to be any difference between the 4HI and 4LOW but I also wasn't offroad when I tried them at almost no speed.

count the notches when you shift, if the light on your dash doesn't agree with the positions, your transfer case position sensor might be done.
edit: nm tom got it.

 

[Alin999]

So I did a little more messing around on non-paved surfaces and i'm not quite sure the transfer case can even travel into N or 4L. Once I'm in 4H, I can push it to the right, but then it resists any motion further towards the back where N and 4L should be. I was even trying it while in a 2-4 km/h speed..

I didn't try and force it too hard but is it supposed to be hard to travel that far?

 

[Gyro]

So I did a little more messing around on non-paved surfaces and i'm not quite sure the transfer case can even travel into N or 4L. Once I'm in 4H, I can push it to the right, but then it resists any motion further towards the back where N and 4L should be. I was even trying it while in a 2-4 km/h speed..

Do what you did there but shift trans to neutral before shifting to N or 4L.

Gyro

 

[Alin999]

That worked, got it into N and 4L. Dash light came on for 4x4 as well.

Is this the proper 4x4 procedure or is this some sort of a 'backup' technique?

Also, the vehicle still gets loud (in 2wd, not sure about 4wd as i've got no slippery conditions to test) above 50 km/h. Is this normal? Any ideas on what it could be making it loud?

 

[ltd02]

Check the CV joints on both ends of the front driveshaft. If they fail you'll get some driveline noises and vibrations even in 2wd. The rear CV is recessed and often cracks and loses all its grease. This one seems to be a more common cause of these noises. CV replacement kits are available and easy to install. (http://www.driveshaftparts.com/)

 

[Gyro]

That worked, got it into N and 4L. Dash light came on for 4x4 as well.

Is this the proper 4x4 procedure or is this some sort of a 'backup' technique?

Also, the vehicle still gets loud (in 2wd, not sure about 4wd as i've got no slippery conditions to test) above 50 km/h. Is this normal? Any ideas on what it could be making it loud?

That is the normal procedure for N and 4LO.
2wd to 4hi is shift on the fly.

 

[Adam Roby]

I sometimes find it easier to go into lo when in neutral and rolling a bit. That is mostly the first time I use it in many months, seems to get stiffer.

As for the sound, when I first got mine it sounded like I was driving a school bus.
I don't notice it anymore, gotten used to it I suppose.