Dodge Ram 4X4 not engaging, electrical issue, any thoughts?

[Rhill]

Hi guys,

I have a friend thats having an issue with the 4X4 on his Ram. It's a 2012. Electric switch, it was slow, stubborn to engage last season, and with this huge slam of snow now its given up. No wierd noises or other issues? Electric control box? fuse? solenoid?

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[buster]

Probably the 4wd actuator needs replacing?

 

[Rhill]

That was my thought

 

[JTK]

Could be the actuator on the transfer case or the one on the front axle disconnect. Either the motors and/or their circuitry are corroded/bad or, the wiring or wiring connectors are bad.

 

[Rand]

My 2cents is on the axle disconnect. or corroded wiring at the plug.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

This is very basic diagnostics. Check to see if the connector at the actuator is receiving power when 4x4 is turned on.

 

[jhs914]

 

[LDM]

Hi guys,

I have a friend thats having an issue with the 4X4 on his Ram. It's a 2012. Electric switch, it was slow, stubborn to engage last season, and with this huge slam of snow now its given up. No wierd noises or other issues? Electric control box? fuse? solenoid?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Pull the actuator out out of the front diff and see if it is working. My 95 Tahoe had the actuator fail on it not long after I got it, it was the old heated design that GM used back then. Replaced it with the newer electric style one that they used in the newer trucks. Being a 2012 I doubt the RAM has an old heated design but the electric ones do still fail too. If its not the actuator check the transfer case and make sure it is engaging and turning the front diff driveshaft. After that, wiring.

 

[JHZR2]

Does it use a vacuum system to pull the 4WD to the axle shafts? I think my ram and s-10 both do that. My s-10 had a leaky vacuum system that made it not quite work right. A few hose couplings was all it took.

 

[Rhill]

My 2cents is on the axle disconnect. or corroded wiring at the plug.

Thanks a ton guys. I'm going to spray with with Deoxit first, check fuses, and break out the multi meter

 

[BrianF]

Should be an electric actuator on the back of the front axle housing.

With someone listening, engage 4x4 and see if you can hear the transfer case encoder motor and the CAD engaging. If not you can narrow it down.

 

[D60]

Everyone is making this too hard. Elevate front wheels and see if CAD engages. Just like locking hubs of old.

See if front d/s spins by hand in 2hi and is engaged in 4hi.

At the end of the day it's a mechanical system: t-case must power front output and the "hub(s)" must lock

Figure out which of those is not occurring THEN break out the electrical troubleshooting tools.

 

[Randol]

No 4WD fault lights?

 

[MattPersman]

Usually front disconnect if no 4wd flashing when trying to engage. Does it show 4wd when selecting it ?

 

[wtd]

Check power and grounds at the actuator. If both are there, then the actuator is bad. If one or both are not there, then you have to check fuses, relays(if equipped), and wiring in that circuit.

 

[Rhill]

Thanks guys,

I saw the truck today, the wiring was intact and relays we're solid.

I wasn't hearing the front actuator engagae, and the plug was full of oil and grease.

I cleaned it with deoxit, and replaced it. He'd going to try it tomorrow but I'd strongly suspect that it's the front actuator.

The 4x4 error light flashes.