H3 Transfer case bound, stuck in 4 low

[reaper]

Well damn. After a great afternoon just driving to church and driving over a few cars, my transfer case is stuck in 4low and won't shift back to 4high. It just blinks and refuses to shift. I really hate the electronic tcase shifter. It's left me high and dry before when I needed 4low to get home, now it's stuck in 4 low. (This is a replacement one, which shouldn't have the shift fork issue). Any tips on getting it back to shifting again? BTW the ABS light is on. I'm wondering if that is preventing the shifting.

Oh yeah, and here's the fun pic... This was a "crawlers for Christ" event today. I was the only wheeling Hummer there.

It seems likeover the years whenever I push it hard the tcase stops shifting. Is this common or just me? Any tips?

 

[H3nightrod]

Awesome shot!!!

sorry can't help on tech side.

 

[Zach]

Should have had the kids in front of the rig.

I know with the 2, ABS light on can't shift into 4lo. Would assume the the 3 is the same

 

[DeMo180A]

great shot!

 

[alrock]

Might've caught an ABS line and tore it.

 

[650Hawk]

Might've caught an ABS line and tore it.

Oooohhh... Now there's a good place to start looking.

 

[4speedfunk]

Yeah ageed. Also check the plug on the encoder motor. You could have easily hooked it on the car and pulled it loose.

 

[reaper]

Thanks guys-- since the ABS light is on I'll start there. Unfortunately it's a busy week so it may take me a few days (or a week) before I get to it. The encoder motor IS plugged in, nothing is tore there. But the dang ABS light is stuck on. I'm not sure where the ABS lines are though, are they just run to the brake calipers?

Other things that the google told me to try (that I'll try when I get a moment, working today!)-- Drive in reverse, turning back and forth. (Did that but without the turning). Unplug the battery for 30 minutes. (I unplugged for about 30 seconds).

Fortunately I have a commuter car, which looks suspiciously like the white car in the picture.

Zach:

Should have had the kids in front of the rig.

In front? Are you mad?

Also Zach, I think this TCase came from you, I think you sold it to Kaleb (Backcountryislife) and I bought it from him when he traded his h3 for the jeep.

 

[08H3]

I copied this out of an old email I sent to someone else in the past. Describes your situation exactly and how to get around it.

Even though I wasted a lot of time, I did learn a couple things. The ground issue I told you about, and how to change 4wd modes if the ABS isn't working. If you have an ABS fault, you are locked out of changing 4wd modes. That would really suck if you were a hundred miles from home and in 4-Lo. I did find that if you turn the key to on, and IMMEDIATELY press the mode button before the computer finishes it's ABS self test, it will change modes. If you miss that small window, you have to start over.

 

[rascole]

You said it is a replacement TC, does it have the metal fork or are you just assuming it came with one? That could be a problem too.

 

[reaper]

There's no shift noise. With the fork issue there's at least a noise. (I'm VERY familiar with that noise, lol!) Will try the things posted when I get home.

 

[rsc]

I copied this out of an old email I sent to someone else in the past. Describes your situation exactly and how to get around it.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I can't say again how much that is some good stuff to remember. I got locked into 4Lo once when the computer glitched and the speedo quit working until I removed and reinstalled the offending fuse. This is just the sort of info we need to know to keep from getting stuck in 4Lo 1000 miles from home.

 

[reaper]

will it shift with the engine off? And yeah, I second rsc's emotions-- luckily I was about 2 miles from home so I could limp home.

 

[06 H3]

YEP WITH THE ENGINE OFF IT WILL SHIFT OUT OF 4 LOW WITH AN ABS LIGHT ON MOST OF THE TIME!!!! Awesome pic!

edit: with all the caps of excitement I forgot to mention most of the time it will.

 

[06 H3]

probably caught a rear line they are more susceptible then the fronts...go to the corner of the axle and trace the line that comes out of the tube all the way up.

I bought an ABS Scanner for this reason. I dont want to deal with issues of not shifting. Sometimes it will not shift with a bad line sometimes it will.

 

[reaper]

A BIG HUGE M'ER F'ING THANKS TO 08H3 FOR THE TIP!!!!!!! IT WORKED!!!!!

I did find that if you turn the key to on, and IMMEDIATELY press the mode button before the computer finishes it's ABS self test, it will change modes. If you miss that small window, you have to start over.

YES!!!! Turn the key off, then right on and mash that 4high button like a Street Fighter game, and it worked the 3rd time-- in neutral, engine off, right after turning the key to On. This should be in a sticky somewhere!!!! Next I need to fix the ABS, that shouldn't be too tough. This is great news, I was fearing it was another TCase issue-- just electronics. If I didn't mention this before, I will again: I really REALLY hate the electronic tcase shifter, we really need a mechanical override.

 

[08H3]

Glad it worked for you. One other tip...if you try it a few times and can't get it to shift, try moving a few feet and try again. Ideally you should be moving very slowly to shift in or out of 4-Lo. If you have a slight incline you can roll down at about 3 MPH while doing it, that would probably do the trick.

I will also say, on every truck that I have owned, the ABS issue always came back to a bad wheel bearing. They can start to wobble and then destroy the sensor. Don't just end up assuming it's a bad sensor and install a new one in a bad bearing because it will be destroyed in no time as well.

 

[rascole]

Great info here. Glad you got it fixed.

 

[Stoic Bluejay]

Great pic, and great knowledge thanks :cheers:

 

[CaseyS]

Www.theshiftster.com

This could likely be modified to keep as a trail device for emergencies.