[jVmaxx]

Ok my first post on this site so i just bought this 2008 silverado Vortec Max 4X4, its also my first gm truck ive been a toyota guy since i learned to drive, sold my crewmax to buy this silverado cause it was really good priced, the thing is that my 4wd is not engaging. i turn the dial to 4h and it hesitates for about 5 mins and then the light go the the 4h but i still dont feel or see my 4wd working. i want to see if i can tackle this myself b4 i decide for the dealer, where do i start on trouble shooting the 4wd system? New to silverado so really hope yaw can help :?:

 

[ASTE25]

I'd get the truck on soft ground and make some tight turns with it in 4WD and see if it actually is in 4WD or really is not. If not, I'd have someone with a diagnostic scanner see if there are any codes for the 4WD system.

 

[jVmaxx]

ive done tried it on soft gravel and loose dirt and nothing and the 4x4 systems is not kicking in. Also when i try to get it to go into 4wd the 'Service 4wd System'. Can a actron code reader tell me what the problem is on the 4wd?

 

[BigRedOK]

I don't know but auto zone may be able to tell you. I had a truck doing this today and it happened to be the encoder motor itself. I priced it and it was $350. Sooo... You may want to get the codes read and go from there. Nothing on a transfer case is cheap. Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[jVmaxx]

wow i was hoping it was something simple and CHEAP . Ill head out to autozone tomorrow hopefully they can tell me something

 

[Sanc9996]

Mine did the same thing. 4wd was intermittent and the normally yellow indicator light was red and would not shift out of 2wd. Turned out the program on the transfer case control module went out and had to take it to the stealership for a reflash at $110.

 

[ASTE25]

I';m sure a diagnostic scanner can read the transfer case copdes, but most "code readers" can't. It will depend on what Auto Zone uses as to if they can scan those codes or not.

 

[linkman440]

And this is why I shopped around for a manual shifter. If your mechanically inclined you might be able to get under there and check to see if its getting power

 

[ASTE25]

I like the manual shifters as well. I wish they would use them in the up level trucks as well.

 

[GM Customer Service]

jVmaxx,

Hello! I am sorry to hear that you are experiencing an issue with your vehicle. I understand that you are looking to resolve this issue yourself and I might not be able to give any technical advice. However, if you find that you are unable to resolve this yourself I am more than happy to assist you. Please private message me if I can be of any assistance.

Safe travels,

Jennifer T.
GM Customer Care

 

[Silvery13]

I like the manual shifters as well. I wish they would use them in the up level trucks as well.

X10. Its not like they take up a lot of room.

 

[DarkGothic]

I have the push-button 4wd selector in my truck and occasionally I will either get a "service 4wd" message, or the 4wd will not engage. More often than not, it's a glitch in the computer system. It goes away when I cut the engine and restart it a few minutes later. Sometimes the truck will start in 4wd or neutral even though I did not select it. Other times, when shifting in and out of 4wd my truck will jerk violently like I'm being rear-ended. So far, I've never had a problem with it and the truck is now 11 years old with about 183K miles.

 

[Sanc9996]

I have the push-button 4wd selector in my truck and occasionally I will either get a "service 4wd" message, or the 4wd will not engage. More often than not, it's a glitch in the computer system. It goes away when I cut the engine and restart it a few minutes later. Sometimes the truck will start in 4wd or neutral even though I did not select it. Other times, when shifting in and out of 4wd my truck will jerk violently like I'm being rear-ended. So far, I've never had a problem with it and the truck is now 11 years old with about 183K miles.

This is exactly what mine did too. Eventually turning off the truck didn't help anymore. It was becoming less and less reliable by the day. I took it to a local shop and he checked every aspect of my 4wd system and concluded that it must be a computer issue and those were the only problems he didnt have the tools for. The dealership said my transfer case control module was going bad and the cheapest thing they could try was reflashing it with a new program. After they flashed it, it continued to act up for a day or two and the problems seemed to have disappeared completely. That was in March and I haven't had any problems since. **cross fingers. please dont jinx it, please dont jinx it**

 

[DarkGothic]

Boy. I wish I had an older truck without all this computer crap.

 

[esox07]

FWIW: I had a 2004 Blazer and the push button 4wd quit working. I tried several ways to get it to engage but eventually took it to the dealer. They said they "reset" the control module and told me that if it didn't hold, then I would need a new module. That was 6 months before I eventually traded it in on my new 2013 Silverado and was still working fine. I can't remember what they charged me but I think it was like $75. I was expecting anywhere from $200 to whatever so I was pretty happy when I got the bill for $75. That is probably what you would pay just to have the dealer "diagnose" the problem. If it requires hardware or any significant labor to fix it, it will go up quickly from there. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.