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4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/2003 Chevy Tahoe 4 wheel drive

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Expert: - 3/23/2006


Question
My car is always in 2 wheel drive and we had to put in in 4 wheel high due to the snow.  I put it back in 2 wheel but it keeps atuomatically going back into 4 wheel high?? What could the problem be  

Answer
Stacie,

First of all, it is hard on a 4-wheel drive vehicle to not run in 4-wheel drive for long periods of time.  By doing this, the gears, and bearings on some components are not being used, and the associated lubricants are not lubricating these components.  When this happens, and you try to use 4-wheel drive, they can be rusty, and may freeze up.

As far as your vehicle goes, I'm not sure which transfer case you have, therefore it is hard to diagnose your problem.  I would assume, due to the year of your Tahoe that it is shifted electronically.  If this is the case, you may have a bad ground, or relay that is going bad, not allowing the transfer case to shift properly.

I would suggest that you take it to a reputable transmission shop, preferably one that specializes in 4-wheel drives, and have them check out the transfer case.

Carl

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

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Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

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