Service Shifter + 4H Auto

[graytag]

It's been a while since I posted. I took some time away from the forum as work has kept me busy and the 4xe has been great. At 12,000 mile, I was driving in stop and go last week and got a notice that my shifter needed servicing and I should take it in for service. The dealership still has it but the tech noticed it was in 4H auto. I have been keeping it there for a while with occasional high speed driving. According to them you can't drive at high speeds in 4H Auto.....which negates the fun of the extra acceleration. Anyone else heard this and/or had a service shifter problem. Didn't see much detail after scanning the forums. Thanks.

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[lindaspins]

They're getting 4 hi and 4 hi auto mixed. They are not the same. 4 hi auto is designed for full time use
If you run high speed on dry pavement in 4 hi, you will have issues.

 

[graytag]

Thanks, Linda, that's what I thought. I ONLY use 4H auto for daily.

 

[stumblinhorse]

It's been a while since I posted. I took some time away from the forum as work has kept me busy and the 4xe has been great. At 12,000 mile, I was driving in stop and go last week and got a notice that my shifter needed servicing and I should take it in for service. The dealership still has it but the tech noticed it was in 4H auto. I have been keeping it there for a while with occasional high speed driving. According to them you can't drive at high speeds in 4H Auto.....which negates the fun of the extra acceleration. Anyone else heard this and/or had a service shifter problem. Didn't see much detail after scanning the forums. Thanks.

Not familiar with a “service shifter” error. Not sure what that would have to do with 4h Auto.

But to talk specifically about your transfer case. What your 4xe is doing is pretty advanced. And your dealership is not aware of how it works.

At high speed your transfer case in 4H auto is basically in 2 wheel drive. No power is being sent to the front at all. Power will only go to the front wheels if your computer(DTCM) thinks it needs to do that. Things like front wheels rotating at a different RPM than the rears. It will put some power to the front if you accelerate quickly. But at high speeds you are in 2WD for all intents and purposes.

Hope this helps.

 

[graytag]

Yes- that is helpful. I think of it as AWD in the newer Audis where the car is constantly adjusting between 2 and 4WD as needed.

To answer your question, I am attaching a screenshot (NOT from my Jeep as it's in service) as an example of the error message-

 

[stumblinhorse]

Yes- that is helpful. I think of it as AWD in the newer Audis where the car is constantly adjusting between 2 and 4WD as needed.

To answer your question, I am attaching a screenshot (NOT from my Jeep as it's in service) as an example of the error message-

Not as advanced as an Audi . But 4H auto basically is 2WD unless the computer thinks 4WD is needed. So drive whatever speed you want it will stay in 2wd. Conversely 4H part time is the opposite. It is 4WD until the computer doesn’t think it needs it. Like hard acceleration or high speeds…

 

[DewHawk]

Uhh, service shifter sounds like an issue with the transmission, not the transfer case. Driving in 4H Auto shouldn’t have anything to do with this, especially if you haven’t moved it into another mode.

The service shifter error isn’t a unique issue to the 4xe. This has happened to multiple owners in the past across the JL platform. It’s usually associated with a wiring harness and or a bad ground. This is the first time I’ve heard of it happening on the 4xe but I suppose it was bound to happen to us too. I guess despite our transmission being as unique as it is, we aren’t exempt from repeating the 850RE’s issues.

Assuming you have a competent dealer, it should be resolved fairly quickly. What worries me is the fact the tech immediately tried to point out the fact you were running in 4H Auto as the likely culprit. Hopefully one of the other senior techs will educate him on why he’s not looking in the right place.

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