Trouble shifting to 4H

[Larry_G]

I have the same issue. It was a little embarrassing at the dealership when he was walking me through things and shifting into 4WD was a struggle.

I am glad that I am not the only one with the problem.

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[kaffeian]

Like everyone is saying, at first it does not want to go. Work on it at a slow crawl, just around the block or a parking lot. I just got my 80th and did this around my neighborhood the night we picked it up just to loosen thing up in there and remind it that's what it's there for. Depending on the model (dash you have) it will look different but tell you if 4H or 4L is engaged. People have already posted images of both so I won't bother with that.
When you do go into 4L for the first time, make sure you are no where near anything. I had a SportS 2door and the first time I went into low it tried to walk up hill with my foot on the brake.

 

[mwilk012]

Mine has been disabled for nearly two years, since I got the tazer, glad I don’t live in California.........

Why disabled? Running tires too big for the sensors to be detected?

 

[Roky]

Why disabled? Running tires too big for the sensors to be detected?

No sir......we air down about every weekend and it’s just a pain in the ass to air back up to over 40 psi to reset the sensors then air back down to 30 psi for DD, as opposed to airing up to 30 and go.

I know it’s not that big a deal but I never had tpms on my other Jeeps so I’m used to not having it. I use the old school method, look at the tires and use tire pressure gauge.... Mainly because I’m old.....

 

[DavidArmen]

Why disabled? Running tires too big for the sensors to be detected?

Is that really a thing?

 

[RubiHOG]

Not to derail the thread, but how are Rubicon tire carriers different from the other models? I’ve never heard that before and I’m not sure why they would be any different.

 

[mwilk012]

No sir......we air down about every weekend and it’s just a pain in the ass to air back up to over 40 psi to reset the sensors then air back down to 30 psi for DD, as opposed to airing up to 30 and go.

I know it’s not that big a deal but I never had tpms on my other Jeeps so I’m used to not having it. I use the old school method, look at the tires and use tire pressure gauge.... Mainly because I’m old.....

Can your programmer not change the setpoint? I used my Tazer to set the light at 24 psi.

 

[Roky]

Can your programmer not change the setpoint? I used my Tazer to set the light at 24 psi.

Yes, but it only goes as low as 25 psi I believe, but we air down to 12-15 psi so it doesn’t work for us unfortunately.

 

[agpthng]

As mentioned, it’s tough to get it into - and out of - 4HI for a while. The more you do it the easier it will be to engage. Shifting into 4LO is even worse.

Here’s where the shift indicator is.

Agree! It takes a couple of times for it to be easier with 4H but 4L is even worse. Mine's on it's 2nd winter and doesn't go into 4L as much as it should. Sometimes I can shift it in but can't get it back out even in neutral.

 

[thestein13]

Yes, but it only goes as low as 25 psi I believe, but we air down to 12-15 psi so it doesn’t work for us unfortunately.

If you set it to 25 psi, then when you fill up to 30 psi for daily driving, wouldn't the light shut off and work like normal? I would think having the light turn on when aired down to 15 psi or lower is normal.

 

[Roky]

If you set it to 25 psi, then when you fill up to 30 psi for daily driving, wouldn't the light shut off and work like normal? I would think having the light turn on when aired down to 15 psi or lower is normal.

No, you have to air up to 40 psi to reset the light , if it would turn off at 30 that would be great , but that’s not how “mine” works anyway..........It is normal for the light to come on when aired down below 25, but I don’t like fooling with it to get the light out. like I said before, I don’t miss it, if I had my way I’d like to go back to when computers didn’t run the vehicles, but that’s just the world we live in now.

 

[Encino Stan]

Your situation was the same for me with feeling like it would break something to shift 4WD first few drives. An old school dealer mechanic shared this to loosen:
Out of traffic: from stop, let up brake, coast in idle.
Shift transmission to Neutral while coasting
With one swift tug straight back, pull back into 4H, it won't break it.
Still while coasting, shift transmission to Drive.
Drive a bit in 4H
Repeat this to go back to 2WD.
After a while as others say, it loosens up.

+1

This is exactly what I did. Found a dirt County road with nobody on it and just practiced going from 2h to 4h and back. Each time switched while coasting 2-3 mph in neutral.

 

[cosmokenney]

Hi everyone, thanks for the add! I've only had my wrangler for a little over a month and this is my first snow storm with it. I tried putting into 4H today and the shifter just won't move. I applied a pretty strong force, but didn't want to break anything, but it will not seem to budge. I tried moving it while in park, while in drive around 15-25 mph, and with my foot off the gas and nothing seems to work. There is also nothing on my dashboard saying whether I am in 2H, 4H, N, or 4L, not sure if that only pops up when it is shifted, or if something is wrong. The gear moves the slightest bit down, but won't click in and as soon as I let go, it slides right back up into 2H. Again, I really tried forcing it but its really locked in there. Any feedback or suggestions are appreciated, thanks in advance!

I have a hard time unless I'm going less than 5 MPH. You need to be rolling in neutral. Then it just slips right in.

 

[jakeirish]

I always make sure my Jeep is rolling forward or backward (just a little) and it always seems to shift into 4L with ease. If I am not moving, it sometimes won't go.

 

[Blues]

slow ride

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