2004 Rubicon Transfer Case Switch?

[gvsho]

2004 Rubicon. Just bought 150K miles. PO added 3” lift with 32s. Couldn’t put in 4WD high or low so installed Savvy cable and it fixed that issue (nice product BTW) Then my 4WD light won’t come on when 4WD (low or high) is engaged. I wouldn’t care except I’ve read that my lockers won’t activate unless the circuit that controls the dash light is on and 4WD low is engaged. I just replaced the transfer case sensor (the old one had no spring left in the part that sits in the transfer case) and light still won’t come on. Ran through dashboard diagnostic to prove light does work.

What say you all?

 

[AndyG]

2004 Rubicon. Just bought 150K miles. PO added 3” lift with 32s. Couldn’t put in 4WD high or low so installed Savvy cable and it fixed that issue (nice product BTW) Then my 4WD light won’t come on when 4WD (low or high) is engaged. I wouldn’t care except I’ve read that my lockers won’t activate unless the circuit that controls the dash light is on and 4WD low is engaged. I just replaced the transfer case sensor (the old one had no spring left in the part that sits in the transfer case) and light still won’t come on. Ran through dashboard diagnostic to prove light does work.

What say you all?

Jump the switch plug with a paper clip, if dash lights up you need a switch- get the best one and say Rubicon 241 OR 3-4 times when ordering.

Can remove switch with vise grips, don’t torque down new either , just seat the o ring.

There is a way to test the cluster lights, built in to the vehicle/ research that- it will cycle all lights to do a bulb test.

Once you sort all this out look into the mod to operate lockers independent of all the nanny’s if you go off road.

Keep us posted.

 

[gvsho]

Jump the switch plug with a paper clip, if dash lights up you need a switch- get the best one and say Rubicon 241 OR 3-4 times when ordering.

Can remove switch with vise grips, don’t torque down new either , just seat the o ring.

There is a way to test the cluster lights, built in to the vehicle/ research that- it will cycle all lights to do a bulb test.

Once you sort all this out look into the mod to operate lockers independent of all the nanny’s if you go off road.

Keep us posted.

Thanks I'll give the jump a try. Do you know where I need the ignition to be when jumping for the light to come on? I'm assuming in the 'ON' position but not sure so thought I'd ask.

Also, I did run through the diagnostic test of all the lights and gauges and the 4WD light does work.

When I installed the switch, I did torque it down snug so not sure if maybe I backed it out a little the sensor would work.

I'll also try to bench test the sensor after I get it back out. I see there are multiple positions on the spring-loaded pin that should give out different ohm readings as the pin moves. Not sure if the non-Rubicon switch looks identical except maybe it has only 2 positions.

I'll keep you posted on what I find.

 

[AndyG]

Thanks I'll give the jump a try. Do you know where I need the ignition to be when jumping for the light to come on? I'm assuming in the 'ON' position but not sure so thought I'd ask.

Also, I did run through the diagnostic test of all the lights and gauges and the 4WD light does work.

When I installed the switch, I did torque it down snug so not sure if maybe I backed it out a little the sensor would work.

I'll also try to bench test the sensor after I get it back out. I see there are multiple positions on the spring-loaded pin that should give out different ohm readings as the pin moves. Not sure if the non-Rubicon switch looks identical except maybe it has only 2 positions.

I'll keep you posted on what I find.

Key “On “

Also if the rig is saying stationary when you’re working with the switch you need to move it backwards and forward sometimes to get everything to sync up and work-

They sometimes don’t work just a instant you hit the lever- Seems they need the transfer case to actually activate into four-wheel-drive to light up

 

[gvsho]

Thanks. To test, I drove to a gravel road, stopped, shut off the engine, restarted, shifted into 4H (no light), drove a bit turning wheels side-to-side a little, stopped, shifted into 4N, put in 1st and tried to drive and nothing engaged, shifted into 4L, took off slowly (and could tell I was in 4L), drove a bit but still no light.

Question: if I'm in 4N should the rear wheels also be disengaged when I try to drive with manual transmission? Just not sure how the T-Case is supposed to work.

 

[AndyG]

Thanks. To test, I drove to a gravel road, stopped, shut off the engine, restarted, shifted into 4H (no light), drove a bit turning wheels side-to-side a little, stopped, shifted into 4N, put in 1st and tried to drive and nothing engaged, shifted into 4L, took off slowly (and could tell I was in 4L), drove a bit but still no light.

Question: if I'm in 4N should the rear wheels also be disengaged when I try to drive with manual transmission? Just not sure how the T-Case is supposed to work.

That’s good the way you’re doing it and yes- You won’t be going anywhere in 4n

 

[gvsho]

Ok just pulled the new switch back out and bench tested. According to the attached diagram, the switch I have has the correct ohm readings in all of the positions. I put back in and ran a range of tests from just a few turns to all the way torqued down with no light.

Last thing I can test is the wire and plug that attaches to the switch. Are you sure I can just jump the two leads together and I should see the 4WD light come on when the ignition is in the ON position?

Greg

 

[gvsho]

So I’m catching what you’re saying about IS NOT normally open 12V. When I tested the switch fully extended (pin all the way out) it registered 0 ohms. I ordered another switch from rock auto that specifically says it’s for the RocTrac and it’s Mopar.

 

[gvsho]

Just to close the loop on this post. The final trick was to reset the PCM after the install so that the new switch is recognized. Here are the steps from another post…

1. Disconnect the POSITIVE battery Terminal and touch it to ground for 30 seconds to discharge the PCM capacitors, which maintain the Adaptive Memory.
2. Reconnect the Battery Cable.
3. Turn Ignition Switch to the “On” position but DO NOT start the engine.
4. Turn Headlight On.
5. Turn Headlights Off.
6. Turn Ignition Key Off.

PCM is reset

Also, I ran the dash gauge diagnostic after resetting the PCM. Not sure if it made any difference but saw it recommended somewhere so didn’t hurt. Here are those steps…

(1) Begin the test with the ignition switch in the Off position.
(2) Depress the odometer/trip odometer switch but- ton.
TJ
(3) While still holding the odometer/trip odometer switch button depressed, turn the ignition switch to the On position, but do not start the engine.
(4) Release the odometer/trip odometer switch but- ton.
(5) The instrument cluster will automatically begin the actuator test sequence, as follows:
(a) The cluster will generate a single chime tone to confirm the functionality of the chime tone gen- erator and the chime control circuitry.
(b) The cluster will scroll the number “8” across the odometer/trip odometer VFD to confirm the functionality of all VFD segments and their control circuitry.
(c) The cluster will illuminate the decimal point in the odometer/trip odometer VFD to confirm the functionality of this VFD segment and its control circuitry.
(d) The cluster will display the EMIC software level in the odometer/trip odometer VFD (example: “SOF 8.9”).
(e) The cluster will display the last six digits (sequence number) of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) in the odometer/trip odometer VFD.
(f) If any faults have been set by the cluster, the cluster will display the fault information in the odometer/trip odometer VFD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE MESSAGE . If no faults have been set, the cluster will scroll “no FAULtS” across the odometer/trip odometer VFD.

 

[HeffTJ]

Does anyone have a suggestion as to how I can get to the transfer switch in order to replace it with a new switch. My TJ is a 2005. Thanks.

 

[L J]

Does anyone have a suggestion as to how I can get to the transfer switch in order to replace it with a new switch. My TJ is a 2005. Thanks.

the factory service manuals are available in the TJ resources section: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...-fsm-technical-documentation.4618/#post-62640

 

[HeffTJ]

Ok just pulled the new switch back out and bench tested. According to the attached diagram, the switch I have has the correct ohm readings in all of the positions. I put back in and ran a range of tests from just a few turns to all the way torqued down with no light.

Last thing I can test is the wire and plug that attaches to the switch. Are you sure I can just jump the two leads together and I should see the 4WD light come on when the ignition is in the ON position?

Greg

View attachment 523417

I've been looking for a good video showing how to replace the TC switch on my 2005 TJ, with the NP231 TC, but can't find one. Does anyone know of one?

 

[LONGJP2]

I've been looking for a good video showing how to replace the TC switch on my 2005 TJ, with the NP231 TC, but can't find one. Does anyone know of one?

Here's some more info, or look below for similar threads.