Hobbes80

I have always gone to a complete stop, put the car into neutral, and then gone to 4low.... while the book says you can do it at 1-3 mph in gear, I don't think I'll ever do it that way... just more comfortable doing it stopped.

2hi to 4hi I've done at 70mph... was traveling north, weather started turning bad, was coming down a hill and went into 4hi... not something I'd typically do but I didn't want to slow to 50mph with people behind me driving recklessly.

skizriz

I shift in and out of 4 high at 50-60 mph all the time. Have on every shift on the fly truck I have ever owned, never heard a whimper out of any of them.
It's not unusual to run 65-70 in the fast lane if it's fresh unplowed snow.It's better to lock it in and drive in the snow, than fight through the slop in 2 wd.

CdnRogue70

My Dad has a 2006 F150 and every time he put it into 4 lo to pull stumps or get out of some hole. He needs to shift it into reverse and tap the gas to get it back out. My brother’s truck does the same.

RajunCajun84

Sorry for bring up an old thread, but im having an issue. I was always able to go from 2wd to 4hi in neutral @ a stand still prior to the recent issue at a auto detailing facility. I recently brought my truck in for a full detail (typical detail after hunting season) and when I got into my truck and pulled forward, on of the guys at the place put my truck into 4lo by accident. Going from 4lo to 4hi was not a problem. It was going from 4hi to 2wd. I was hearing gringing after every attempt and even experienced a transfer case "neutral". Tranny would switch gears without the truck moving. Only way it would go into 2wd was when I was moving forward. Do I have a solenoid gone bad or weak?
I can go in and out of 2/4hi while moving only now.

RajunCajun84

bump

Sean Adams

I have the exact same problem. Takes 2 try every time to shift out of 4 lo

JB Lawhon

Finally took my 2018 F150 to the mountains on a ski trip last weekend and shifted in and out of 4H multiple times at speeds up to 60 MPH with no issues. I let off the accelerator as indicated in the owners manual but that was it. The interstate conditions were mixed, going from dry to wet, to snowy, to icy, and I wanted to keep the back end from breaking loose. I run snow tires but after more than 17 years of driving a truck in Colorado's winter conditions, I don't take chances and generally stay in 4H when conditions are slick.

In my old Nissan, the manual indicated that shifts into 4H should not be made over 25 MPH so I'd stop every time i put it into/out of 4H. I also never worried about driving it on dry pavement (for short stretches) when in mixed winter conditions, nor did I worry about max speeds. I traveled at 65+ in 4H in the Nissan with no problems. That said, the "shift on the fly" in the Ford was a new experience for me. First time I went from 2H to 4H (at about 45 MPH), I looked at my wife and said "here goes nothing."

From the 2018 owners manual:

You can move the control from 2H or 4H at a stop or while driving. The information display may display a message indicating a 4X4 shift is in progress. Once the shift is complete the message center will then display the system mode selected.

That's all it says about going into 4H from 2H so I'm just doing as told. I'm new to Fords so school me if I'm reading the info from Ford wrong or doing something that could damage my truck.

Spiky

I switch between them at any speed. If conditions are that bad, I'm generally not able to go over 50, anyway. So, speed is naturally limited somewhat. Some people said above that they always stop...not necessary, it's designed to work during normal driving. It's not 1980.

I ease off the gas and only shift when driving straight.

Jim Aston

The same for me in my 2002- only low is working, so much so that when I switched to 4hi at about 30 mph, it got stuck in 4lo with one hell of a noise! I thought I was going to find parts in the street for sure! truck went from 30 to 5 in a split second! Glad I was wearing a seatbelt!