Dadspeed

Good morning,

A few weeks ago I bought a 2015 XLT 4x4 with the 3.5 turbo and 302A. It has 88k miles on it. I recently tried out 4WD on a gravel road. I find I can easily shift between 2H and 4H at will. But getting into 4L seems to present some issues.

If I stop and select 4L, the truck asks me to shift to N. So I do, but then it will inevitably say 'shift delayed, pull forward.' At that point, however, I can't. I shift to D, and it won't move. It just revs freely like it's still in neutral. I suspect the transfer case is.

If I just leave it like that without applying any throttle, it will do it on its own. An awful grinding sound will start, and eventually it'll slam into gear with a huge jolt.

I've tried selecting 4L while crawling forward. It will tell me to slow to 3mph, and eventually it'll ask me to be in neutral, but it tends to then roll to a stop and the same thing as above happens again.

The dealer wants to see the truck, and I'll take it over there. But I'm interested to see if anybody has a suggestion. Am I just somehow 'doing it wrong'? Or is there a problem?

Thanks.

Lare

I always come to a stop anf put it in neutral to shift into 4L and never had a problem. (But slowing to <3mph is ok per the book.) The fact that you are seems to indicate an issue. Sorry to say, but it looks like a trip to the dealer is called for.

sholxgt

Have you tried putting it in neutral before selecting 4L?

I just always go with neutral and a dead stop with any 4x4 I've owned to make it easier on the transfer case.

Dadspeed

Yes. Well, at the very least, it asks me to do that every time I do select 4L, suggesting that it's not going to switch to 4L until I'm in neutral anyway.

Have I selected 4L after shifting to neutral? I think so. If the truck ensures that I'm in neutral before shifting, I don't see how it would matter.

tareed94

You have to be in neutral to shift to 4L, it was the same way in my '07, and in my brother's '08 Ram. I'd try shifting to neutral before turning the **** to 4L and see how that works out. I've used mine a few times, it will make a loud clunk when it locks in, that's normal. Every time I've done it I'm at a stop, shift to neutral, then turn the ****. After that I put it in 1st or 2nd gear and it's ready to pull/climb. In 4L I found out that at idle (even in reverse) it'll climb a curb like it's not there, pretty impressive.

Mb1500

Shift to 4hi

let the truck creep down a hill or let the idle pull you maybe a couple of mph at most

shift to N

keep rolling very slowly

shift to 4L

Shift into drive and go

elptxjc

Interesting method. Guess the jolt is less when slightly rolling, like when shifting a motorcycle into 1st gear, no? Sounds like good advice to me . Never used 4L on my truck, but will remember to use this method. Thx.

skinnyb

This is how I do it when I can. 4 high creep forward slowly, neutral and while still barely moving shift to 4 low.. It makes a little noise but nothing to speak of.

Wrenchbender

Well said you have to get the gears moving by being in 4H that way you coast to a stop keep moving 3-5 MPH put trans in neutral with foot off the Brake and put it in 4L and shift into drive I've done it this way and never had a problem. didn't mean to Hijack this thread!!!

Kingofwylietx

The manual says it WON’T shift into 4 low if you are going over 3 mph.



This is is how you do it, according to Ford:



Shifting to or from 4L (4X4 low)
Note: You may hear some noise as the system shifts or engages; this is normal.

1. Bring your vehicle to a speed of 3 mph (5 km/h) or less.

1. Place the transmission in neutral (N).

1. Move the 4WD control to the desired position.

The information display will display a message indicating a 4X4 shift is in progress. The information display will then display the system mode selected. If any of the above shift conditions are not present, the shift will not occur and the information display will display information guiding the driver through the proper shifting procedures.
If Shift Delayed Pull Forward displays in the information display, a transfer case gear tooth blockage is present. To alleviate this condition, place the transmission in a forward gear, move your vehicle forward approximately 5 ft (1.5 m), and shift the transmission back to neutral (N) to allow the transfer case to complete the range shift.