"Check AdvanceTrac" light comes on

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Larry Brown - 30 Nov 2004 16:30 GMT

Jim:

Thanks for the reply. Here is what I know so far:

1) My code reader will not read any codes from the 4x4 module.

2) The problem only happens when the car is very cold, overnight on a
freezing night. If it doesn't get cold, the light does not come on.
The coorelation to cold nights is pretty strong.

3) The light can be reset by removing the 4x4 fuses (#17 and #18). If
I do this when the car has been warmed up the light will stay off
until the next cold morning.

4) If I reset it by removing fuses, 4x4, including low range, works
fine. If the light is on, no 4x4 action is possible.

5) I have read about others having issues with the transfer case shift
motor. I played around with this a bit with no effect. I removed it,
checked alignment, slightly moved the encoder ring in each direction,
etc. I did this on a cold morning when the light will stay on, and
none of my adjustments changed anything.

6) Build date is May 2002.

7) Two or three times over the life of the vehicle until now, the
light has come on for one start cycle and then reset the next time
I've started the car. The issue never stayed around, and didn't seem
temperature sensative.

Pretty much, I'm shooting in the dark here. Before I take it to
the dealer, any ideas on what components in the system would be
temperature sensative? Anything I can do without reading 4x4 trouble
codes? Any info would be helpful.

Thanks, Larry

On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 05:30:16 GMT, "Jim Warman"
<mechanic@telusplanet.net> wrote:

>It will depend on the code reader.. Some code readers can't access
>proprietary modules and are designed for PCM code retrieval only. For your
>concern you will need to access the 4WD module. Diagnostics will depend on
>whether yours in a Job 1 or Job 2 car...
>
>"Larry Brown" <joe@nowhere.net> wrote in message
>news:f2lqo0lr5s8i1jbfqe46g5lj92ojetq7cm@4ax.com...
>> Hello:
>>
>> I've got a 2002 Explorer Limited with v8 and AdvanceTrac. It has
>> 50,000 miles. Today the message center comes on with the message
>> "Check AdvanceTrac". In addition, the 4x4 lights will flash
>> occasionally and the 4x4 buttons no longer have any effect. The
>> AdvanceTrac icon on the dash stays lit.
>>
>> Any ideas on what to check first? Will an OBDII code reader be
>> able to read the error codes for this sort of fault?
>>
>> Thanks, Larry

Reply to this Message

Jim Warman - 01 Dec 2004 06:17 GMT

Most "economy" code readers an only access generic OBD2 codes... these are
the ones that deal with emissions related concerns and do not vary from one
manufacturer to another.

Sice your problem seems to occur only when it freezes, one might assume that
moisture in the shift motor might be freezing keep the unit from
functioning. Without knwing what the code or codes are, this is nothing more
than a guess. Any of these systems are way too complicated to trust a guess.
As Sherlock Holmes used to say... "Quick, Watson, the code..." (apologies to
Sir A Conan-Doyle).

I can't stress the importance of codes enough.... these are the same as
computer error messages or telling the doctor exactly where you hurt. The
light is saying there is a code there... once we know the code and the
symptom, we can try to discover if the code is causal or symptomatic.. but
it gives us a direction to go. I'm not saying that something can't get fixed
without knowing the code, but it sure makes the process less painful and
shorter...

> Jim:
>
[quoted text clipped - 53 lines]
>>>
>>> Thanks, Larry

Reply to this Message

Larry Brown - 02 Dec 2004 00:30 GMT

Jim:

Thanks for the reply. Do you know of any economy code readers
that could read the codes from the 4x4 module?

One more piece of info. The light will come on with key-on,
engine-off. The system seems to go through some sort of self-test at
this point. Any idea on what it is testing? I wouldn't expect it to
move the 4x4 shift motor, but you never know.

Also, it doesn't have to be quite freezing to trigger the
problem. 40's will do it.

Thanks, Larry

>Most "economy" code readers an only access generic OBD2 codes... these are
>the ones that deal with emissions related concerns and do not vary from one
[quoted text clipped - 72 lines]
>>>>
>>>> Thanks, Larry

Reply to this Message

Larry Brown - 07 Dec 2004 22:05 GMT

Well, due to lack of information availability, I've taken it to the
dealer. They tell me the codes are P1836 and P1837. That would be
front and rear speed sensors mounted on the transfer case. They want
to replace both for $492.

It sounds suspicious to me that both would go bad at the exact same
time.

I told them to fix it. I don't have it back yet. Time will tell if
this is the right fix.

Larry

>Jim:
>
[quoted text clipped - 87 lines]
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks, Larry

Reply to this Message

jrchilds - 08 Dec 2004 05:08 GMT

> Well, due to lack of information availability, I've taken it to the
> dealer. They tell me the codes are P1836 and P1837. That would be
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> Larry

I have a 96 Explorer, just had both sensors replaced by the dealer. Total
cost 354.91
Part numbers 1L2Z*7F293*AB ($46.16) and 1L2Z*F293*BA($48.81). Labor239.85.
Is there any reason yours would be so much higher?

Signature

Jack
Giving up the right to arms is a mistake a free people get to make only
once. I will not make that mistake.

Reply to this Message

Larry Brown - 10 Dec 2004 21:30 GMT

Hello:

This morning the light is back. The fix didn't do it. Back to the
dealer on Monday...

The final cost was $452 for the sensors. Probably so expensive
because it's California. $85 total for parts, the rest labor. I know
it only takes about 10 minutes to change them. I have no idea how long
they actually spent on that or the diagnosis.

Larry

>> Well, due to lack of information availability, I've taken it to the
>> dealer. They tell me the codes are P1836 and P1837. That would be
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>Part numbers 1L2Z*7F293*AB ($46.16) and 1L2Z*F293*BA($48.81). Labor239.85.
>Is there any reason yours would be so much higher?

Reply to this Message

Larry Brown - 15 Dec 2004 16:43 GMT

Hello:

Today I brought the explorer to the dealer for the 3rd time to address
this problem. The first time they replaced transfer case speed
sensors. The second time they cleaned some connectors and "updated pcm
calibration." Today the light is back on. So even with all the right
toys they still can't seem to figure this out.

Personally, I am leaning towards the 4x4 control module. It's my
belief that electronics will be more temperature sensative than the
mechanical parts, and this problem only happens on cool mornings.
(Cool in CA is 45 degrees.)

Larry

>Jim:
>
[quoted text clipped - 53 lines]
>>>
>>> Thanks, Larry

Reply to this Message