Hey, I hate to interupt the lever envy, you all are funny! Question;..I had my 2007 in 4WD, then I stopped, switched it back, and it wouldn't really go back to 2WD, at least according to the 2WD-4WD idiot light. I tried going between 2WD-4WD a few times, gave up and started toward home, after about 4-5min. the light went back to 2WD. Any thoughts?? I haven't been out 4WDing since then,...just a freak thing? thanks for any ideas,lj

Did you back-up after swithching to 2 WD?

Are you suppose to back-up?? I never heard that before:-)!

Look at your manual, you need to back up about 10' or so.

Mine gets stuck about once a month or so. :rolleyes:

Almost as often as the thing throws SLIP and VDC OFF lights.

Thanks, you guys, I feel alot better now. I swear I read the manual and missed the backing up thing. Thanks again,lj

Thank God for the Classic Little Lever...

I'm confused now...

On the new X's....they still have to back up to disengage?

X2

You can get underneath there and beat the shit out of it if it gets stuck with a BIG F*(KING HAMMER!!!!

My light stayed on once or twice from getting stuff stuck in the sensor after off roading a couple of times. Make sure thats not the problem...

No, you don't...hub flange vs auto hubs.

Not to mention that, when I had my auto hubs, I would shift out of 4wd and the light would turn off (this is without backing up). Granted my hubs were still engaged, but it was no long in 4wd.

How about an 03 4x4 super charged, do I have to backup, I never have! Now I am nervous

mark

yes you do

Not to sound "snooty" but aren't the operating instructions on the visor directly above your head???

Hey! Now I was worried. The instructions are on the visor!!, what a moron I am! I went out and double checked and at least on my 07, there is a bunch of blah blah about advanced airbags and the possibility of roll-over, but nothing about the proper way to disengage 4WD.

I did recheck the '07 manual and I still can't find any mention of backing up after taking it out of 4WD. It does say to have it in neutral when you switch it from 2wd to 4wd and back but nothing about reverse, but I will definitely do that in the future. Thanks

PaulXyZ, the Slip and VDC lights will illuminate when you are in 4-low with the locker on.

Put on manual hubs and you won't have to back up. Applies only to pre '05 Xs.

Yeah - my understanding was that the 00-04's needed to back up, and the '05+'s do not.

The above posts about the hubs and shafts and flanges, etc, were why, for each...and for the new ones....the neutral position between was important, etc.

So - Pre-'05's - NEED to back up to get out of 4wd...but...

...you can leave the hubs engaged, and still be in 2wd, so if you NEED 4wd, you're already engaged, and don't need to ROLL FORWARD more to be in 4wd.

IE: If in 2wd, and you hit a bad patch of mud and get stuck, and THEN shift into 4wd...and the gears didn't mesh yet if you can't roll forward a bit more...unless you didn't disengage the hubs by backing up after going back into 2wd.



(Don't back up after putting it in 2wd if expecting 4wd use later that drive, etc...)

Right. We don't backup to disengage 4WD, we disengage 4WD by putting the selector in 2WD. We backup to disengage the hubs (or drive if it was in Reverse when shifted back to 2WD).

On slippery roads in the winter, I start in 4WD and shift back in 2WD so that the hubs are engaged should I need 4WD later during that drive.

But this has nothing to do with the original post since he drives a Gen2 and this applies to Gen1.

I have the new 2005 with the dial on the dash. First time out, I put had it in 4WD Hi and went to Low. Since I did not read that part in the manual, I turned the dial, slammed in into drive, and the whole transfer case reset itself to 2WD leaving me perplexed on steep hill climb. Since then, I've read the manual and have had the X in 4WD low many times. what I've noticed is that you have to put it in Nuetral and wait for the solenoids to finish there clunking. The light will start flashing, meaning that the transfer case is out of lock, but the front end has not diengaged. Sometimes it takes a 100 feet for it to loosen enough for the springs to disengage it, or I will roll back in Nuetral a couple of feet and that usually does the trick. No worries and nothing to be alarmed at. I've had both the old X lever and now the new X dial. Both are very good and solid off road.

With the 05+:

You can shift between 4hi and 2wd on the fly (under 60 (or so) MPH). There is nothing special you have to do beside turn the knob. Some times it will take until you stop to come out of 4wd as you have to relieve the stress on the gears before they can change.

To change into 4Lo. Come to a complete stop with the foot on the brake. Place the vehicle in Neutral (not park), switch into 4Lo. Put vehicle into drive (or one of the lower gears depending on the situation) and start driving.

To get it out of 4Lo, you have to do the same steps. Stop, foot on brake, knob to 4hi or 2wd, put vehicle in gear...drive way. Just like before, someone times it does take a short while to disengage.

It is probably not unlocking because the drivetrain is bound up. Backing up or inducing some wheelspin just before taking it out of 4WD will unbind the drivetrain and allow it to disengage.

If have shifted out of 4wd on the fly and some times the light goes out and some times it flashes but the sure fire why to get it out is to stop, back up a feet or two and all is well.

Yeah I know but what about in 2-wheel drive after leaving the car locked in a locked garage?

Mine comes on and off at random about once or twice a month. I'll drive to the mall, park, and come out and the lights are both lit and won't go out. The indicator (and butt dyno) say that the truck is in 2-wheel drive. Stopping and starting the truck has no effect and neither does actually putting the truck in 4WD and locking and unlocking the diff ... and the weather is so dry I don't think the truck has been wet once since I bought it in September when I crossed the Mojave road.

I've bought a ScanGaugeII to see if it's throwning codes that disappear by the time I get it to the dealer but last time it happened - no codes.

The first couple of times it happened I was worried. Same with the first couple of times it got stuck in 4WD low. Trying to drive faster than 25 mph on pavement ain't possible when stuck like that which makes it a real concern.

Two things,
First, Muzikman is absolutely correct concering the function of the Gen2 4x4 system.

Second, Paul, my truck does that too. I come out from work and start the truck and get the SLIP & VDC OFF lights. The next morning I'll start it up and the VDC OFF light is still on but goes off a few minutes later. This has been reported on this forum before, I think everyone is just learning to live with it now.

My X definately doesn't like being switched from 2wd to 4wd LO in one sweeping push turn motion. I have to let it finish clicking in 4Hi before going 4Lo. I've had it stick a couple of times and give off a warning tone and the ATP light (If I remember right), 4WD light (Upper left) as well as the Display going completely out that shows the the 4wheels and T-case.

I had to shut it off for a few minutes to clear it last time. Off and restart didn't help.

For the first 9-10 Months I had it, it was throwing a P1000 (Communications) code. Ended up being a solenoid in the transmission. Liked putting itself in 3rd gear to take off. Talk about gen1 guttlessness. J/K

PaulXyZ and AV Xterra,

Is your brake fluid level OK? I've had the Slip and VDC light come on (along with the Brake light) when I had a leaking rear brake hose. At first it was intermittent until the fluid got low enough, then they were on all the time.

If the fluid level is OK, the only thing I can think of is some sort of electrical problem - short circuit, perhaps.

The Slip/VDC light problem has been going on for ever and it seems the solution changes.

Some said it was a faulty wire, other said it was their yaw sensor and there were a few other resolutions. If you do a quick search on here and www.thenewx.org you might be able to come up with a few things to take to the dealer with you.

I've had this happen three times in 17 months I've had the truck. Seems to happen only in the summer time. I'll check the brake fluid and mention it to the dealer next time I'm there.

My brake fluid is a tad under the -max- mark. The dealer last serviced the truck four months ago and it's been going on before and since. I just ignore the lights now.

Bummer. The first-year model (2000) has 4x4 info printed inside the driver's visor/ceiling. Kind of dumb if Nissan stopped doing that. It comes in handy if you rarely use 4x4.

Yeah, I finally found the info on the ceiling side of the visor, right where you would be looking for it.(not) Basically, it just said drive slow if the 4WD light is blinking and if it doesn't go off, have your dealer check it. Pretty much the same advise I found in the manual, when it got stuck. Unfortunately, I was up in the mountains, about an hour away from civilization. Luckily it did go off after about 3-4 miles, but it was still disappointing. I bought the Off Road model, so I could use it in 4WD at my will, not it's! I'm just hoping it's not going to be a giant pain everytime I want to use it in the manner for which it was supposedly designed!lj

Try the stop, slight back up and go, the light should go right out.

Hey, Thanks to everyone that gave me advice about this! I'm not paranoid about going 4wheelin' again now. When it first happened, I assumed I had screwed it up somehow, although I wasn't abusing it in anyway. Just leisurely drive through the local mountains on an unmaintained forest service road. I'm going to keep mine stock, but I'm a rock hound and want to be able to go wherever I want, without worring too much about getting stuck. That's why I got the Off Road, 4x4 but with the added protection underneath. Thanks again to everybody that had advice, I appreciate it! lj

You aren't referring to the stock under protection are you?? They can handle brush and loose stones from a dirt rd. Just don't try to drag them over anything.

Actually, I don't intend to take it over huge boulders, mostly bumpy dirt roads and the occasional wash area. I would think the stock underplating on an Off Road should be sufficient for that kind of thing. I collect rocks, but to get to the good ones you need to do some off roading. I would be more concerned about hitting rocks on a rutted road with the underbelly of the X, not climbing boulders etc. lj

I beat the hell out of mine and they were definately better than nothing.

I did take a chunk off of the Transfer case, but it was just extra metal and haven't had any other problems with it. This was on the lower part of Payette Draw. Thanks to Brian for the Spotting.

Now I'm shrocked out and gave my old ones to a friend.