My 2000 gmc yukon feels like the front axles are still engaged when im driving.We had a huge snow storm last week and my wife put it in 4X4 and when she took it out and back into 2hi the switch lite u

SOURCE: 1996 GmC Jimmy

The vacuum actuator under the batteru could be bad

SOURCE: 2000 gmc yukon xl 4x4 wont engage

see my posting re this at my name: rlf107. $115 in parts and labor solved for me, on a 2000 Yukon XL

Harvey N Tawatao

• 3854 Answers
• Posted on Jan 02, 2010

SOURCE: 1995 gmc yukon wiyh 6.5 diesel 4 wheel drive will

On the full size, the front actuator is electric, not vacuum.

When in 4wd mode, a switch on top of the transfer case conducts 12 volts out to the actuator. Wire #50 (brown) is the 12v feed, and it conducts to the light blue wire (#900) to the actuator.
When shifted out of 4wd, the switch opens up and no voltage goes to the actuator.

Check voltage at the connector for the front actuator (at the front differential - it looks like a large bullet that threads into the front diff.) If it has 12 volts, the actuator is the problem. If it does not have 12 volts, check the transfer case switch and the power feed to the transfer case.

I'll assume it is the actuator, if the plug to the actuator is getting 12 volts when in 4wd.
The way this actuator works, is it is a sealed chamber that gets heated by voltage. When it heats, the pin in the end swells and pushes a shift fork in the front differential. The shift fork engages a spline on the passenger side of the differential, and boom! you have 4WD.

GM offered an upgrade to this actuator that is a motor instead of a heated device. However, it requires a small harness addition, a spacer, and a new actuator. It is about a $150 to $200 option.

If I were you, I would buy a new heated actuator. They are available at most auto parts stores, and are about $90. They are also on eBay for about $55 plus shipping. These are very easy to change - just thread out the old one, and thread in a new one.

Good luck. The actuator is usually the problem 90% of time but recheck all of the wire harness just to maker sure there is no short before replacing any parts.

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