How to engage 4 wheel drive in a chevy 1996zr2

The best way is to take your time...,Set Emerg brake,start vehicle and put into neutral..Engage 4 wheel drive,look at your dash gauge area for 4 wheel drive light to come on..Put truck in reverse and release park brake..,Back up 10ft.slowly..Then put it in drive and pull up 10 ft.slowly then you should be in four wheel drive..

check the vacuum lines to the actuator in the front wheels . check the actuator operation in the transfer case.

have the actuator (mounted on the drivers side transfer case) checked. that is what makes the selection from 2-4 hi-4 low. it takes the place of a gear shift. they are a fairly inexpensive and easy repair (if thats the problem). i would start there providing you have checked the fuses and relays. i hope this helps.

under your batt tray needs removed youll find a rubber hose goin to a vacume canastersee that it aint cracked or got a hole

2002 chevy s10 4 door 4x4 4 wheel drive wont engage

It's most likely the "four wheel drive actuator" This is located on the front differential housing. It's cylindrical shaped and has a large hex (about
1-1/4") and two wires coming out of it. Usually they short out and blow the fuse but, I've also seen where they just quit working and sometimes they just get slow to work. The "actuator" has a heating element in it and it warms up, some sort gas, causing it to expand thus engaging the front wheels. In cold weather it may take a minute or so for it to engage, so put in four wheel drive and wait for a bit and see what happens.

Replace the push button selector assembly. Common failures. If that isnt the problem then the encoder motor on transfer case has failed. Try switch first.

Reset the computer by disconnecting the battery. This should solve this. nutetral is for the four lo only to engage.

Mike

There is a vaccuum operated switch located on the transfer case that sends vaccum to the accuator that pulls a cable that locks the front end in. Check for vac coming in and out of this switch if no vac out replace it. This switch is a very common problem. You can find them at most parts stores in the help section #49315. please rate.

I replaced the malfunctioning “thermal actuator” with the “Warn” Vacuum actuator setup, it’s been working great for about 7 years now, simple install, if I remember correctly, it was about $150.
That’s what engages the front diff into 4wd.