Is the system ESOF ( Electronic Shift On the Fly ) or MSOF ( Mechanical Shift On the Fly ) ?
Lift and support the front of the truck so the front wheels are off the ground ( take safety precautions, chock wheels, jack stands, etc )
Key on, engage 4x4 and try to turn the front drive shaft.
If it turns it is a problem with the transfer case.
If it doesn't it is a front axle engagement problem.
This section is specific to the New Body Style 2004 ( not the 2004 Heritage model ).
- If the front drive shaft does not turn :
Shut of the truck ( still jacked up, and supported ) remove the vac lines from the IWE. The spring should push the gears in, without the vac line on.
Check the vent line ( tube that is routed into the engine compartment with nothing attached to it ), for blockages.
If the vent line is clear, and with the vac lines off the IWE should be engaged ( both front wheels locked ).
If they lock, the problem is with the IWE solenoid not shutting off vacuum to the IWEs. There is a TSB on the 2004-2006 IWE solenoids, a newer revision has been made, and used from 2007 and newer MYs.
Here is a block diagram of the IWE system
If you have an ESOF system and the front drive shaft turns, try tapping on the transfer case, while someone turns the switch to 4H and 4L with a dead blow hammer ( not a metal hammer ). Some times the shift motor will get hung up and not shift. This will cause the truck not to cut vacuum to the IWE solenoids, and not confirm the action with the light on the range select switch.
Also, check the fuses for the ESOF system, should be fuses F111, F11, F29, F30. In the fuse panel under the hood, there is the clock wise and counter clock wise relays, pull them and bench test with a meter and external 12 VDC power supply for correct operation ( these are what turn the shift motor clock wise and counter clock wise ).
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