Isle2isle

Hello - I have a 2004 Suburban K1500 4WD, with AWD and Stabilitrak. I have a few questions re: AWD, because the light is ON all the time (ie, the light on the panel to the left of the AWD button). I've research this extensively and had it serviced once (non-dealer, and they said it was ok). We are not the type to go in and find our own codes, do any work etc., so hoping someone here can assist. We've never had any "service 4WD or AWD" or service anything lights, btw, and all my research seems to lead to those types of queries, and I often see the recommendation to fix/replace the "Transfer Case Control Module"...needless to say, don't want to go down that road if it's not necessary! My questions are somewhat overlapping, because I don't know what the "normal" configuration is (I've read the manual -- but it's really not helpful on this subject..in the hundreds of pages, there's exactly 1 covering the AWD/transfer case buttons).

Questions:
* is the AWD light supposed to be on all the time?
* the manual says with all-wheel drive "engine power is sent to all four wheels all the time" -- then should I be able to turn AWD off and on? (ie, press the button and have the light go off, or something? (NOTHING happens when pressing the button -- can't feel any change in transmission, shifting, or anything)
* does the button being lit mean we are in AWD all the time? Or that AWD is not working?
* if I should be able to control the AWD with the button, is there an easy fix (that I can do myself...change a fuse, or?)

Stabilitrak and 4LO seem to work fine, it's just AWD.

Thanks in advance!

73shark

Welcome to the forum.

I think you're either in AWD, 4Lo, or neutral IIRC.

Isle2isle

Thank you 73shark. We probably are in AWD all the time (if it was 4Lo we'd likely have ruined the rig by this time, since that AWD light has been on since winter now). I was hoping there's an easy fix/fuse or something, so I don't have to take it to a dealership.

73shark

Does the AWD lite go out when you go to 4LO?

Isle2isle

I don't recall exactly, but I believe the AWD light did go off when I put it into 4lo. I would need to test that again to be sure, which I could do this weekend.

weaverr6

The light next to the AWD button is supposed to be on. It is an indicator of what mode you are in. You cannot shut off AWD. You can shift to 4 Low, and nuetral, but that is it. The top button shuts off Stabilitrak. Everything sounds like it is working fine. Unlike the traditional 4WD model, where normally you are in 2WD, and can select "Auto 4WD", 4 HI, and 4LO, the AWD model is always in AWD, you can't select 2WD or shut off AWD.

Isle2isle

Weaverr6 - many thanks for joining the forum to answer my question! Sounds like it's all ok; I just didn't recall that AWD light always being on like it is now and thought that this past winter something may have gone wacky (we needed 4Lo just to leave our steep driveway in a very heavy snow one day, and otherwise don't need to use 4WD much where we live, which is not far above sea level in the Pacific NW).

And 73shark thank you again too.