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2013 Chevrolet Suburban
Platform: GMT 400, 800, 900

03 suburban 4WD issue

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Old Jul 21, 2013 | 3:09 PM
  #1  
vstahl's Avatar
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Default 03 suburban 4WD issue

My 4WD service light started to come on intermittently and when you start the vehicle it will sometimes say 2 hi, auto 4 hi, 4 hi, and 4 lo. It varies which one it thinks its in. With a shift to neutral it allways settles back to 2hi.

It has once this weekend shifted into 4 wheel drive as I was driving and so I pulled over and it would allow me to go back into 2 hi.

What would be my likely issue? the transfer case motor or the control module?

If its the transfer case motor I can change that pretty simple at my house.

If its the module then I have a bigger issue. I live a couple hours from a chevy/gm dealer but am moving to San Antonio in two weeks. Would I be able to unplug the harnesses on the control module and leave it till I get to San Antonio?
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Old Jul 21, 2013 | 10:24 PM
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post the code that will be set in the transfer case control module.

I'm sure you could unplug it and drive. I've had on occasion removed the t-case encoder motor, shifted the t-case into 2wd with a wrench and drove it to a shop in that state.

Last edited by tech2; Jul 21, 2013 at 10:27 PM.
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Old Jul 22, 2013 | 4:06 PM
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Here I go again with wild guesses, but...

It may not be moving/transferring "completely" into either, so it may "hunt".
This could be caused by lack of maintenance (Fluid Change) and some reasonable use of the Case.

So many of the problems which occur are because people buy 4WD's and never use them. The Fluid is not changed, and they goop up with shellac from non use.

I'd suggest that you do a Fluid Change, and do several transfers from 4WD-hi to 4WD-lo, which should wipe the obstructions off of the sliders and get the new Fluid circulating. This might just fix your problem, and be a lot cheaper than a tear down.

IF this does work, I'd suggest a regular transfer into 4WD-lo at least once a month, and drive it that way at least a mile or more.
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