2002 Dodge Dakota 3.9 automatic 4x4. Was parked for a year in 4HI. Started it up wouldn't shift out of 4HI. Took the shift motor off bench tested it and shifts no problem. Plug back in and the dash switch wont recognize it. So I was hotwiring it to shift into 2wd or 4hi. Since then I have replaced the shift motor with a rebuilt one and have a spare transfer case computer and switch. Worked at first for a couple shifts... When I jiggled the 6 wire plug leading into the shift motor it would work or disable the shift switch. I cannot find a replacement 6 way plug, Dodge discontinued it and the junkyards here don't have one. So I tried replacing the pins but nobody has those pins. They looked fine though. So I replaced two feet of wire leading into the shift motor, crimped disconnects on them and they fit snug. Still have the same problem!! Is there any other thing that could cause a problem in this system. Checked all the voltages and they are fine 12v leading into the motor and 5v on the 6 prong plug except for the solid yellow wire which I assume is ground. Good voltage to the 4 prong on the computer. Fuses fine. Im losing my mind. What am I missing? The wiring that goes over the transmission looks fine, rubs on nothing.. 233 transfer case.

 

I am leaving Maine for North Dakota on Sunday and need to get this figured out tomorrow or I'm wiring a toggle switch into the cab to hotwire it manually. May be related, but this truck has had random misfires with two different motors in it. Replaced the o2 sensors on it, cam, crank, plugs, wires, TPS, cap, rotor, 1 other sensor on the throttle body I cant remember the name of and the MAP and other sensors tested fine for voltage. Still, random misfires and misfires on 1 and 5. Bad computer? And with 120k changed the tranny fluid and found a piece of broken ring in the pan. Just had the tranny rebuilt in my 01 ram 2500, plowing and burnt out the torque converter. Time to buy Ford?

 

I hate saying this, but I endorse the hotwiring method...But if you've got all the right voltages at the motor coming from the PCM, and the motor works on the bench, I'm lost.

 

Me too. Totally lost. I have spent countless hours on this. It has to be bad wiring somewhere, but where? I hate rigging things, but if I make it to ND in this truck, I'm done with it. To the junkyard it goes, but I would rather run it because working in the oilfield I wont have to drive much. That damn Ram tranny rebuild set me back 2k then blew within 100 miles. Well that crook offers a year warranty rebuild on the tranny, but after I paid, it was written on the invoice "no warranty on self installs". told him I was pulling it and installing it before I brought it there. So I'm screwed and will try taking him to court in the spring.

 

Sorry got off topic there.. I'm leaning towards a bad rebuilt motor. I may try returning it and put the old one back in that can be hotwired. The old one does have a bad sensor I think on the 6 plug. But works on the power side. The new one seems to be very sensitive.

 

definitely sounds like a crook on that deal. Probably didn't even fix anything, just bandaided it. I had a shop do that on mine. Finally took it to another racer's shop and had him do it right. Wasn't cheap, but I didn't have to babysit him and I got to walk in and see where he was at on it whenever I wanted.

You might be close to the target. If the feedback sensor isn't working, then the PCM/4wd controller may not be willing to operate the solenoid.

 

Where is the solenoid on this? Any idea? Thanks for any reply BTW. Happy new year! This winter here has been horrible. A foot of snow every week and then an ice storm and wont get above 0 for a few days this week. I need 4x4 and don't wanna burn out the transfer case I have. Cheers!

 

Gave it one last shot and it works for now. Unplugged the six prong rig and plugged each wire back in, then unhooked the negative battery for a half hour and after putting it in 4lo then back to 2hi it worked. For now. Till I can get a correct wiring harness haha. So the problem all along was the original shift motors sensor and bad wiring internally I assume because the outside looked fine. After having two broken Dodge's in the driveway and spending 5k fixing them this year I am done with Dodge sorry. Going to buy an 02 F350 power stroke in a couple months. I have been loyal to Dodge for 12 years now and they just don't seem to last past 120k without having major problems. Bad valves, lifters, trannys seem to be universal.

 

It is the CTM(central timing module) most likely. Mine is doing similar and based on my research that is the problem. It sounds stupid and I don't see how but this seems to be the fix for that common problem. It is located behind the kick panel on the driver side foot well. Im trying to figure out how to wire mine to a toggle switch because the shift motor and all is fine on mine but once the "service 4wd" light comes on then it wont shift

 

I looked into the CTM and read a list of what it controls and transfer case operation was not one of them. Mine is still working fine with my new wiring and shift motor but the transfer case computer behind the shifting switch (the blue box) I have to wiggle the power wire for a second to make it shift instantly. If you do put a toggle switch in, if you don't know already, the two prong plug on the side of the transfer case shift motor is what actually shifts it. Both wires have 12v running through them so both would have to be hot. Power to one wire shifts to 2w and to the next 4hi I assume. And hopefully it wont be able to shift into 4lo without your tranny being in neutral, but who knows if that is controlled by the six wire sensor. I was planning on possibly running a power wire to say the starter fuse or wiper motor fuse to my toggle switch and grounding the switch with a self tapping screw on the frame, with two power wires running into the transfer case motor. But luckily I rigged it up to work. When the service 4wd comes on, that is controlled by the 6 wire sensor on the transfer case motor. That sensor could be bad or your wiring is bad. Give the wires a good shake. Mine had an internal short I think with no outer damage. New wiring cured it.