Hey Guys.
I haven't put my truck in 4x4 since last winter and was under the impression that their was a light in the dash that would say 4 low or 4 high. We had some flurries last night so I just thought I would check things out, and thier was no lights. I just purchased my 04 quad cab 4x4 last winter and don't have much experiance with 4x4. The truck also has the manual shifter on the floor.
Buy the way i just spotted my 96 ram that I wrote off last winter back on the road. That just shows they can take a beating.

 

Hi wer2nv4.
I have an 03 with a 4 hi 4 low 2 wd shifter on the floor.
There is only a 4X4 light, which comes on in orange at the bottom of the instrument cluster when engaging either 4 wd hi/lo.
It only says 4x4 no matter what you engage hi or lo.
Does this light come on when you first switch your ignition on and all the lamps light up on your instrument cluster?
You may just have the 4X4 light out.
Try shifting into 4 lo.
You can tell imediately if everything is working if this is selected, as road speed will be very slow compared to the engine revs. These will be higher than when your in 2wd or 4wd.
Hope this helps?
Al.

 

I'll give it a try in the morning. It's too cold out side right now. Do i have to shift into nutral to get into 4 low?

 

I'm pretty sure its between 2wd and 4 low...so I would say yes, I wouldn't be slamming the 4x4 shifter up real quick, don't need to break stuff.

 

It might be the vacuum switch on the intermediate shaft on the front axle. I had a 00 ram sport, the yellow 4+4 light never came on but the shift on the fly between 2 hi and 4 hi was always perfect. Then I found out the vacuum switch for the intermediate shaft was broken so the shaft was always engaged, ( bad gas mileage) so the transfer case was the only link left between 2 & 4 wheel drive. When I fixed the switch ( with a cable actuator , much cheaper) the yellow 4+4 light worked for the first time. With the cable, I could run the rear axle in 4 lo without the front axle engaged.

 

I looked at the instrument panel today when I started the truck and no 4x4 light came on. But when I put the truck in 4 low it was noticebly slower but still no light. I forget how to put the truck in the dianostic mode to call up codes I'm pretty sure that will illuminate the instrument cluster.

 

Mine never cam on under any conditions, until I replaced the vacuum switch.