This is only the second time I have had the truck in 4Lo. First time was two weeks ago when the snow came down and I wanted to try 4Lo in the new truck. Ram worked fine. Xterra had a manual transfer case(You stopped, shifted the lever to 4Lo and proceeded on, backed up 3' to unlock the hubs). Today I make a complete stop, turn the **** to 4Lo and proceed along at 5mph up the father-in-laws gravel driveway to pick up 500 lbs of gravel. On my first hard turn to the right the rear end feels like it is locked up like a solid axle with the tire skipping in the gravel? I stop take it out of 4Lo and put it in 4Lock. Everything is fine, or so it appears! Get the gravel loaded and head down the gravel lane way and go to take it out of 4lo into 4Auto and the indicator lights say " 4Lo" "BAS" "ESP" is on and the display panel says the "ESP system is off". Hmmm? I creep along further and turn the **** to 2WD and the light indicates 4Lo? WTF? I turn to 4auto and the lights says that I am in 4 auto, BUT the transfer case is still in low range! Shift to 4 Lock, 4Lock lights comes on and transfer case is still in low range? I stop turn off the truck for a minute, restart and the **** is in 2WD and the lights says I am in 4LO? I tried backing up 6 feet like you used to with the old transfer cases to unlock the hubs, no success still in 4Lo. Limp the truck home 7 kilometres on the side of the road, no cell coverage where he lives. We had flashers on going 15mph the hole way home. Stopped and shut off the truck again. Still in 4Lo. Turned up our driveway, rear end is binding again!! Stop, unload gravel. Disconnect battery for 15+ minutes. Reconnect. same warnings. 4Lo light on, BAS and ESP lights are on. Tried it again and SERV 4WD flashed before the ESP BAS light came on.

Wife found on the other Dodge forum about switching on the Neutral switch then rotating the **** back to 2WD, Didn't fix it! Neutral switch just flashed. Couldn't hear any mechanical movements.

Calling dealer at 7:30 in the morning!!!!

 

Unlike when changing to 4 hi (4 lock), to switch to 4 lo you need to have the gearshift in neutral (transmission, not transfer case). Did you try that? The owner's manual has full instructions and tips on how to deal with various situations.

Rob

 

Got the solution from a member on *********.
Place the parking brake on, shift the shifter to neutral, touch the neutral button on the dash. Problems solved!

My big gripe is, This isn't in the paper manual? Or did I miss something?
The old days, you stopped, shifted out of 4LO to 2Hi backed up 6' and everything was Honkey-Dorey.....

Damn computers......

 

Mine goes in and out of 4wd low fine as long as the truck is in neutral, I've never had to push the neutral button on the dash.

 

Are you sure you had the gearshift in neutral the first couple of times you tried it? From your description it sounds like you didn't. That's the key. You can't get into or out of 4 Lo without the transmission lever being in N. You don't have to back up, you don't have to put the parking brake on (the manual recommends actually rolling at 1-2mph in N), and you don't need to mess with the transfer case Neutral button.

Rob