4L light keeps flashing in Safari Dicor Edit: now fixed

[jyobeb]

I've had this proble for the last few weeks on my Safari 3.0 DICOR. When I shift into 4H, the car goes into 4wd drive mode and is perfectly fine. When I sfift to 4L, the ligh keeps flashing and does not stop. The car does not shift int 4L either. What could be wrong? My servic centre wants to open up the transfer case but I am not so keen on that. I also doubt their expertise on the transfer case. Help from the Safari owners please? Italian expertise welcome too!!!

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by jyobeb

When I sfift to 4L, the ligh keeps flashing and does not stop. The car does not shift int 4L either. What could be wrong? My servic centre wants to open up the transfer case....

Try backing up just 5 or 10 meters or so when it flashes and then try to put it into LOW again. If it does not work move forward a few meters. Try this backward and forward thing a few times at very low speed then a little higher speed. You may a hear a "clunk" when it really engages. Then you may have to do the same thing to get it back out of LOW. If this does or does not solve the problem you will then have to decide whether to let them open it. It obviously is not engaging but this is not unusual.

[suman]

Jyobeb, this indicates a malfunction, I think you have no choice but to let them open up the transfer case & check it out. The 4x4 gearbox is way too complex to try & do a DIY.

What Dirty Dan has mentioned is applicable only to disengage the 4L mechanism, to the best of my knowledge it doesn't help you engage it. And if the light flashes, it simply means that it has not engaged, you can keep going back & forth but its not going to help.

My two cents.

[gd1418]

A few weeks back my wife reported this problem in the Safari. In a typical IT industry's solution, switching off and on the ignition a couple of times used to solve this problem. Later even this didn't work. Then I advised her to remove the ignition key, wait for 2 minutes (God only knows why) and then re-insert the key and start the engine. Voila, the problem got solved.

But after 48 hrs even these methods didn't work. In the meanwhile the NCR meet on the 14th came up so I advised her to refrain from driving till I could get time to have a look myself.

Checked this out on Saturday. Removed the 4WD switch from the housing and disconnected. Removed the PCB & cleaned the contacts etc. Refitted and presently working fine till now. That's the DIY I did. If anything major crops up then may have to pay a visit to the garage..

I doubt if it is a problem with the transfer case. Looks more like a sensor & electrical problem..

Originally Posted by jyobeb

I've had this proble for the last few weeks on my Safari 3.0 DICOR. When I shift into 4H, the car goes into 4wd drive mode and is perfectly fine. When I sfift to 4L, the ligh keeps flashing and does not stop. The car does not shift int 4L either. What could be wrong? My servic centre wants to open up the transfer case but I am not so keen on that. I also doubt their expertise on the transfer case. Help from the Safari owners please? Italian expertise welcome too!!!

[suman]

Originally Posted by gd1418

I doubt if it is a problem with the transfer case. Looks more like a sensor & electrical problem..

If its a sensor & electrical issue why is the 4L not engaging then? The 4H is working fine he says.

[gd1418]

The sensor for the 4L may be not functioning properly..?

Originally Posted by suman

If its a sensor & electrical issue why is the 4L not engaging then? The 4H is working fine he says.

[jyobeb]

Have not tried it yet, but just got this mail from TATA.
"Dear Sir,
Thanks for writing to us ….., please read the note on the windshield glass RHS top, above drivers side on the 4H, 4L,( or read owners Manaual)
After shifting to 4L you will need to put reverse gear and drive some small dist in reverse gear so that it engages in 4L
Hope that will solve the issue, if not then you will need to visit nearest service station"

[suman]

Originally Posted by jyobeb

Have not tried it yet, but just got this mail from TATA.
"Dear Sir,
Thanks for writing to us ….., please read the note on the windshield glass RHS top, above drivers side on the 4H, 4L,( or read owners Manaual)
After shifting to 4L you will need to put reverse gear and drive some small dist in reverse gear so that it engages in 4L
Hope that will solve the issue, if not then you will need to visit nearest service station"

LOL, are you serious! You should send them a stinker for misleading you. By the way, you do have the sticker on your windshield glass, right? It clearly mentions "Do not march the vehicle till 4H/4L indicator stops blinking". And these guys are asking you to drive it in reverse till it engages? What are you supposed to do if you are actually in territory where you need 4L immediately - drive around till you hear it "engage". Man, this is unbelievable!

The same sticker also mentions asks you To Unlock/freewheeling 4L-4H-2H, Reverse (if moving forward) or Forward (if in Reverse). This is standard procedure for DISengaging that I always follow. Till date, I haven't needed to follow this for engaging. LOL

Originally Posted by gd1418

The sensor for the 4L may be not functioning properly..?

You could be right, the manual does mention that continuous blinking indicates electrical malfunction.

Jyobeb, eitherways, get it across to a service station at the earliest opportunity.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by jyobeb

Have not tried it yet, but just got this mail from TATA.
"Dear Sir,
Thanks for writing to us ….., please read the note on the windshield glass RHS top, above drivers side on the 4H, 4L,( or read owners Manaual)
After shifting to 4L you will need to put reverse gear and drive some small dist in reverse gear so that it engages in 4L
Hope that will solve the issue, if not then you will need to visit nearest service station"

I am curious. Did you see my post above?

[Ignazio]

Hi all,
Jyobeb, my two cents here.
Try to disconnect the connector that is between the transfer case motor and the wire system. Spray a good contact cleaner and connect and disconnect several times. It is simple and may help. If it does not, you can remove the little cover, if you have it, than the motor, and with engine on, rotate the triangular shaft with a plier. If 4L engage regular, no matters what lights indicate, you do not have any problem at the transfer case, but it can be the motor or the little box commanding it. But first thing to do is to check all possible wire connectors, to make shure that water, grease, oil, muck or any others agent have not damaged the contacts.
If you need it, I can post some pictures to show how to.
Let us know!
Ciao ciao

Ignazio

[jyobeb]

Yup. Did see your post and tried it too. Did not work, hence did not post. Sorry that I did not get back on your suggestion.

[4x4addict]

Off-Topic, but why don't companies just stick with a mechanical transfer case rather than electric? More durable and reliable.

[Alfa_Kilo]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Off-Topic, but why don't companies just stick with a mechanical transfer case rather than electric? More durable and reliable.

Because the marketing suits, who dictate the vehicle's features think everything electric/electronic is better. It is high time companies have some people on their design teams who actually use the vehicles as they are meant to be.

The powered TCase is a classic case of technology for the sake of technology.

That money could be better spent on a manual TCase with a lockable torsen diff.

[jyobeb]

Originally Posted by Ignazio

Hi all,
Jyobeb, my two cents here.
Try to disconnect the connector that is between the transfer case motor and the wire system. Spray a good contact cleaner and connect and disconnect several times. It is simple and may help. If it does not, you can remove the little cover, if you have it, than the motor, and with engine on, rotate the triangular shaft with a plier. If 4L engage regular, no matters what lights indicate, you do not have any problem at the transfer case, but it can be the motor or the little box commanding it. But first thing to do is to check all possible wire connectors, to make shure that water, grease, oil, muck or any others agent have not damaged the contacts.
If you need it, I can post some pictures to show how to.
Let us know!
Ciao ciao

Ignazio

Thanks for the input. Did you mean that I have to remove the motor too, to see the shaft? Well that means I have to do it at my friends workshop. Wish me luck!

[gd1418]

@jyobeb: Will you please reply to the mail from TATA that you got as given below:

Sir,

Thank you for your mail and advice. I'm stuck in the sand dunes of Jaiselmer in the scorching sun for the last 4 hours. To get out, I've engaged the 4L and put the vehicle in reverse so that the transmission enagages. But since the vehicle is stuck, it is not moving backards for the 4L to engage. I'm thirsty and hungry as well and the slowly getting low on fuel too. After sometime the AC will stop functioning. Please, Please organise a rescue mission immediately.

Thank you,

Jyobeb
(from my Blackberry)

Let us see what response they give....Man, do these customer service advisors in TATA need to be whacked; no, they need to do a stint on the floor of the workshop to understand how a machine works..

Originally Posted by jyobeb

Have not tried it yet, but just got this mail from TATA.
"Dear Sir,
Thanks for writing to us ….., please read the note on the windshield glass RHS top, above drivers side on the 4H, 4L,( or read owners Manaual)
After shifting to 4L you will need to put reverse gear and drive some small dist in reverse gear so that it engages in 4L
Hope that will solve the issue, if not then you will need to visit nearest service station"