4x2 with 4x4 equipment?

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DD777

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Hope this finds everyone doing well. I am brand new to the forum and love it so far. We just purchased a 2018 Limited Max and I have a very strange question.

The sticker of the vehicle lists 4x2 but to my great surprise it is equipped with the extra Drive Mode Dial along with the 2H, 4A, and 4L buttons. As you can probably expect, I am very confused.

I do not know how the four wheel drive works and I wanted to see how I could test things out as I am not even sure I truly have 4x4.

Please let me know your thoughts and if any of you might have heard of this happening before.

Thanks!
 

st381183

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Check the VIN on the window sticker compared to the VIN on the Expy, make sure they match, then look underneath your vehicle ... if you have a transfer case with an axle going forward into a front differential you have a 4x4. You can also but in 4x4 mode and see if the power distribution screen is showing 4 wheels receiving power.
 

JExpedition07

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If it’s got 4A or 4L switches it’s a 4x4 unless production made a interior screw up. More likely it’s listed incorrectly and is a 4x4.
 

shane_th_ee

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If it’s got 4A or 4L switches it’s a 4x4 unless production made a interior screw up. More likely it’s listed incorrectly and is a 4x4.
But the towing package brings the lockable rear differential and, presumably, the associated button. The take rate on the 4x2 with towing package is likely to be so incredibly low that I really doubt they'd create a custom panel instead of re-using the 4x4 panel with a couple of buttons that do nothing...
 

JExpedition07

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This is what will give you an answer. Stop the truck and put it in neutral and click 4L, then shift into drive. If the screen indicated it shifted into 4L and it takes more rpm to move you have a 4x4. Don’t do this prolonged just in a straight line in your driveway to test.
 
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DD777

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So crazy and no clue really. The only button I can get to to light up when I click it is the upper right that shows a picture of the 4 wheels with the x. The 2H, 4A, or 4L will not light up. Do I need to do something before pushing them?
 

JExpedition07

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The button with the X and wheels is the rear locker function. Nothing comes up in your instrument cluster if you shift to neutral and press 4L? Maybe Shane is right! You’d think ford would have blanked off the switches on a 2WD.
 
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DD777

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It would make the most sense but I don’t have the towing package. My Max has the lovely change holder and the open spot below it and from what I know, the towing package has special items in those places.
 

aggiegrad05

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I’m thinking you just got the wrong part installed in your center control area. I don’t have the tow package but I do have 4wd. Here’s what my panel looks like:

b0b69a9aed510efd01d0bcc27a332bf2.jpg

If you have extra buttons that don’t work, methinks they aren’t hooked up to anything and you just got an incorrect button assembly on the line.
 

EricExpedition

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If they are not lighting up it sounds like the wrong panel may have been installed at the factory. Reference, FX4 no HD tow package: 2H, Rear Lock, 4A, 4L.

img_20180426_192205-jpg.24812
 

Adieu

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This is what will give you an answer. Stop the truck and put it in neutral and click 4L, then shift into drive. If the screen indicated it shifted into 4L and it takes more rpm to move you have a 4x4. Don’t do this prolonged just in a straight line in your driveway to test.

Eh? Since when do you have to be in neutral to shift your 4x4???
 

1955moose

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Its actually smart to do anytime. Why push it?

Sent from my N9131 using Tapatalk
 
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DD777

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If they are not lighting up it sounds like the wrong panel may have been installed at the factory. Reference, FX4 no HD tow package: 2H, Rear Lock, 4A, 4L.

img_20180426_192205-jpg.24812


That looks like my setup without the park assist buttons. The rear lock button is the only one that lights up when pushed.
 

EricExpedition

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Whatever happened with this? Interested to know if this is another "quality control" issue from the factory.
 

Adieu

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Might've got something the dealer cobbled together from two vehicles they managed to screw up, or one vehicle they screwed up + random parts

Read one horror story about a guy who bought a new diesel BMW... and only found it had been solidly crashed by the dealership when the computer told him to go refill DEF, he took it to a shop... and the shop got real confused and then started googling.

Because the DEF fill port wasn't where it was supposed to be (rear bumper). On account of stealership having crashed the thing and mounted a replacement bumper from a different model, a gasoline car with no DEF and no port for filling it

Lol
 

JExpedition07

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My uncle sent his Bentley Continental in for service a few years ago and one of the techs at Bentley smashed the car into the entrance of the service bay. They smashed it pretty fast too. Bentley called him up and said they were going to fix it themselves and not report it to any agency or insurance. Bentley did fix it perfectly though lol.
 
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