4WD switch problems

toomanytoys · Aug 19, 2018

My 98 Expy has been pretty rock solid over the years but this issue has me stumped. While driving through Florida last week I got caught in a massive storm that brought traffic to a halt. It was raining that heavy. Anyway about a half hour later all of the 4WD lights on the dash started flashing as well as the low washer warning. Every time the lights flashed on I heard the relay under the dash clicking. After about a half hour it stopped but now it won’t go into 4WD or awd with the switch. When I hit the switch on the dash I get nothing. No lights no relay nothing. The lights do come on when I first start the truck the way they are supposed to.

Where do I start? Dead relay? Harness?

ChrisOIFdoc · Aug 19, 2018

I would assume since it manifested in rain it would be bare wires causing a short. Check the wires that connect to the transfer case for start

ExplorerTom · Aug 19, 2018

Or the famous windshield leak and the GEM is wet.

1955moose · Aug 20, 2018

I'm with Tom it's water leaking into the gem module. My 2000 did the same thing till I resealed it, and put dieelectric grease into the plugs for the gem, and fuse box. Having a window shop reseal is your best bet, but you can seal from outside with 3 m window sealer yourself. O'Reilly's sells a tube that you use in a caulking gun. To totally seal around window, you'll need 2 tubes, at about $16.00 each tube. That's what I did, and can go through the heaviest storm now

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justKen · Aug 20, 2018

ExplorerTom said:
Or the famous windshield leak and the GEM is wet.

1955moose said:
I'm with Tom it's water leaking into the gem module. My 2000 did the same thing till I resealed it, and put dieelectric grease into the plugs for the gem, and fuse box. Having a window shop reseal is your best bet, but you can seal from outside with 3 m window sealer yourself. O'Reilly's sells a tube that you use in a caulking gun. To totally seal around window, you'll need 2 tubes, at about $16.00 each tube. That's what I did, and can go through the heaviest storm now

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Yep

/K

toomanytoys · Aug 20, 2018

My windshield used to leak really bad from the top corner on the drivers side. I resealed it and the water on the floor stopped. When the leak is near the gem does the floor get wet as well? Funny I thing is here in NYC no shop is willing to remove the windshield and seal it. It’s new glass only. Guess I’ll try to dry the gem out and seal it up and see what happens

Trainmaster · Aug 21, 2018

Find a small mom & pop shop. Here on Long Island there are a few that will do it, but it's not much less expensive than a new windshield. After all, the labor's the same and they have to worry about breaking the glass. Figure about $200 - $250.

1955moose · Aug 21, 2018

Anytime you try removing any windshield, theirs always that possibility. Factor in 16-20 year old first edition glass, and the breakage problem increases. I'd try sealing from the outside first along with electricaly sealing the pins of the plugs. It's a bit of work getting to them, but not impossible. As a further precaution I wrapped plastic bags around the Gem, and top of inside fuse box. Untill I did the dielectric grease and bags, my electrics were still acting possesed, even with a bunch of sealer.

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ChrisOIFdoc · Aug 22, 2018

ExplorerTom said:
Or the famous windshield leak and the GEM is wet.

Never heard of it. Glad I live in a dry climate.

1955moose · Aug 22, 2018

It's got to rain sometime in New Mexico. All first editions had the windshield leakage problem. Mine was so bad the first week I had my Suv, I thought it was possessed.

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4WD switch problems

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