Q: Switched to 4WD - did fine for a little then started making grinding noise. Now car won't move and the 4WD light is blinking.

asked by on January 09, 2017

My car started fine and as I was driving the roads started getting a little slippery (it just recently snowed), so I switched to 4WD. The car drove fine for about 100ft before it began decelerating and making a grinding noise in the front. I hit my warning lights, parked the car, and attempted to disengage the 4WD. Now the 4WD light is blinking and the grinding noise persists whenever I put it into reverse or drive (it stops making the noise in park and neutral). The car will not move forward.

My car has 157685 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Loud noises when car is put in gear Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

Hi there. If the 4WD light is blinking and you hear a grinding noise when the transmission is in drive or reverse only, then the transfer case has either broken the fork inside the case or the syncronizer jammed up and is grinding the gears inside the case. If the noise is not coming from the transfer case, then the front differential could be damaged. I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you diagnose your 4WD not working issue.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

How do I clean the windows and wiper blades?
It is normal for the windows to become dirty. Proper cleaning will increase your visibility when the windows become dirty. To clean the windows and wiper blades. Wipe the wiper blades down with rubbing alcohol. Wipe the windows and the...
How do I turn on the rear view camera?
The rear view camera provides excellent visibility when you are reversing your vehicle. This system operates with a camera above your license plate, which displays an image on your display. The rear view camera will automatically turn on when the...
Air conditioning on high caused radio turn off, gas gauge to empty,warning lights on
The most likely cause of this is a battery with a failed cell, alternator, battery cable or the AC compressor itself. If the charging system has a fault, it will not be able to support all of the car's systems,...
Why would my ecm or tcm overheat
All the ECM's or PCM's will generate some normal heat from the transistors, processors, or chips. If you are having failure from a problem, then there should be codes stored inside the module that may indicate the problem. You may...
Failed inspection due to e brake not working please help me identify parking brake and emergency brake?
What aspect of it do you need identified? To start, the parking brake and the emergency brake are the same part. Those are the two of the names given to the additional brake or hand brake as it is also...
Why does my shifter get stuck in park in my 2013 Kia Forte
Though this can happen for quite a few different reasons. Most of the time the issue is caused by the brake light switch so I always check to see if the brake lights are working when the issue comes up....
Should the "VDC" light be on or off? 2012 Nissan Xterra
Hi there - when the "VDC (https://www.yourmechanic.com/question/what-does-the-vehicle-dynamic-control-vdc-warning-light-mean)" light is illuminated on your dashboard, that means that Vehicle Dynamic Control is "OFF". It should be "ON" normally, so that it automatically steps in to reduce power when wheel spin is detected...
My car wont unlock when i use my remote. There seems to be a functioning battery on my remote. When i click the buttons using my r
Hello there. It is quite possible that your car battery is dead or the remote button is dead. The best way to determine this is to unlock your vehicle manually and attempt to start the car. If none of the...
Replaced master/slave cylinder and clutch pedal is hard as a rock and won't depress what could it be?
You need to open the bleeder on the slave cylinder to see if the clutch can be pressed down? If it still cannot be pushed down then the problem is in the clutch master cylinder and it is binding. If...

Related articles

The Best Used Cars to Buy If You Have Kids
Once Once you have kids, the kind of car you have becomes very important. Suddenly, the amount of space, entertainment features, reliability, safety, and easy to clean interior become the top priorities. Here’s a list of vehicles meant to satisfy...
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Front Output Shaft Bearing
Common signs include a noisy drivetrain, excessive vibrations, and oil leaking from the transfer case in all-wheel or four-wheel vehicles.
Symptoms of Bad or Failing Spring Insulators
Common signs include the vehicle bottoming out, excessive road noise, grinding noises while turning, and damage to front tires and brakes.