It needs a new 'Shifter Sheet' Easy to put in and not too expensive. It is available on Ebay.
the L means you are in low range in the transmission, ie 2 wheel drive low or 4wd low
If you put the sami in low range and the gears are working in low (IE: The front drive shaft is turning) Then the problem is the HUBS. I had this problem and the prior owner had assembled the hubs incorrectly which prevented the hub or hubs from locking. Specifically, the spring was not in between the selector twist knob and the lock-in ring, it was between the lock ring and the inside of the hub. Remember BOTH must be lock for the front wheels to be driven. This is an easy fix, just pull out the hubs, clean them up and reassemble correctly.
by turning the knob behind the gear shift below the radio from 2wd to 4wd 0r 4wd low. if you are going to 4wd low stop and put vehicle in neutral first.
On a 2001 Ford Ranger : If you have selected 4X4 HIGH , yes , you should see (4WD in your dash ) If you have selected 4X4 LOW , yes , you should see (4WD LOW in your dash )
A malfunction has been detected - could be a sensor
Well your 4WD might be going out, it probably wouldn't hurt to get it checked out.
Push the button that says 4WD, either Hi or Low, depending on which one you want. Push the button that says 4WD, either Hi or Low, depending on which one you want.
Try downshifting Down shifting will help but the reason it helps is because the Samurai is a low power engine. Brand new from the factory my '86 1.3 liter is 66 horsepower. That is less that some motorcycles and maybe even a few golf carts... Ha! Seriously is is a lot of metal powered by a small engine so the weight to Horsepower ratio is low.
4 Lo(w) is the the mode used for severe low speed 4WD conditions such as steep hills and very slippery conditions . It is a very low range so any continued use at high speed will stress the 4WD components. The truck must be stopped and the transmission in neutral in order for it to engage or disengage.
need more info.. is it a manual 4WD that you have to pull the lever on the transmission hump to engage the 4wd or is it push button 4WD?
No special button, just pull the smaller gearshift down, and you will see the "4WD" light on the dash. down position is high 4WD and down and over to the righ and up is Low 4WD.
On a 1995 Ford Explorer , that has the Control Trac 4x4 system , the rotary four wheel drive control is in the center stack of the dash , to the left of the radio ( 2WD , 4WD AUTO , 4WD LOW ) With the engine running , switch the rotary dial from 2WD to 4WD AUTO , that way if the rear wheels slip , some power is transferred to the front wheels 4WD LOW is used off road where the speed is limited and is selected with the engine running , foot on brake , shift to NEUTRAL , select 4WD LOW , then shift from neutral into gear