Redfisher1974
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2023
- Posts
- 347
- Reaction score
- 416
- Location
- Palmerston Ontario Canada
- Ram Year
- 2017
- Engine
- 3.6
Hello, I own a 2017 outdoorsman with a 3.6 that has had a issue for a year or more of service 4wd light coming on when wet. Think i may have fixed it (knock on wood) so thought id post it in case it may help others. As i researched this problem a lot without a lot of answers.
(Back story).
It started with light only coming on when going through car wash with under carriage wash, light would come on but go out after a few miles..
Then at later dates it started to happen in heavy rain, then recently it would happen just siting out in the rain.
After putting it off for some time I decided to try and figure it out. I took garden hose and started at the transfer case. Gave it a good soak with water at all connections and wires etc. then started truck, did this at all main connections.. when i got up to passenger side fire wall under hood I sprayed the black/grey junction box connector mount on inner fender and boom service 4wd light goes on. Awesome i found problem! Took it apart dried it out and filled with dielectric grease. Been out in rain storm no issues and car wash no more issues..
Maybe only a temp fix but at least i know where issue is and can fix properly if needed later.
I can add pics later if that would help.
One thing I noticed is the block is right under the space between hood and fender and was kinda angled upwards so i figure when raining water was dripping down onto block and seeping in making a short maybe?
Also when light was on and you accelerated the light would go out under the g force but if you hit the brakes it would come back on with the negative g force? I wonder if the movement was making the water move around in the junction block? I dunno was really interesting.. lol
Anyways hope this helps someone with this annoying problem. Cheers my friends!
(Back story).
It started with light only coming on when going through car wash with under carriage wash, light would come on but go out after a few miles..
Then at later dates it started to happen in heavy rain, then recently it would happen just siting out in the rain.
After putting it off for some time I decided to try and figure it out. I took garden hose and started at the transfer case. Gave it a good soak with water at all connections and wires etc. then started truck, did this at all main connections.. when i got up to passenger side fire wall under hood I sprayed the black/grey junction box connector mount on inner fender and boom service 4wd light goes on. Awesome i found problem! Took it apart dried it out and filled with dielectric grease. Been out in rain storm no issues and car wash no more issues..
Maybe only a temp fix but at least i know where issue is and can fix properly if needed later.
I can add pics later if that would help.
One thing I noticed is the block is right under the space between hood and fender and was kinda angled upwards so i figure when raining water was dripping down onto block and seeping in making a short maybe?
Also when light was on and you accelerated the light would go out under the g force but if you hit the brakes it would come back on with the negative g force? I wonder if the movement was making the water move around in the junction block? I dunno was really interesting.. lol
Anyways hope this helps someone with this annoying problem. Cheers my friends!