Symptoms of a Faulty or Faulty Front Axle Engage Switch

If your vehicle has four wheel drive but the system is unable to engage, is stuck or will not activate, consider replacing the front axle enable switch.

The clutch engagement switch is a component commonly found on XNUMXxXNUMX vehicles. As the name suggests, this is a switch that controls the engagement of the front axles. When the switch is activated, the front differential engages, sending power to the front wheels. Depending on the specific configuration of the vehicle, the axle enable switch may be an electrical switch mounted on the dashboard or a mechanical lever. While most AWD components are designed to last a long time, they can fail over time. Usually, a defective or faulty clutch engagement switch will cause several symptoms that may alert the driver to a potential problem.

1. Difficulty turning on all-wheel drive

One of the first symptoms of a potential problem with the front axle enable switch is difficulty engaging the vehicle's all-wheel drive system. A faulty switch may require pressing or pushing a knob or button several times before the AWD system engages, and even then it may have trouble engaging.

2. Four-wheel drive gets stuck

Another sign of a potential problem with the front axle enable switch is a stuck AWD system. A bad switch can cause the AWD system to be stuck in a permanently on or off mode. This is a problem, as having the XNUMXWD system on all the time will cause accelerated wear on the components, while having it permanently off will leave the car without XNUMXWD.

3. All-wheel drive mode does not turn on

Another more serious symptom of a problem with the front axle enable switch is an all-wheel drive system that cannot be activated. If the axle enable switch fails, the driver will not be able to turn the AWD system on or off, causing the system to become inoperable. The switch usually needs to be replaced to restore proper operation of the AWD system.

While not all vehicles have front axle engagement switches, they are very important for the vehicles they are fitted to, which are all-wheel drive vehicles. When a switch fails, it can cause all sorts of system performance issues. If you suspect your front axle engagement switch may have a problem, have your vehicle checked by a professional technician such as AvtoTachki to determine if your vehicle needs a front axle engagement switch replacement.