My Jeep recently decided that it wanted the dash light on that showed it was in 4wd. It’s not actually in 4wd, but the light comes on.
I finally took it to be serviced and it would cost $225 to change the sensor so that the light doesn’t come on erroneously.
One of my coworkers said she’d have it fixed. I’m really surprised that she would, so I’m starting to wonder if she’s as freaky as I think!
So, would you spend it?
No. (Especially if you have another way of determining whether the car is in 4WD (like lever position).)
In some cars, a constantly lit idiot light means there’s something wrong with the underlying system. I assume the dealer confirmed that this is not the case here. If your light serves that function but you don’t get it fixed, you would no longer have that bit of warning about a problem. But for a car that is already out of warranty, as yours must be, I think it’s the least of your worries.
Right. He said that it doesn’t do anything but announce that it thinks it’s in 4wd. Even the guy at the shop assumed I wouldn’t be getting it fixed, so I was surprised when my coworker said she would anyway.
Questionable.
Then again, I drive a 2000 Saturn with 50K miles. I’m at that point in the car’s life cycle where routine maintainence becomes a little more expensive, as things wear out. And I’m not car savvy enough to be entirely sure that what the maintainance folk say is wrong with the car is really wrong. And I just had a car repair scare, so, you know, I might not get it repaired now, but consider paying the $200 six months down the road when they tell me the intake manifold gasket thingy needs replacing, and the labor costs there are twice the cost of the part.
I’ve got a few lights that act funny but when they told me it would require taking off the dashboard, I figured it wasn’t worth it. I’m talking part of the light behind the speedometer, the light down by the gearshift, … I also have to tap the fusebox area to get the intermittents to work but of course they worked fine when the garage tried them. :rolleyes:
I am willing to pay for any work that will help the operation or prolong the life of my car. For something merely cosmetic, I wouldn’t think it’s worth it.
Especially, if like Spiral S. pointed out, there is another way to be sure if the car is in 4wd or not.
Little piece of black electrical tape. Problem solved! 
Oh. And I do accept Paypal.
I would probably not have it fixed.
Is there no one who can do the repair for less? Unless I had money burning a hole in my pocket I wouldn’t have it fixed for that much.
-Lil
I wouldn’t pay that much money. Did they tell you specifically what was wrong with it? I’ve noticed that if I get my car diagnosed for something electrical, they’ll tell me they want $200 to fix it, and then I’ll go home and replace some fuses and everything’s fine.
Try that - it never hurts to replace fuses anyway, so long as you’re using the right kind.
Otherwise, no, I wouldn’t fix it. It’s an annoyance, nothing more. Definitely not worth $200 - I can’t say this for sure, but I’m willing to bet that the car place is spending MAYBE $50 for parts and labor, tops. That’s in the most expensive situation possible.
~Tasha
[Disclaimer] I don’t know jack shit about the 4WD system on a Jeep[/disclaimer]
I somehow doubt that this sensors only function is to turn on a light on the dash. I have to believe that it has some other function as well.
I would probably fix it for that reason.
You might want to ask how much the part is (and exactly what part it is, so you can shop around instead of buying from the dealer) and replace it yourself, or have a friend do it.
Rick, the situation that comes to mind it maybe a sensor right under the trim of the lever that turns the light on, perhaps sensor isn’t the right word, maybe it’s just a switch. For example a ‘sensor’ that turns on the dash light that says (!BRAKE!). AFAIK (though you know more) only turns on the light and serves no other function (or does it).
Get a written estimate, stating what is wrong (ie, its just the sensor and not a larger, more serious problem, and is not an important issue). Put it with your registration papers. That way if something “bad” does happen, and can be traced back to that “faulty sensor”, you are able to go after the mechanics for negligance.
Keep that problem in mind, and next time you are having more important/critical work done, tell the mechanics, “Oh, by the way, could you change out the faulty sensor, while your down there?” (Its cost should be rolled into the other work).
Just some thoughts
Regards
FML
Good luck with this. You were told it was bad, you declined repairs. It all on you.
Why? There’s plenty of lights/sensors on a car that simply act as feedback to the driver.
Well, how old is the Jeep? If this happened in my 1996 Grand Cherokee I wouldn’t even think of getting it fixed. Now if the Jeep is only a few years old… yeah, I’d probably get it fixed. But that’s just me.
Since it has been posted up thread that you can verify 2WD or 4Wd by looking at the position of the lever, and if all we are trying to do is determine the position of the lever, all that is needed is a simple switch, like what is on a handbrake lever, not a sensor.
The word sensor usually indicates a more complex item than a simple on off switch.
Looking over at Wiki it seems that Jeep has used more 4WD systems than I can shake a stick at.
Unless I knew for sure that it was just a switch, I would fix it.
Also if you ever go to sell the Jeep, a warning light on when it should not be will probably cost you more than $225 at trade in.
Well, if it ain’t broke…
How’s that saying go again?
Oh yeah - if it ain’t broke, you can always spend egregious amounts of money on little lights and sensors and 20" rims.
I believe it was Thomas Jefferson who said that.
Get hold of a Haynes manual for your vehicle. If the library or a friend can’t lend you one, most auto parts stores will have one at a cost of $25–35.
Find the Transfer Case section, study photos and/or cutaway and exploded-view illustrations to determine where the switch should be on your vehicle. If you have a copier function on your printer, copy all of this stuff so you can take just a few clipped-together pages with you under the car instead of a whole book.
The applicable page(s) of the wiring diagrams in the book should back up the photos/cutaways, etc.
Since it’s a 4WD Jeep and a fat guy like me can reach most things beneath a 2WD Ranger without resorting to ramps or jackstands,you should just need to set your parking brake as tightly as possibe, chock yor wheels, and head under the car.
The switch should either look like a screw-in plug in the side of the transfer case with a small electrical connection to it, or, in the case of one that works on EXTERNAL linkage, a refrigerator door-light plunger that works in reverse–plunger “in” turns the light “on”, not “off”
These cheapie switches, which are also used on transmissions to light backup lights, are prone to failure and most manufacturers put them where they’re fairly accessible. Chances are that both the transmission-mounted backup light switch and your transfer case-mounted 4WD light switch have the very same part number. If they do, then there’s no critical control function at risk here–it’s just a light switch that can be replaced at your leisure.
$215 labor for a $10 switch that’s probably fairly easy to get at is insane.