Thread: Surf 4wd problem

Got stuck at the range today. No power to the front 2. Light came on the dash, but nothing spinning up front. Ideas?

Possibly the actuator faulty.
Common for the electric motor to fail from lack of use and/or corrosion.

Hubs not engaged? Sometimes auto locking hubs get stuck and need servicing. (assuming you have auto hubs)

Manual hubs, and they're engaged


as I understand it, it has a vacuum actuated front diff and some sort of electric motor on the transfer case. Looking for where to start really.

you need to find out if the motor on transfer case is working, easy way would be jack up the rear get someone to put in 4wd and see if front prop shaft turns or not
if it doesnt its an engagement issue
if it turns look at the front diff shoud be vacuum actuated, with truck running one has vacuum and swaps to the other when switch is turned on

Originally Posted by longrange308

you need to find out if the motor on transfer case is working, easy way would be jack up the rear get someone to put in 4wd and see if front prop shaft turns or not
if it doesnt its an engagement issue
if it turns look at the front diff shoud be vacuum actuated, with truck running one has vacuum and swaps to the other when switch is turned on

Wouldn't you have both ends up on stands? If the front decided to work it would haul you off the jack.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Wouldn't you have both ends up on stands? If the front decided to work it would haul you off the jack.

spin the wheel by hand with it up on the jack, see if it spins with the car in gear and not running.

Depends on the type of central diff setup, but yes. Though I'd still prefer axle stands while under it. Lots of axle stands and ramps the way the bloody earth moved round here. Also easier if you are likely to do any work on it.

Originally Posted by gimp

Got stuck at the range today. No power to the front 2. Light came on the dash, but nothing spinning up front. Ideas?

I've been having the same issue lately gimp! Mine are auto hubs and I found if I put it in and out a few times it seems to kick in but I was the same as you was 4 wheel driving out the back of a farm in 4wheel low - light was on all the compression etc felt the same, about half an hour in and hit a Shit patch and spin spin spin. Unfortunately has made me lose a lot of faith in my 4 wheel drive

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I had an issue with my old surf a few years ago, had a vacuum actuator near the front diff shaped like a diaphram enclosed in metal . it had a hockeystick shaped vacuum line spigot sticking out of it.
I broke it off and screwed a wood screw in the hole (stuck on the beach at the time) it pushes the diaphram over and engages the front
that screw was never pulled out of there either. stayed in there for years

Had a similar problem with my surf Gimp , turned out to be the universals on the front drive shaft.Was cheaper to get a good second hand replacement than to do the joints .