Have you ever encountered shifting gears issues in your Ford F250 vehicle? If your answer is yes, most likely the malfunction of the transfer case is the culprit behind this. Any specific component or the whole transfer case might be liable for that. Besides the gear-shifting issues, several other complications may be created by bad transfer cases.
What are the Ford F250 transfer case problems? Some common issues that you may face are shifting gear, shifter linkage, leaking seals, etc. And there are a few more major or minor problems too. But you can fix these issues by replacing the associated faulty parts. And if it’s not fixable, you can replace the whole transfer case.
This article will guide you on every possible problem of the Ford F250 transfer case with their solutions. Let’s reveal the hacks for solving the transfer case issues.
5 most Common Ford F250 Transfer Case Problems
Transfer case plays an important role in Ford F250 Four Wheel Drive (4WD) system. It transfers energy in both the front and rare wheel. Guess what happens if the system doesn’t work properly? Below are some of the common problems that you may face in Ford F250 vehicles.
- Transfer case shift motor problem
- Shifting gears issue
- Error in transfer case shifter linkage
- Leaking seals
- Popping noises
5 easy Transfer Case Problems Solutions on Ford F250
So, you now know the issues of bad or faulty transfer cases of the Ford F250 cars that you may face. Let’s discuss the troubleshooting of the defective Ford F250 vehicle transfer case.
#1. Transfer Case Shift Motor Problem – Replace Shift Motor
This is a major problem in the Ford F250 transfer case system. Several symptoms of a bad transfer case motor are not engaging or disengaging the 4WD, buildup puddle under the transfer case, grinding noise, gear shifting issues, difficulty staying in 4WD, etc.
In the worst case, the motor may be failed too. If the motor fails the indicator light associated with the 4WD will light up. To check and fix the shift motor of the Ford F250 transfer case do the following things.
- Step 1: Remove the shift motor after rising the car with jack hands.
- Step 2: Test the motor using an Ohm test light. You can also use a car battery or jumper pack to check the shift motor.
- Step 3: If the motor is failed, replace it.
Typically, the transfer case shift motor is available between $50 to $150.
#2. Shifting Gears Issue – Replace The Faulty Part
This is one of the widely held problems in the Ford F-250 transfer case system. The issue occurs due to damaged linkage, the broken seal of the fluid container, or a low fluid level. And the root cause might be the internal transfer case failure.
Before you figure out the actual problem, you should double-check to be sure what is happening here. To do that, follow the directions of the manufacturers rightly to operate the transfer case.
For example, if you want to shift to four-low, stop the vehicle first and then place the transmission into neutral. When the transfer case is really bad, the problem will continue. But if it’s okay and the problem will disappear after several correct trials.
To solve the problem, follow the steps below.
- Step 1: Figure out the parts for which the problem is happening. Go with the car to a mechanic and find out the problem and solve it.
- Step 2: Replace the associated parts.
Depending upon which parts you need to repair or replace it may require $50 to $500 to solve the shifting gear issues.
#3. Error in Transfer Case Shifter Linkage – Replace Shifter Linkage
Transfer case shifter linkage may get loosened after a long period and mightn’t work well. It may happen due to pedal wearing out, broken or rusty spring, bushing missing, and some other reasons.
If this happens, you can fix it by replacing the whole shifter linkage or shift lever. To solve the issue, follow the steps below.
- Step 1: Loosen the 13 mm nut to remove the shift lever. You can use a screwdriver or wrench for that.
- Step 2: When the bush is missing or wearing out, you can solve the problem by adding bushing there. If you see rust in the springs remove them by applying grease or WD-40.
- Step 3: In the worst situation, replace the whole shifter linkage.
The average price of the shift lever is $100. But if you take the car to a mechanic, this will add to the installation costs.
The following video shows the process of replacing the shift lever of the transfer case for the Ford F250 vehicles.
#4. Leaking Seals – Replace The Associated Part
The transfer case in Ford F250 requires lubricant to run the parts properly. And seals play an important role to keep the process smooth. But seals will wear out over time thus creating shaft oil leaks there. Several other reasons are faulty valve seals, broken seals, bad installations, corrosion on the shaft, etc.
Shaft leaking seals will cause fluid loss that will damage the internal parts and afterward it could make the transfer case useless. After seeing this, don’t delay too much to solve the leaking. So, how to fix it? The steps are given below.
- Step 1: Monitor first, from where the oil is coming. Do it after adding a full level of lubricant. And be sure the testing pedal is pressed.
- Step 2: If no oil consumption is seen, the problem is elsewhere in the system.
- Step 3: When you see oil leakage. Take it to the mechanic and he will decide which parts need to be replaced.
Sometimes you can solve the problem by adding bushing there. But, in the worst situation, you might change the shaft. Depending upon how severe the leakage is and which parts are going to be replaced or repair you need $50 to $200 on average to solve the problem.
#5. Popping Noises – Replace The Chain or Faulty Gears
When any component of the transfer case has lack lubrication or it just wears out, this will create harsh noise. If the transfer case uses a chain-driven system, the chain may be damaged, misaligned, or stretched that’s why the sound is produced.
And if there are gears, one or multiple gears could be damaged or worn. Sometimes missing or broken needle bearings might be the culprit behind the noise. But the noise may also come from the bad fluid. Let’s fix the problem.
- Step 1: Replace the fluid, if the sound goes away then the culprit was the lubricant.
- Step 2: But if the sound remains, check if the chain or gears are damaged or worn out.
- Step 3: If you find a problem in the chain or gear, replace them.
The transfer case chain’s average price is between $100 to $150 whereas the cost for transfer case chain gear is approximately $30 to $50.
frequently asked questions (FAQs)
From the above discussion, you might get a clear idea of the Ford F250 transfer case’s common problems and solutions. However, further questions may arise in your mind. Let’s have their answers.
How much does it cost to replace a Ford F250 transfer case?
The transfer case is quite expensive. It requires $2300 to $3000 approximately to replace the whole case where $500 is labor cost and the remaining costs are parts price.
Can you drive with a faulty transfer case?
If you drive with a faulty or useless transfer case, this may prone to catastrophic damage to the transmission system. For example, when you drive with a fluid leak transfer case, this will damage the internal and external transmission systems.
Another thing is driving with a faulty encoder motor transfer case will create a C0327 fault code in the computer system of the vehicle. This will cause 4×4 performance issues if the engine fails, so you mightn’t recall the engine.
How to avoid transfer case problems on Ford F250?
Regular maintenance is the key. The primary maintenance begins with the fluid change. If you don’t change the fluid yourself, even though check the fluids as they may get contaminated like engine oil and lose effectiveness. This will save you money and make the transfer case long-lasting.
When you see any symptoms of transfer case failure of the Ford F250 take the car to an experienced mechanic instantly to figure out the problem.
Final Words
Typically, a transfer case provides a long-term service without much trouble. However, when you face any issue with the Ford F250 transfer case, don’t delay diagnosing and fixing them. The replacement of the whole transfer case of the Ford F250 will require a hefty price. So, you should repair it in the early stage.
Here we’ve discussed the common Ford F250 transfer case problems and their solutions. Hopefully, this will help you to repair the transfer case perfectly. And don’t forget to monitor the lubricants of the transfer case regularly to be sure everything is running well.
