Durk, the wire colors on the old switch are both solid gray. There is no white stripe or different colored wires.

 

My mistake, sorry. The colors are only on the truckside of the plug. The EWD doesn't show that and I just assumed...incorrectly.

So I still don't know for sure if you swapped the correct plug.

But I would get to that 4wd relay. It has 5 wires: 2 black/white , one blue, one light green, and one green-red...I hope. This assumes '99 and 2000 are the same. We need to see if the blue wire has continuity to ground when the J-shift is in 4H. If it does, then check 4L. Do you know how to do that?

If it does, we know the switch is working.

While you are there, make sure you have power to both black-white wires when key is on.

 

I'm not sure how to test continuity to ground Durk. My daughter is driving the 4runner to work everyday so I haven't had the chance to crawl under it and check the colors on the plug for the transfer switch. When I get a day off that coincides with her work schedule I will pull it in the shop and check that relay.

 

Ok. You need a 12V test light (not a house current one) or a digital voltmeter. I suggest you first test those black-white wires. So put one lead on ground--that brass clip that holds the kick panel works great--and the other on the pin inside the connector that goes to the black-white wire--either one. Then do the other one. If it lights up or read 12V more or less, you have power there. Now, to check ground, you put one lead on the 12V source you just confirmed, the pin that goes to a black-white wire, and the other on the pin that goes to the blue wire. If it lights up or reads 12V, then you have continuity to ground.

Tell me what happens and I'll tell you what to do next.

 

Durk, I tested the wires going to the relay. I have power on both black/white wires but I get nothing when I test for continuity to ground between the black and the blue wire. If I use my test light and the alligator clip is to ground and I touch the blue wire the relay clicks. Sorry, I hate electrical work and I suck at it!

 

Well, that says your switch is not talking to the relay. Which means one of:

a) they fixed the wrong switch
b) they fixed the right switch but the problem was in the connection
c) the problem is inside the TC and switch is not being actioned.

You're doing fine. We'll get this.

Need to confirm which side has the blue wire. Then jump that switch and see if there is ground at blue wire on relay. I have a little jumper I made with a foot of wire and two alligator clips. But you can fake it with a paper clip.

 

Durk, I was just under the vehicle and both switches have a white/black wire, and both have blue wires. The one on the drivers side has a blue wire with a red stripe. I can't see the one on the passenger side well enough to tell if it has a stripe or is just plain blue.

 

My brother who was a Dodge mechanic for 20 years has been helping me. I unplugged the relay, unplugged both switches on the TC and put a jumper wire on the relay connection side between the blue and the black/white wire, then went under the vehicle and used a test light to see if I had power on either of the plug ins...I don't. Is this wrong methodology?

 

Yup.No power in that circuit.

 

If the red stripe is on driver's side, Charchee was right. They fixed the wrong switch. The passenger side has to have the solid blue. So jump that switch, put the J-shift in 4H, start the engine and see if you have 4wd.

 

Now I am confused. I replaced the switch on the passenger side...its the one with the solid blue wire. When I jumper wired the relay side of the plug and went underneath to check that plug in, we were basically doing that to make sure we didn't have a broken wire. There is power going to the plug in underneath so that rules out a broken wire.

 

The dealership didn't replace the switch, I did. They diagnosed it and said that switch was bad. I pulled the switch and did an continuity test on it and there was none. I tested the new switch I purchased and it tested good...that switch is on the passenger side and has a solid blue wire going to it.

 

Sorry, my mistake. I should not have trusted my memory. Well, then, you should test continuity between the terminals on that switch and where they go. One should have ground and the other should connect to the blue wire at the relay. Also test that the switch shows continuity when J-shift is in 4H or 4L. No need to start engine. One of those tests should fail. Pretty sure you can reach the terminals from underneath.

 

I don't have any continuity at the switch when the lever is in 4hi or 4l...

 

Ok. Not what you expected to see.

Only three possibilities now.

Bad switch out of the box.
Not screwed in all the way.
Something broke inside the TC and ball is not being pushed in by the J-shift.

So you can pull the switch and see if it is bad. If good, try reinstalling it. If no joy, if I were you, I would hot wire a regular switch inside the cab from that blue wire by the relay to ground. Then engage the ADD manually when you need it.

When spring comes, fix it right.

 

Thanks Durk. I screwed it in as tight as it would go. I also tested that switch before I installed it. My guess is something is not right in the TC. Can you tell me if the transfer cases are the same from automatics to manuals?

 

I honestly don't know. Just to be sure, do that test where you jump the two terminals on the switch to each other, engage 4H on the -J-shift, and start the engine. If it gives you 4WD, then the TC is indeed the issue. And that's as far as I can take you. I've never been inside one.

 

Durk, problem solved. I hate that it was something so simple that made so much work for me and everyone involved. There is a washer that goes on the transfer case switch. When I took the old one out the washer stayed on the transfer case. When I installed the new switch with the new washer I actually double washered the new switch, thus preventing the pawl in the transfer case from actuating the switch. I can't thank you enough for all the help that you and Charchee provided! This site is invaluable!!

 

No apology needed. We've all done stuff like that. I'm just glad we could troubleshoot the problem and get to the exact cause. Guessers would have changed the VSVs, the relay, and the TC by now.

You did fine, by the way. We got the answers at each stage so we could figure where to go next. This was a win.