How to Reset the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD System Warning
Who would have thought that there would be more flashing lights on the dashboard of a grand Cherokee jeep than the lights on a police car? It may sound strange, but sometimes there are a lot of visual triggers on the dashboard of a grand Cherokee jeep, ranging from tire pressure indicators to low fuel warnings to service-required warnings, etc.
If you have a “SERVICE 4WD” warning on your Jeep Grand Cherokee dashboard and want to reset it, then continue reading because this article will teach you how to do a Jeep Grand Cherokee service 4WD system reset on your own.
Contents
What is 4WD
Four-wheel drive (4WD) is an automotive drivetrain technology that powers all four wheels directly. 4WD is often designed for off-road driving, and four wheels offer twice the traction of two. For maximum off-road efficiency, four-wheel drive is typically coupled with locked differentials. If you notice the “4WD system” pop-up on your dashboard, it means there is a problem with your vehicle’s wheels.
Some Commons Signs for 4WD Problems
If the four-wheel drive system in your Jeep Grand Cherokee is not operating as it should, you may notice several different signs, some of which are listed below.
- The “Service 4WD” warning light is on.
- Reduced traction in mud or snow.
- The 4WD light is always on.
- Rattling noise whenever the 4WD system is engaged.
- Excessive fuel consumption
- Extreme wear of the front tires
- Inadequate power.
4WD Problem Diagnosis
Even if the light for your four-wheel drive is on, this does not necessarily mean it is operational. Here’s a quick and simple way to put this to the test.
First, get your Jeep Grand Cherokee positioned on an asphalt or concrete road. The safest and most convenient location for this activity would be a parking lot.
The next step is to engage the four-wheel drive system while the Jeep is motionless and either in the park or neutral gear. When the four-wheel drive transfer case is engaged, you will either hear or feel a clunk.
Now drive straight forward for about 10 feet. You’ll be able to lock and engage the front hubs.
Then, turn the wheels to either side and continue driving forward. When you do this, you will feel your Jeep smoothly resisting going forward.
If you are driving your Jeep and you do not feel any resistance from it, it means that your four-wheel drive system is most certainly not working. If you are still uncertain, you can take your Jeep to a professional repair shop to have it checked.
What to do when you see the 4WD System Service Message
If your Jeep displays a service-required message, it may need regular maintenance. If you keep putting off visiting a repair shop, I understand because 4WD systems can sometimes be rather expensive and require professional mechanics to fix.
That is why scheduling routine maintenance visits can help you save a lot of money.
This article will guide you on what to do when the 4WD system service message comes up.
Once again, I strongly advise you to take your Jeep to a qualified and reputable repair facility to have it fixed if you lack the technical knowledge to do it yourself. Only someone with extensive knowledge of 4WD systems can diagnose the fault manually.
The fact that the “Service 4WD” message appears on your dashboard signals an issue with your car system.
Most of the time, the problem has to do with your transfer case motor circuits or the paths taken by your rear or front differential solenoids. This means that you need to take your Jeep Grand Cherokee to a reliable repair shop so that the technicians there can read the codes that are being shown by the control module of your transfer case.
If you try to do it by yourself when you don’t have much understanding of what’s going on, you could end up making an error that would cost you more money to fix.
How to reset the Grand Cherokee Jeep Service 4WD System by Yourself
Here is how you can manually reset the 4WD system in your vehicle if you want to do it yourself.
Resetting 4WD Service Required Message
- Turn On the ignition, but do not yet start the engine.
- Press down the gas pedal with your feet three times.
- After 10 seconds, turn off the ignition and start the vehicle.
Resetting 4WD Error Message
- Open the hood of the vehicle.
- Find the nut that is linked to the negative terminal with a wrench.
- Remove the screw and reboot the computer.
This should remove the error message from the screen.
Conclusion
I hope this article helped explain the functions of the Jeep Grand Cherokee service 4WD system reset and how to do it the right way.
Due to their increased complexity, repairs on four-wheel drive vehicles are typically more expensive. It is important to take your car for regularly scheduled maintenance to avoid issues.
