Help!! Rear differential is locked!!

[CP0861]

I bumped the knob into 4h....but only for a second or two until I realized it. Got out of 4h....(i was driving slow) and now the differential is locked!

I've tried shifting through 4wd high and low....pressing and undressing the diff lock button....nothing is working and it's stuck like Chuck. The light is NOT on but diff is definitely locked.

Aaaaand I'm 9 hours from home touring colleges in NC/SC with my daughter.

Any way to get it unlocked to at least get home??

Update :
We stopped to eat....after we had been inside for about 10 minutes, I went back outside to try it and it's unlocked.

Still not sure WTF happened. I originally bumped it into 4h while driving about 15 mph....but quickly realized and turned back to 2h. But then the rear was locked.

Hopefully it's ok when we leave and I'll get it checked out asap.

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[NotBudule2]

You have to long press the diff. lock I believe, no way to bump it into different lock...

 

[Motorpsychology]

I bumped the knob into 4h....but only for a second or two until I realized it. Got out of 4h....(i was driving slow) and now the differential is locked!

I've tried shifting through 4wd high and low....pressing and undressing the diff lock button....nothing is working and it's stuck like Chuck. The light is NOT on but diff is definitely locked.

Aaaaand I'm 9 hours from home touring colleges in NC/SC with my daughter.

Any way to get it unlocked to at least get home??

Update :
We stopped to eat....after we had been inside for about 10 minutes, I went back outside to try it and it's unlocked.

Still not sure WTF happened. I originally bumped it into 4h while driving about 15 mph....but quickly realized and turned back to 2h. But then the rear was locked.

Hopefully it's ok when we leave and I'll get it checked out asap.

It is normal operation to shift 2H to 4H and back. It is designed to shift on the fly, and wouldn't affect the rear axle. Were you trying to turn sharply on pavement when the diff "locked?" That can cause torque binding which strains the drive train as it is trying to turn all four wheels equally. On a loose surface, the wheels can slip as needed when one wheel is turning faster than the rest.

 

[Friday yet?]

I will add that I think Ford could have done something to better prevent accidently selecting 4H with a bump of the knob. I've done it in my truck more than once. Also done it in many Ford Expeditions (rental vehicle of choice when traveling for work) while resting my hand with a coffee cup on the console. Sometimes not picking up on it for a while. And once in my truck I engaged the rear diff lock unknowingly. When I felt a slight bind and then noticed that light on I about s*** myself. Luckily no harm seems to have come to the truck.

My two cents? Put the switches somewhere on the dash. Then no console bumps would be an issue.

Update Dec. 10th:
Made a road trip yesterday for work. (Love it when I can drive my Ranger!) Stopped for lunch. Hit the road afterwards... yep. Was in 4H. No clue how I bumped it getting back into the truck after lunch. Prior to pulling out of the parking lot I was dumping a coffee cup and moved it elsewhere. Guessing I did it then.

Yep. Buttons on the dash would prevent this stuff.

 

[Rp930]

It was stuck in 4 wheel. I doubt the differential was locked.

 

[ControlNode]

...as it is trying to turn all four wheels equally.

It cannot turn all 4 wheels equally, 4wd (H or L) will turn both axles (front/rear) equally, and on the rear if the diff is locked it will attempt those rear wheels equally.

Some trucks also have a front diff locker, on those it can turn all 4 wheels equally while both diff locks are engaged in 4WD.

 

[got3fords]

How do you know the diff what locked? Was it squealing on turns or something?

 

[CP0861]

It is normal operation to shift 2H to 4H and back. It is designed to shift on the fly, and wouldn't affect the rear axle. Were you trying to turn sharply on pavement when the diff "locked?" That can cause torque binding which strains the drive train as it is trying to turn all four wheels equally. On a loose surface, the wheels can slip as needed when one wheel is turning faster than the rest.

Yes, I was turning as I bumped it. You nailed it.

 

[CP0861]

How do you know the diff what locked? Was it squealing on turns or something?

I could feel it...and hear it in rear tires.

 

[CP0861]

It was stuck in 4 wheel. I doubt the differential was locked.

I really think the diff was locked...and whatever was going on, nothing was lit on the dash. I didn't feel it in the front tires and I was driving slowly around a paved lot....I didn't feel the fronts engaged.

 

[CP0861]

I will add that I think Ford could have done something to better prevent accidently selecting 4H with a bump of the knob. I've done it in my truck more than once. Also done it in many Ford Expeditions (rental vehicle of choice when traveling for work) while resting my hand with a coffee cup on the console. Sometimes not picking up on it for a while. And once in my truck I engaged the rear diff lock unknowingly. When I felt a slight bind and then noticed that light on I about s*** myself. Luckily no harm seems to have come to the truck.

My two cents? Put the switches somewhere on the dash. Then no console bumps would be an issue.

Yeah it's basically in the worst possible spot.

My buddy got a 24 and it's in a much better spot. They moved it.

 

[brroberts]

My 2wd Locked in one day pulling into a parking spot. It was weird. After shutting the truck off for 15 minutes, it unlocked. The dash lights indicated rear locked and traction control off. I did drive it about 40 feet to get from concrete to gravel, but ultimately shutting it down and waiting turned it off. It’s never happened but that one trip.

 

[Grandaccess]

my last ford 4x4 would stick "a lot" too, pain in my ass cause I am in 4x4 a few times a week, I would have to put it in reverse for 10 to 20 feet then bump it into neutral, then I could feel it pop out, it was the 5R55s tranny, it was not graceful at coming out at all....

 

[Motorpsychology]

my last ford 4x4 would stick "a lot" too, pain in my ass cause I am in 4x4 a few times a week, I would have to put it in reverse for 10 to 20 feet then bump it into neutral, then I could feel it pop out, it was the 5R55s tranny, it was not graceful at coming out at all....

10-4 the old self locking front hubs required that. As I recall, you could shift into 4H on the fly, but had to stop and back up ~10 ft to unlock the hubs before returning to 2H.

 

[Grandaccess]

10-4 the old self locking front hubs required that. As I recall, you could shift into 4H on the fly, but had to stop and back up ~10 ft to unlock the hubs before returning to 2H.

and it was even worse coming out of Low back to 4high that was a crap shoot for sure, trannys are not there yet but getting better over the years

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