Driving in 4WD question for a novice

[ipbr21054]

Please can you advise.
I understand the principles of 2WD / 4WD etc but a bit stumped as regards to going from 2WD H to 4WD H by using the small selector gear stick.

I drive it on the roads in 2H but when i now need to very soon start driving over fields i wish to put it in 4H.
My question is with the engine running,car in neutral & wheels straight ahead i move the lever from 2H forward say 2 inches to 4H

I see the 4H writing on the lever and now i think i am in 4WD but not 100% sure as i can move the lever left to right as if its the normal gear stick when in neutral ?

I was also confused about the N on the small lever.
Please advise as this is my first 4WD and very pleased with it but dont want to damage anything.
Grand Vitara 54 plate

[Jordi]

It's not unusual for there to be movement in the levers, as long as the car is moving, it's in a either 2wd or 4wd.

Can always jack it up at all four corners on stands to check all the wheels are being driven.

The N is neutral for the transfer box, mainly used to tow the vehicle for breakdowns.

Never use 4wd on tarmac as it causes transmission wind up, which is bad, can be very bad.

[RickUK]

I have the earlier Vitara LWB and when you go into 4 wheel drive a light comes on the dashboard telling me its in 4 wheel drive,just a quick question does your have auto or manual locking front hubs ?? if its auto then you don have to worry but if its manual then you have to check that they are locked 1st.

[ipbr21054]

Dont have anything to jack it up with.
There is also no light on the dash.

Picture of front hubs shown below.
Looks the same on all 4 wheels.

Hope this helps.

[Rhinoman]

There should be a light on the dash, I suspect that the bulb has blown. What you get would seem to be correct, you move it up to 4H and then you can move it left and up to select Neutral and then 4L

[ipbr21054]

I will check for a bulb.
Do you have photo of where on the clocks it should be situated.

Thanks.

[ipbr21054]

I cant see anything on the clocks.
Looking in the manual it does mention that when towing make sure the lever is in the N position & also MAKE SURE THE 4WD LIGHT IS OUT.

This could be a bulb gone as advised.
I will check it out tomorrow.

[donkeychomp]

I take it that means when being towed...if you tried to tow anything in neutral you'd go nowhere!

On my vit the 4WD light is bottom right on the idiot light bar.

[ipbr21054]

I take it that means when being towed...if you tried to tow anything in neutral you'd go nowhere!

My post that mentioned the above was to say that there SHOULD be a 4WD light as when the vehicle needs to be towed the light must be out,this then told me some kind of visual display must be there as i have never seen the 4WD light etc.

Today i removed the clocks & took them apart.
There are no bulbs what so ever,so there must be a few small led etc on the circuit board but this last step would mean pulling off the connections on the back of each needle which looks like it could easily be damaged,so i did not touch them.
I put the clocks back together & made sure everything worked ok, of which it did.

With the selector lever in 2H i pushed it forward say 2 inches etc,no light on at this point.
" This is where i mentioned before about being able to then move the lever side to side as if in neutral with a standard gearbox " I gave it a little movement to the left & let go then bingo,an orange 4WD light came on bottom left of clocks.
If i then continue to move it all the way left then forward so now in 4L the light goes out.

So am i correct in saying that as long as the orange 4WD ight is on i must then be in 4WD ?

Novice question but saves me £££££ should i damage anything for the sake of a few posts here on the forum.

Many thanks.

[twiss]

Sounds like the 4wd switch on the gearbox for the dash light is dodgy...
I just use the position of the transfer box gearstick, my dash light hasn't worked for god knows how long haha