Bad Drivetrain

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brown baron

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I recently got a 4x4 check warning on my 2018 raptor which resulted in loss of the ability to select drive modes as well as 4A, 4H, 4L, etc and also having the rear diff. on permanently. Along with this the truck drivetrain grinds as you shift between park, reverse, and drive.

So I took the truck into the dealership and they're currently blaming all of this on the lights I have wired onto the truck. They claim that due to bad wiring, which I've had on the truck for the 3 years of ownership, it's shorting the entire truck and causing the drivetrain issues. I'm not an expert here but I find it hard to believe aux lighting is causing issues with my drivetrain.

Can anyone prove me wrong here? The dealership's trying to void my extended drivetrain warranty by pointing fingers at my lights...
 

CoronaRaptor

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Did you wire them through the factory switches and ground them properly, if so, tell them to pound sand. If you ran the wires in the factory wire looms and it shorted out, then I can see where they are standing. Sounds like something with the transfer case.
 

MdnytRyder

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Did you wire them through the factory switches and ground them properly, if so, tell them to pound sand. If you ran the wires in the factory wire looms and it shorted out, then I can see where they are standing. Sounds like something with the transfer case.
I second this comment.


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brown baron

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Everything was wired to the below overview and grounded properly. If bad wiring was the source of the problem, wouldn't the issues have popped up years ago when the lights were first installed?!

2018 Wire Colors

Aux 1 - Green/White - 15A
Aux 2 - Brown/Blue - 15A
Aux 3 - Gray/Yellow - 10A
Aux 4 - Green/Yellow - 10A
Aux 5 - Brown/White - 5A
Aux 6 - Green/Orange - 5A
 

MdnytRyder

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Everything was wired to the below overview and grounded properly. If bad wiring was the source of the problem, wouldn't the issues have popped up years ago when the lights were first installed?!

2018 Wire Colors

Aux 1 - Green/White - 15A
Aux 2 - Brown/Blue - 15A
Aux 3 - Gray/Yellow - 10A
Aux 4 - Green/Yellow - 10A
Aux 5 - Brown/White - 5A
Aux 6 - Green/Orange - 5A
Yes I would certainly think so. Unless something was jumpered between two wires and creating a loop of some kind? But I cannot see how if the lights were the problem that disconnecting them wouldn’t prove them wrong.


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Proflyer

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That is insane. Dealer is trying to blame lights on a drivetrain malfunction? No way, especially since you used the Ford switches which are meant for this very thing. Have they even figured out what is wrong with it? Sounds to me like a module of some kind went out.
 

CoronaRaptor

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Everything was wired to the below overview and grounded properly. If bad wiring was the source of the problem, wouldn't the issues have popped up years ago when the lights were first installed?!

2018 Wire Colors

Aux 1 - Green/White - 15A
Aux 2 - Brown/Blue - 15A
Aux 3 - Gray/Yellow - 10A
Aux 4 - Green/Yellow - 10A
Aux 5 - Brown/White - 5A
Aux 6 - Green/Orange - 5A
Not necessarily, wires become loose if not connected properly over time from vibration, shock, etc. What I meant earlier about wiring correctly was: did you run the wires from your lights in their own wire loom up to the factory wiring in the engine compartment and make your connection there? If so, then they can't say much. You ran all your grounds to the frame as well and didn't run those in any of the factory harness's either, correct. If so, they don't have any reason to say that to you. Get them to show you where the wiring shorted out?
 

smurfslayer

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Usually, I’m a big advocate if treating the repairing shop with respect but since they have already turned this into an adversarial encounter, here’s how I’ve handled this in the past.

show up in person to discuss the findings and take notes and make it obvious you are recording the conversation. Get the findings from the s/a then ask to speak to the mechanic and service manager and to see the evidence. record all of this.

My bet is that by the time the 2nd conversation occurs, the tune changes. If not, they’re doubling down. Either way, you’re calling ford c/s.

In my case, the mechanic waffled and said there --could-- be a relationship, it hadn’t been proven yet. I instructed them to get back to me when they were certain and wouldn’t you know, my totally unrelated mods were not found to have caused an obvious suspension issue.

So the service manager followed up with me and said it was a miscommunication, that the mechanic said “i found some mods, nothing obviously related” which s/a translated to “non warranty repair”. This was obviously a snow job, as the s/a was adamant I’d modified parts ( lights, like OP ) and I was in for a suspension issue!
At this point, I knew I was not only being lied to, but lied to multiple times and I needed to get out of the stealership ASAP. I didn’t argue or fight, I nodded, accepted the explanation, paid up, left and never returned.

So they’re claiming a short you caused wiring in your lights, that should be easy for them to substantiate or its BS. make them substantiate it.
 

Muchmore

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Call me crazy but have they diagnosed anything yet? Are they saying to you, "your wiring could be at fault so pay for diag before we go further"?

It's so outlandish I feel like we are missing something?
 
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