Hello all, I just came across a '99 4x4 automatic Sportage with the intentions of making it my daily beater. It has 155k miles and it's in great shape except for the transfer case which is stuck. No matter how hard I try it won't budge. Seems to be stuck on 2WD as there are no 4wd lights on the dash.

I found some transfer cases on ebay and was wondering how hard a job it is to change one? Anyone in here done it? Any tips or ticks I should know about?

Or maybe I just don't know how to shift? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Cheers,

Javier S.

SHOULD BE PRETTY SIMPLE. DISCONNECT FRONT DRIVESHAFT, SUPPORT TRANNY, REMOVE CROSSMEMBER, LOT'S OF BOLTS, COUPLE WIRES (MAYBE JUST ONE), SLIDE IT OUT OFF THE INPUT/OUTPUT SHAFT, INSTALL NEW T-CASE IN REVERSE ORDER....

OK are we talking about the small stick behind the gear shifter?

Does the little stick just not move at all?

Thanks, Dave. It does look and sound simple.

Nuke, yes, that stick, the 2H-4H-4L selector. Visually it seems to be stuck in the lower right position, which doesn't make sense since none of the settings are in that position. The stick won't move no matter what I do. I searched online for instructions on how to shift (I don't have a manual yet) but still couldn't get it to budge.

The other night I tried one more time, then turned off the truck. The next morning I put it on reverse and the truck would not move. Put in on drive and heard a lound CLANG!, then it moved fine in both directions. Something really seems to be messed up in there, I think.

Shift to 4L can only be done with transmission in NEUTRAL.
Normal setup is this:
left forward: 2WD
left aft: 4H
then from there it can be moved to the right but stick will not go forward to 4L except if transmisison is in NEUTRAL.
Then, as you start pushing forward, there is a transfer case NEUTRAL position before reaching 4L. WIth the manual T-case, there is a notch at that position, but not with the auto...nevertheles, if T-case lever is maintained in that intermediary position, it will neither go forward nor reverse...but as this is an unstable condition, the lever can move by itself to 4H or 4L with undesirable consequence like a loud clank if transmission is in a forward or reverse range..

OK, after reading Lou's post I decided to give it one more try. This time I decided that I had to either get it unstuck or break something trying, be it the transfer case or my bones. I guess I won:



Transfer case is on order <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Wow that is strange..

How can it be stuck in the lower right position, that's neutral! (I think) so the car wouldn't move <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

No...it is still in 4H at that point; neutral is at mid course between that point and the 4L position, with a clickstop on the manual (left pic below), but still there and no clickstop on the auto.(right)

Beater...does it mean now that you are still able to run in 4H....as this is not a welcome idea on dry surface, you can disconnect the vacuum solenoid so the vacuum hubs would not engage....or was it already decomissioned as the 4WD light stays off..? (like tcase connector disconnected).
Do you have the front driving shaft turning ?

maybe its not the t-case maybe is was the linkage

INdeed..the interlock is surely mechanical and propably outside of T-case as transission and T-case are not a single unit...so I also suspect a problem with the levers themselves....
info is scarce and not with the auto transmission on www.kiatech.com have to look for it in the manual transmission...but no real info...