Thread: CDL, TC & ABS Lights are on!

The cdl, tc and abs lights all being on at the same time is normal on an early model discovery where the cdl has been enguaged BEFORE the engine has been turned on.

The cdl light only is normal where the cdl has been enguaged AFTER the engine has been turned on.

You say you were driving to work, saw the cdl light on, stopped and turned off the engine. Then turned the engine on and saw cdl, tc and abs lights on. So this is normal behavior as far as the dash lights are concerned.

What is not normal behaviour is it seems the cdl may have engaged itself while you were driving to work. Do not drive the vehicle on tar (any hard surface) while the cdl light is up.

Is the cdl sensor giving you incorrect information or is the cdl really enguaged? Jack one wheel off the ground, if you can spin that wheel freely by hand then the cdl is not engaged regardless of what the cdl dash light is saying. If you can't spin the wheel freely then the cdl is really enguaged.

You need to work out is why it engaged while driving to work. Perhaps it was not completely disengaged after your earlier trials.

Thanks for the reply.

The only 'trial' I did was sit the lever in place to see if it fitted the shaft, I turned in on & immediately off, (which clearly felt that it had located in it's detent), without driving or starting the engine. The engine wasn't started until this morning.
The CDL light didn't come on until I had done nearly 100kms.

There are actually 3 positions on the CDL, all with detents. You may have selected the middle position inadvertently which means the CDL is locked. Fully anti-clockwise unlocks the CDL and is the only unlocked position.

Erich.

Originally Posted by Bundalene

Fully anti-clockwise unlocks the CDL and is the only unlocked position.

When viewed from above.

The middle position is definitely not 'locked' in mine and has been the normal position for every day driving for the last 10 years. I always wondered why there was that 'extra' fully anti-clockwise position.

Originally Posted by Ferret

When viewed from above.

The middle position is definitely not 'locked' in mine and has been the normal position for every day driving for the last 10 years. I always wondered why there was that 'extra' fully anti-clockwise position.

You are correct, the middle position is also unlocked.

Thanks, Erich

Originally Posted by Bundalene

You are correct, the middle position is also unlocked.

Thanks, Erich

That's interesting, because I just clicked it back all the way clockwise & all the lights went off!
I was sure that when I did the 'trial run' that it was in the middle position & that I only moved through & back one detent.

The movement of the cdl spigot on the transfer case and appearance of the dash light are not necessarily related to each other.

Just turning the spigot to engage or disengage the cdl does not mean the dash light will turn on or off.

For instance if you turn the spigot fully clockwise (looking from the top), often the dash light will not turn because the cdl has not actually engaged yet. Usually some differential action is needed to force the cdl to actually throw in. Only then will the dash light come on.

Similarly if the cdl is engaged and you disengage it, the dash light will often stay on until some differential action throws the cdl out of lock. Only then will the dash light go off.

The dash light is controlled by the position the diff lock itself not the position of the diff lock spigot.

Check for a short circuit at the switch. One of the lugs could have pulled offor switch shorted.
Was the switch removed and repalaced?
If removed was it not replaced too deep and locked with the lock nutwich would cause the false signal?
I had the opposite today. No lights.
Shorted the wires and the required lights came on with the engine on and off setup.
Took the switch out and tested it.
Plunger out, no continuity.
Plunger in, no continuity.
Last time low range used was four week ago.
Will get a new switch and see the results.
All was quite embarrasing as I got stuck on a easy cross axle with my guide watching.