4WD won't engage

[K31]

Had the Pinz out to the range this morning and since it's a dirt road, I engaged 4WD and the light came on. Made a right 90 and a left 270 on gravel at the parking spot and stopped. Backed up a couple of feet. Noticed that I hadn't shifted out of 4WD before stopping or backing, so I put the lever up and pulled forward. Light went out. But now it won't shift into 4WD. The levers won't budge. Drove it home and tried several things -- neutral, low range, backing up again, and the drive home at highway speeds. Everything sounds normal, but none of the levers will budge. Any suggestions?

[Erik712m]

when was the last time you changed the fuild?

[Twin Pinzies]

Change your fluid. If that doesn't fix it, you have a master cylinder issue I think. The "locking up" is a sign that the hydraulic system does not have any leaks at least.

[K31]

I've never changed the fluid, but I've had it for just a year. In that time, I've put very few miles on it -- just enough to keep oil splashing around the innards. I've never had a problem or a difficulty with any of the mechanicals during that time. I read the other posts about fluids and changing them, and most of them seemed to be about getting drives to disengage, not engage. My problem FEELS more like a physical bar has been placed across the levers. There's no give whatsoever. If everybody still says fluids, then that's what I'll check.

[Erik712m]

I know a guy here that drove his pinz for a long time after he bought he's with out checking the oil. he keep telling me the dealer said he changed all the fuilds for me. To his suprize when he went to drain the diffs no oil came out Can't figure out how nothing got broken. If i were you i would start with changing your fuilds, that way you know what your starting with. Of coarse my thaughts are worth what you have paid for them.

[I-10pinz]

If it just feels like the bar is locked I've had a similar problem after not engaging anything for a long time and the only way I've gotten them to release is the fun game of questioning weather some of those parts are plastic but they finally pop and then the lever will move freely not shure what causes this but I'm chaning the fluids in it today so we'll see if that helps.

[K31]

Follow-up to the 4WD won't engage/lever won't move problem. After sitting for a day, the lever suddenly moves freely again! So the problem has temporarily "fixed" itself, or at least gone away. However, I will change all the fluids this week. If the problem recurs after that, I will have at least eliminated that suspect. Thanks for all the input!

[75pinz]

Flush and bleed the system. Pulling on the levers too hard will break something. Just pop the bleeder open if it does it again. This is very simple.

[I-10pinz]

Yeh flush and bleed the system made mine a world better just make shure you empty the reservoir too, where does that stuff come from though I mean did the swiss never flush them?