How do I shift into 2WD from 4WD in my 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee? It's the V8 Limited Edition Quadra-Drive model.

Asked by Waugh78 Nov 25, 2013 at 01:25 AM about the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited

Question type: General

I'm assuming its very simple yet I
can't seem to shift the 4WD stick
from "4WD (all time)" to neutral
without it grinding horribly. The 4WD
shift stick has 3 options: 4WD (All
Time), Neutral and 4WD (Low).  Am I
overlooking a hidden button or
switch?!

5 Answers

1,025

step one - while driving your jeep slow down to idle speed (almost to a slow crawl forward) step two - place your transmission into neutral while the jeep is slowly moving forward. step three - pull the transfer case lever (4wd stick as you have called it) directly back towards you (pull hard and fast into the low position) once it is in 4 low you shouid simply see a light indicator on your dash indicating you are now in 4 low. Step four- simply put your transmission back into drive and you are ready to go. To get out of 4 low and back to All time 4wd just perform the same procedure keeping in mind each time you move the 4wd stick or lever do in a hard direct motion.

23 people found this helpful.
1,025

Further to last post - if you have a difficult time getting back into AWD, simply stop your jeep. Shut if off with the transmission in neutral. then push the 4wd lever hard into the AWD position. Place transmission back into park. Restart your jeep and place transmission into Drive and you should be back in AWD. Good luck hope this helps.

25 people found this helpful.
100

You have a Quadra Drive on models up to 2004 with the Quada-Trac II introduced in 1999 with VariLock. This replaced the former 2W (no lock, rear wheel drive only), 4W Part Time (vari-locked), and 4W Full Time (locked) into the newer 4W High "All Time" that performs 2W, 4W vari, and 4W locked automatically. There is no push button option. If you are driving on dry pavement on smooth road, then you are already in 2W drive. The 4W drive engages on an as-needed basis automatically. This makes this hybrid high mode much like an All Wheel Drive. You could think of you vehicle as an AWD with an 4W Low locked option though AWD has an engineering science to it that makes it ideal for inclement weather driving while the 4W High All Time mode attempts to behave like an AWD in an automated basis while locking the axles when needed. The 4W High All Time mode has only two minor load penalties compared to a pure, hard shift 2W drive: 1) The gerotor pump that is a marginal torque load on the powertrain to pump trans fluid for the front shaft that always pumps no matter if the front shaft is engaged; 2) and the second transfer case chain that always spins on its sprockets for the front shaft...another marginal torque load. Otherwise all torque is transferred to the rear axle in normal driving conditions if the gerotor system senses that both axles are spinning at the same speed. So there is a slight fuel mileage penalty for having some small torque loads of spinning parts that hopefully are doing mostly nothing. So then you have 4 wheel drive on demand rather than relying upon human judgement, intervention, and in some cases, making sure not to forget. For a conscientious 4 wheel drive maven, then full control might be ideal or suitable; but for the average bear driver, automated 4W High All Time drive that acts like a hybrid AWD and 4WD rolled into one can be a boon. The chief complaint of a 4W High All Time is that it can take up to a full ten seconds for the axles to fully lock into full 4W drive. This is due to the nature of the "wet clutch" that hydraulically is actuated by the gerotor to apply vari-lock torque to the front axle before attaining to full lock engaged when needed. Unlocking also is the reverse as axle speed equalizes, then the gerotor starts to decremental lock by unlocking and varying the torque downward on the front axle. Sure, an off roading maven could shift into 4WD in 4.4 seconds out of rote muscle memory of doing in every day; but most people spend minutes trying to figure out and remember how to shift the transfer case mechanism because they do not do it often enough. Traction Control was not introduced until the 2005 model and dubbed Quadra Drive II. Traction Control slows down spinning wheels directly on a per wheel basis. The Quada Drive, and other differential slip variants, simply transfer torque away from the free spinning wheel that indirectly slows the wheel down.

10 people found this helpful.
30

My 2005 Grand Cherokee Limited 5.7L Hemi with Quadradrive 2 has the front wheel engaged at all times. True it does take a few seconds for the electronic limited slip front and rear axles to fully lock in slippery situations, but it's way less than 10 seconds. It's a very good system, but it drinks lot's of fuel. I think they chose to keep the front wheels engaged all the time because it give you an advantage when hitting standing water on the highway. Virtually eliminates hydroplaning. So the quadradrive2 is a true AWD system on WK jeeps and it is very capable in sand, snow, and mud.

3 people found this helpful.

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