[Loudgoldwing]

It's the beginning of the month... Have you engaged and disengaged your "Low-Range" in the last month?

Now that our vehicles are getting older, and our weather is getting colder, it's important to keep that system movable in order to prevent seizure. We do this by engaging and briefly using the "Low-Range" function of the transmission once per month.

1.) Place the vehicle in NEUTRAL on a level surface. Put your foot on the brakes to keep the vehicle steady.

2.) Press the "Low-Range" button next to your stereo.

3.) The "Low-Range" light on your dash will illuminate, and stay on solid once the cycle is complete. If the light remains flashing, have your vehicle checked out.

4.) A slight "Thunk" from below your butt is normal when the system engages.

5.) Put the vehicle in DRIVE. Be sure to have a firm foot on your brake when you do, as engagement of the Low-Range setting will significantly increase the amount of torque applied to each wheel.

6.) Drive forward for a few blocks, trying to keep the speed below 20 MPH.

7.) Firmly apply the brake, and shift into "Reverse."

8.) Travel in reverse slowly for 50 - 100 ft, if it is safe to do so.

9.) Firmly apply the brake, and shift back into "Neutral."

10.) Press the "Low Range" button in order to shift back to normal range.

The "Low-Range" light on your dash should extinguish, and you're good for another month.

 

[idahombz]

yes, i am doing this once on 1st day of each month. Question, why should be below 20MPH? I do sometimes 30-40MPH to stir all the fluid to different place. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[Loudgoldwing]

I simply go slower because the "Low-Range" is designed to pull stumps, not cruise. I don't necessarily think what you're doing is bad, I just know that what I'm doing is sufficient.

There are just a lot of 163 owners out there who probably NEVER do this, and are freaked out when they get the 10 blinks of the "Low-Range" on start-up as a result.

 

[ajobmusee]

thanks for the info; i'll exercise the animal !!

 

[pdxgrease]

i did the deed thx for the loudminder.

 

[mlfun]

Yes, I exercised the function a few months back, for a grand total of perhaps twice in the entire lifetime of the truck.
And yes, I was sweating bullets and prepared to hear a nasty crunch if the Borg unit self destructs.

 

[chris.sattlegger]

fired it up for the first time in two years of ownership, worked like a charm.

my transmission feels different now though- in a good way, but I may be hallucinating.

 

[Kajtek1]

Have to post small warning about the low range being very powerful.
Years ago I went camping and used low range to launch the boat.
The following morning I started the car and forgot about low range. The transmission was in warm up mode and didn't shift the gears till very high revolutions.
So driving on 1-st gear taking the foot of gas pedal was locking the wheels on dry asphalt.
It was so shocking that it took me few seconds to figure out what was happening.

 

[my04mll350]

Did it!

 

[FAR888]

Thanks for the reminder.

Did mine when I got home from work.

I have to say that 'thunk' on engaging and disengaging is rather scary isn't it?

 

[kezsel22]

thanks . Just did it . Works OK .

 

[idahombz]

surprise no malfunction report yet!? That's good news! Low range not engaging is a very common W163 problem.

 

[asianml]

I exercise mine on a monthly basis and I just drive like normal in the city in low-range for a bit.

 

[wadeski]

I activated mine and it didn't engage. The light just flased a few times and it never stayed on. I didn't feel the grind under my the drivers seat either. What could the problem be?

 

[MADSLEG]

I activated mine and it didn't engage. The light just flased a few times and it never stayed on. I didn't feel the grind under my the drivers seat either. What could the problem be?

Place the vehicle in NEUTRAL .

 

[boardboy330]

Truck in Neutral and be at a COMPLETE stop. Will NOT engage unless those two coniditions are met. Where in MD Wadeski?

 

[wadeski]

I did place the car in neutral. I will try it again and see what happens. Thanks.

 

[wadeski]

oh.. sorry.. i live in waldorf boardboy..

 

[porschenut]

There are just a lot of 163 owners out there who probably NEVER do this, and are freaked out when they get the 10 blinks of the "Low-Range" on start-up as a result.

So this isn't completely unusal then? When I bought my 55 years ago I tried out the low range and this is exactly what happened. It flashed quite a few times before it started working. On the other hand, I used the low range yesterday and it worked perfectly, just a couple flashes before it engaged. I didn't even feel much of a clunk either.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

[mjm22]

Thanks for reminder - luckily mine works. Cant remember last time I engaged it.