P1000 Drive mode indicator not working

N

Nightcrawler

Active Member
Apr 23, 2016
103
229
43
Portland, OR
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Anyone else ever have this happen? It really doesn't even bother me as it shifts into all modes without a problem. The indicator just does not show anything but 2wd. Maybe a ground connection is bad? I am not going to take it to the dealer for this, but it would be nice to figure out why it's not working.
 
N

Nightcrawler

Active Member
Apr 23, 2016
103
229
43
Portland, OR
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Also want to say the P1000 is a bad MOFO! So glad I bought this thing, I like it more each time I take it out. Took my 2 and 4 year old kids out this weekend and passed a couple of jeeps backing down a gnarly hill climb. The Pioneer made the hill climb look like chump change. My older boy asked my why the Pioneer made it up and the jeeps did not. All I could come up with is "It's on Honda son, it's a Honda." Not a fanboy here either, this is the first Honda anything I have ever owned.
 
Crow_Hunter

Crow_Hunter

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2016
750
836
93
Riding a Canned Ham.
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
Anyone else ever have this happen? It really doesn't even bother me as it shifts into all modes without a problem. The indicator just does not show anything but 2wd. Maybe a ground connection is bad? I am not going to take it to the dealer for this, but it would be nice to figure out why it's not working.

Are you 100% sure it is actually shifting modes?

My indicator doesn't change until after I hear/feel it "clunk" into place.

If yours isn't it must be something electrical.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dotman1
N

Nightcrawler

Active Member
Apr 23, 2016
103
229
43
Portland, OR
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Yes, positive it is shifting. I got to test it several times this weekend with 20 miles of rocky trail work and hill climbs. After the cables were adjusted mine shifts immediately. The indicator, when it was working would not show the shift right away, but now it's not indicating at all. I am fairly certain it is an electrical issue.
 
ibleedjohndeeregreen

ibleedjohndeeregreen

Member
Jun 21, 2016
62
62
18
Iowa
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Yes, positive it is shifting. I got to test it several times this weekend with 20 miles of rocky trail work and hill climbs. After the cables were adjusted mine shifts immediately. The indicator, when it was working would not show the shift right away, but now it's not indicating at all. I am fairly certain it is an electrical issue.
have like
Yes, positive it is shifting. I got to test it several times this weekend with 20 miles of rocky trail work and hill climbs. After the cables were adjusted mine shifts immediately. The indicator, when it was working would not show the shift right away, but now it's not indicating at all. I am fairly certain it is an electrical issue.
I have the exact same issue. I have been told more than likely it's a bad ground but have no idea where the "bad ground" is. I am getting the dealer heat fix next week also going to see if the dealer can find the "bad ground"
 
O

Olson1000-5

New Member
Jun 1, 2016
3
2
3
NH
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Mine does the same thing, I have found that I have to make the rear end break loose to get the rear lock indicator to light. Once that happens the light will change to show 4x4 mode when the lever is moved and then it needs to slip to show 4x4 lock mode. Once I go back to turf mode it's back to making it slip to get the light to turn on. Regardless of the light functionality the mechanism is locking and unlocking based on driver feed back.
 
  • Like
Reactions: adnoh
joeymt33

joeymt33

i4WD=imitated 4WD
Moderator
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Mar 17, 2015
11,096
39,129
113
Guntersville, AL
Ownership

  1. 1000-3

  2. 1000-5
I believe the sensor for the rear locker is on the rear diff. When the locking mechanism is fully coupled, it will then show the indicator on the dash.

If that is truly the case, then people that say it locked even though the dash doesn't show it, could have an electrical problem or its only partially locked in.

When partially locked in, it could pop out or pop fully in. That could be the noise that some people are hearing when change modes.
 
GlockMeister

GlockMeister

The Bearded Wonder
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
May 11, 2016
7,606
35,593
113
Greenville, Mo
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
I had a problem with my indicator as well.. ended up being the display itself. You could tell it was engaged but didn't register on the dash.
 
  • Like
Reactions: joeymt33
advertisement
Braleyoutdoors

Braleyoutdoors

New Member
May 31, 2016
12
11
3
Fannin County Texas
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Watching this thread....I have the same exact issue. I am certain mine will go into 4wd but i am not 100% sure mine is coming OUT of turf mode. I will get in the gravel tonight and break the tires loose and see if it fixes it.
 
Crow_Hunter

Crow_Hunter

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2016
750
836
93
Riding a Canned Ham.
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
Anyone else ever have this happen? It really doesn't even bother me as it shifts into all modes without a problem. The indicator just does not show anything but 2wd. Maybe a ground connection is bad? I am not going to take it to the dealer for this, but it would be nice to figure out why it's not working.

Did you or anyone else on this thread get this resolved?

I just got mine back from its 100 miles service and the dealer tightened the cables but then said the display wouldn't work right. So after 2 hours, they told me to go home and they would call me when they got it "fixed". They called me this morning and I picked it up this afternoon. The service manager said that there was another "box" on the differential and they had to adjust something in there to make the display work and then readjust the cables in the box under the floor boards so they "adjusted" that and now it "works".

Well, either it stopped "working" before I managed to drive 45 min to get home or he was blowing smoke up my nether regions because there is no display of any mode now.

It does seem to switch modes, however. When in turf, it doesn't seem to have both wheels spinning. In 2wd lock it will spin both rear tires and in 4WD you can hear/feel the thunk of the front differential engaging and in 4WD lock it is noticeably harder to turn.

So either they really didn't do anything and just hoped I wouldn't notice or something is loose that was good on the shop floor but loading/driving/unloading caused it to loosen again.

I checked the gray plug that goes into the back of the Diff and it wasn't loose but I am not sure what else to check.

Anyone got theirs fixed?

I am going to call the dealer in the morning but I really don't want to take back off work again and drive back again to drop it off and go back and get it, again...
 
Crow_Hunter

Crow_Hunter

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2016
750
836
93
Riding a Canned Ham.
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
Just got off the phone with the service department and I talked to the guy that actually serviced my machine. He said he followed the service manual exactly and that the manual recommended that the unit be put on a level surface in park and 2WD and the unit rocked back and forth.

He said that he had adjusted the cables per spec and then drained all the fluid in the rear diff and cleaned everything with a penetrating oil and then refilled the diff and it was "working" for him.

He thought that the oil was so thick that it wasn't letting the lever on the diff fully switch so it was keeping it from displaying anything other than turf mode. He thought that driving it more would cause the mode to start working.

I don't believe that at all but I will drive it more tonight and I will try the park and shaking (considering I drove it back home up and down hills in park on the way home, that should have already been more than enough). He said to call back if it didn't work.

I will probably need to take it to a different dealer. Unfortunately they are my closest Honda dealer. :mad:

Or just ignore it....:rolleyes:

Or just get a Honda service manual and figure it out for myself.
 
GlockMeister

GlockMeister

The Bearded Wonder
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
May 11, 2016
7,606
35,593
113
Greenville, Mo
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Just got off the phone with the service department and I talked to the guy that actually serviced my machine. He said he followed the service manual exactly and that the manual recommended that the unit be put on a level surface in park and 2WD and the unit rocked back and forth.

He said that he had adjusted the cables per spec and then drained all the fluid in the rear diff and cleaned everything with a penetrating oil and then refilled the diff and it was "working" for him.

He thought that the oil was so thick that it wasn't letting the lever on the diff fully switch so it was keeping it from displaying anything other than turf mode. He thought that driving it more would cause the mode to start working.

I don't believe that at all but I will drive it more tonight and I will try the park and shaking (considering I drove it back home up and down hills in park on the way home, that should have already been more than enough). He said to call back if it didn't work.

I will probably need to take it to a different dealer. Unfortunately they are my closest Honda dealer. :mad:

Or just ignore it....:rolleyes:

Or just get a Honda service manual and figure it out for myself.
I don't believe oil viscosity has anything to do with it. Like I said in a previous post mine was not functioning either.. cables adjusted whole nine yards. Turned out to be display..replaced it problem solved. I just put 75-140 syn gear oil in my front and rear diffs and it works flawlessly
 
  • Like
Reactions: Crow_Hunter
500

500

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2015
589
932
93
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Just got off the phone with the service department and I talked to the guy that actually serviced my machine. He said he followed the service manual exactly and that the manual recommended that the unit be put on a level surface in park and 2WD and the unit rocked back and forth.

He said that he had adjusted the cables per spec and then drained all the fluid in the rear diff and cleaned everything with a penetrating oil and then refilled the diff and it was "working" for him.

He thought that the oil was so thick that it wasn't letting the lever on the diff fully switch so it was keeping it from displaying anything other than turf mode. He thought that driving it more would cause the mode to start working.

I don't believe that at all but I will drive it more tonight and I will try the park and shaking (considering I drove it back home up and down hills in park on the way home, that should have already been more than enough). He said to call back if it didn't work.

I will probably need to take it to a different dealer. Unfortunately they are my closest Honda dealer. :mad:

Or just ignore it....:rolleyes:

Or just get a Honda service manual and figure it out for myself.
Thickened up to 75-140 RP in mine also... he has no idea what he is talking about.
I have posted about mine sticking and not shifting in and out of turf mode when it was new. It would clunk loudly when it would finally engage or disengage. I adjusted cables (5 minutes) and it helped. Rode some 100 miles more, changed diff fluids, and now it works flawlessly** as it continues to "break in" and loosen up. **Due to the design, there are still times I have to roll with the wheel turned to one side or the other to cause the collar to line up and engage, but that is how it is designed. It does not stick nor clunk anymore.
Hopefully the same for yours comes to be true. Who knows though. I'd say I was around 200 miles when mine finally started to work like it was designed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Crow_Hunter
Crow_Hunter

Crow_Hunter

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2016
750
836
93
Riding a Canned Ham.
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
Thickened up to 75-140 RP in mine also... he has no idea what he is talking about.
I have posted about mine sticking and not shifting in and out of turf mode when it was new. It would clunk loudly when it would finally engage or disengage. I adjusted cables (5 minutes) and it helped. Rode some 100 miles more, changed diff fluids, and now it works flawlessly** as it continues to "break in" and loosen up. **Due to the design, there are still times I have to roll with the wheel turned to one side or the other to cause the collar to line up and engage, but that is how it is designed. It does not stick nor clunk anymore.
Hopefully the same for yours comes to be true. Who knows though. I'd say I was around 200 miles when mine finally started to work like it was designed.

Mine shifts in and out fine. Much faster than before when the dash indicator worked but now, the indicator doesn't work.

It almost has to be something electrical. My only concern is with it being loose, if that is what it is, will something wind up getting corroded/shorted eventually causing problems elsewhere. Otherwise, I don't really care since I know it shifts where I put it now, almost instantaneously, where before sometimes it would take forever for it to shift sometimes.
 
500

500

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2015
589
932
93
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Mine shifts in and out fine. Much faster than before when the dash indicator worked but now, the indicator doesn't work.

It almost has to be something electrical. My only concern is with it being loose, if that is what it is, will something wind up getting corroded/shorted eventually causing problems elsewhere. Otherwise, I don't really care since I know it shifts where I put it now, almost instantaneously, where before sometimes it would take forever for it to shift sometimes.
I gotya.
May be something electrical. I haven't had to cross that bridge.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Crow_Hunter
Crow_Hunter

Crow_Hunter

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2016
750
836
93
Riding a Canned Ham.
Ownership

  1. Do not currently own
I don't believe oil viscosity has anything to do with it. Like I said in a previous post mine was not functioning either.. cables adjusted whole nine yards. Turned out to be display..replaced it problem solved. I just put 75-140 syn gear oil in my front and rear diffs and it works flawlessly

Did yours show a mode before the cables were adjusted?

Mine showed the correct mode, it just took forever for it to change and the mode reflected the change. It didn't change until the mode also showed on the screen.

Now mine changes fine, it just doesn't show the mode.

I think it would be odd that it was the display since it was working before unless they managed to short/blow something in the screen while adjusting it.
 
X4Dice

X4Dice

Active Member
Jun 3, 2016
87
130
33
USA
Ownership

  1. 500

  2. 1000-3
Will the indicator show turf mode or will it only show 2wd? Thought I read that it won't?
 
GlockMeister

GlockMeister

The Bearded Wonder
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
May 11, 2016
7,606
35,593
113
Greenville, Mo
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
Yes mine worked to begin with but was slow to engage. After the adjustment it would go into each mode bit did not register on display . Sounds strange and yours is the only other one that seems to have had the same problem I did
 
advertisement

About us

  • Our community has been around for many years and pride ourselves on offering unbiased, critical discussion among people of all different backgrounds. We are working every day to make sure our community is one of the best.

User Menu

Buy us a beer!

  • Lots of time and money has gone into making sure the community is running the best software, best designs, and all the other bells and whistles. Care to buy us a beer? We'd really appreciate it!

    Beer Fund!

    Club Membership!