[maverick02490]

Hi.

4x4 does not work on my escape/euro maverick.
Fault code U2023 is permanent.
ABS and 4x4 warning lights are never lit, not even when starting the car. (this bugs me for some reason)
O/D light does also never light up.

Jacked the car up and checked ABS tone rings, all ok.
Tester gives nominal impulse readings from all wheels, so sensors must be ok too.
Checked all wiring and connectors from underneath the car and all looks ok, including wires going to the rear diff.

To my understanding, U2023 code refers to a CAN bus issue between module and node.

What should I check next and does anybody know a solution for this problem?

Thanks!

P.S. I've tried searching the internets and this forum, but got nothing that would help me. a grand total of nobody has posted what caused this issue and how they fixed it, as usual.

 

[IPN]

Maybe you have 2 issues , a quick look brought up this
U2023 FORD code possible causes Faulty Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Module Anti-Lock Brake System Module harness is open or shorted Anti-Lock Brake System Module circuit poor electrical connection Faulty Instrument Cluster (IC) Module

Read more: U2023 Ford Code - Fault Received From External Node

the above is ABS related , the 4x4 could be a separate issue , if there is no warning indicators regarding awd how does one know where to look , the OD not working could also be another separate issue , thats all i got , happy investigating .

 

[maverick02490]

what bugs me about the warning lights never coming on, is that they're LED's and 'should' never go out. certainly not with this age or mileage. 4x4, ABS or O/D lights never turn on, not even before starting the car, when they definitely should as all lights do.

 

[IPN]

what bugs me about the warning lights never coming on, is that they're LED's and 'should' never go out. certainly not with this age or mileage. 4x4, ABS or O/D lights never turn on, not even before starting the car, when they definitely should as all lights do.

It wont be the leds , it'll be something else ., a fuse? somewhere .

 

[maverick02490]

It wont be the leds , it'll be something else ., a fuse? somewhere .

fuses are all ok.

just went for a quick drive on a very loose gravel road. ABS work just fine but only front wheels are given power.
this seems to be only about the 4x4 system

 

[ProjectSHO89]

fuses are all ok.

just went for a quick drive on a very loose gravel road. ABS work just fine but only front wheels are given power.
this seems to be only about the 4x4 system

You likely have two faults, one is making the other hard to identify.

1. Instrument cluster has LEDs/lights that are SUPPOSED to prove out at power on but do not work. The lack of a functional AWD indicator prevents the communication of the AWD Lamp Flash Code.

2. AWD is not working as you have discovered and observed.

In the other thread you posted in, the fault in that case was a bad connection at the active torque coupling connector on the rear differential. Like in that thread, you're getting a network communications fault code U2023 that appears to be not very helpful in actually diagnosing the underlying fault. I'd suggest ignoring it for the moment and going with a "Diagnosis by Symptom" scenario instead.

Start by getting under there and checking/inspecting that two-wire connector on the top of the rear differential looking for corrosion, stretched/bent pins, or visible wiring damage. That's what fixed the other guy's issue.

If that doesn't pan out, report your results and I'll dig up additional information that should allow you to do some checks with a multimeter.

 

[maverick02490]

Start by getting under there and checking/inspecting that two-wire connector on the top of the rear differential looking for corrosion, stretched/bent pins, or visible wiring damage. That's what fixed the other guy's issue.

If that doesn't pan out, report your results and I'll dig up additional information that should allow you to do some checks with a multimeter.

thanks for the tip.

as stated on the original post, everything electrical under the car is in good condition. wires and connectors are ok

 

[ProjectSHO89]

thanks for the tip.

as stated on the original post, everything electrical under the car is in good condition. wires and connectors are ok

Go look SPECIFICALLY at the connector I told you to inspect. Take it apart, eyeball the pins. That's how the other guy fixed his.

Also, check fuses F18 and F35 in the interior fusebox. They supply operating power to the ITCC module that operates the coupler.

 

[maverick02490]

Go look SPECIFICALLY at the connector I told you to inspect. Take it apart, eyeball the pins. That's how the other guy fixed his.

Also, check fuses F18 and F35 in the interior fusebox. The supply operating power to the ITCC module that operates the coupler.

i have done both.

 

[ProjectSHO89]

i have done both.

Then report the results EXPLICITLY.

Note - I do not like playing "20 questions", I lose interest very quickly when posters are obtuse or do not clearly communicate results and observations.... You can either play along or play alone.

 

[maverick02490]

Then report the results EXPLICITLY.

Note - I do not like playing "20 questions", I lose interest very quickly when posters are obtuse or do not clearly communicate results and observations.... You can either play along or play alone.

I lifted the car up. around 2 metres high, as I am a tall man.
i took a flashlight from it's charger and turned it on.
I first visually inspected all visible wiring looms. all. every single wiring loom under the car.
then i inspected the wiring going to the rear diff. noted how past the connector the wires were thicker than those before the connector.
then i took a small mirror and had a look at the wires at the point where they go in to the diff and moved the wires around to see if the wires were cracked. i also pulled on them lightly to see if the were loose inside the diff. all ok, including the rubber grommet.
then i moved to the connector, first moving it around and visually inspecting it's condition on the outside, making sure to see if the wires had any problems going into the connector. all ok.
then i unplugged the connector, had a look inside both ends (with the light ofcourse) and used needle nose pliers to see if the male prongs were loose or broken. again. all ok.
the female end was also all ok, with no broken, bent, loose or corroded connectors. i sprayed a little CRC QD electronic cleaner into both ends and reconnected the plug.
then i had a closer look at the wires coming out of the other end of the plugs. all ok, no cracks, no corrosion. nothing at fault there.
then i peeled the electrical tape off the protective tubing that is around the wires, peeled the tubing off and saw no problems with the wires.
i traced the wires all the way to the point where they join in with the rest of the loom, peeled it's tubing also and checked the wires as far as i could get my hands on. all ok again.


as i said, i also checked abs tone rings for cracks or excessive corrosion. no cracks and only minor surface corrosion.
i also checked the abs sensors for dirt, found only a little dust so i cleaned them. i checked if the sensor' wiring was damaged etc. nope, all ok. then i tested the sensor impulse readings with a bosch obd tester that gives real time data. i saw no irregularities or cutouts in the impulse graph when i rotated the wheels.

then i checked all the fuses at the passenger footwell with a continuity tester and all was ok. i took out the 18th and 35th fuses and visually inspected them. both ok.
i actually tested and inspected all fuses, and found no faults. i did the same for all the fuses in the engine compartment too and again found no faults.

lastly, i read all fault codes and cleared them. U2023 was still present after clearing all codes and re-reading them.

later, i took the car for a test drive and confirmed that the ABS system is working as it should and that the 4x4 system indeed is not.

i hope this is sufficient for you.

 

[smario259]

I lifted the car up. around 2 metres high, as I am a tall man.
i took a flashlight from it's charger and turned it on.
I first visually inspected all visible wiring looms. all. every single wiring loom under the car.
then i inspected the wiring going to the rear diff. noted how past the connector the wires were thicker than those before the connector.
then i took a small mirror and had a look at the wires at the point where they go in to the diff and moved the wires around to see if the wires were cracked. i also pulled on them lightly to see if the were loose inside the diff. all ok, including the rubber grommet.
then i moved to the connector, first moving it around and visually inspecting it's condition on the outside, making sure to see if the wires had any problems going into the connector. all ok.
then i unplugged the connector, had a look inside both ends (with the light ofcourse) and used needle nose pliers to see if the male prongs were loose or broken. again. all ok.
the female end was also all ok, with no broken, bent, loose or corroded connectors. i sprayed a little CRC QD electronic cleaner into both ends and reconnected the plug.
then i had a closer look at the wires coming out of the other end of the plugs. all ok, no cracks, no corrosion. nothing at fault there.
then i peeled the electrical tape off the protective tubing that is around the wires, peeled the tubing off and saw no problems with the wires.
i traced the wires all the way to the point where they join in with the rest of the loom, peeled it's tubing also and checked the wires as far as i could get my hands on. all ok again.


as i said, i also checked abs tone rings for cracks or excessive corrosion. no cracks and only minor surface corrosion.
i also checked the abs sensors for dirt, found only a little dust so i cleaned them. i checked if the sensor' wiring was damaged etc. nope, all ok. then i tested the sensor impulse readings with a bosch obd tester that gives real time data. i saw no irregularities or cutouts in the impulse graph when i rotated the wheels.

then i checked all the fuses at the passenger footwell with a continuity tester and all was ok. i took out the 18th and 35th fuses and visually inspected them. both ok.
i actually tested and inspected all fuses, and found no faults. i did the same for all the fuses in the engine compartment too and again found no faults.

lastly, i read all fault codes and cleared them. U2023 was still present after clearing all codes and re-reading them.

later, i took the car for a test drive and confirmed that the ABS system is working as it should and that the 4x4 system indeed is not.

i hope this is sufficient for you.

If you spin the wheels from start in gravel (or any other slippery soil) for say a second, the 4wd light should flash as a computer shall read that the rear abs sensors are not showing the same wheel speed as the front ones after the diff solenoid coupler received the signal to engage. If you have a multimeter, can you measure the coil at the diff coupling connector? I never measured mine, but if you measure anything between 1000 ohms and infinite then the coil is open.

There's a topic in this forum that describe a problem similar to yours. There is a 4wd controller that drives the coil and gets data from the ABS, likely through a CAN connection. The code that you constantly have may refer to this module, and it may explain that there is no 4WD light flashes if the communication is not made between the ecu and this controller. The fail-safe mode is probably fwd.

The topic is called: 4wd back wheels do not engage

Search for this title.

 

[maverick02490]

If you spin the wheels from start in gravel (or any other slippery soil) for say a second, the 4wd light should flash as a computer shall read that the rear abs sensors are not showing the same wheel speed as the front ones after the diff solenoid coupler received the signal to engage. If you have a multimeter, can you measure the coil at the diff coupling connector? I never measured mine, but if you measure anything between 1000 ohms and infinite then the coil is open.

There's a topic in this forum that describe a problem similar to yours. There is a 4wd controller that drives the coil and gets data from the ABS, likely through a CAN connection. The code that you constantly have may refer to this module, and it may explain that there is no 4WD light flashes if the communication is not made between the ecu and this controller. The fail-safe mode is probably fwd.

The topic is called: 4wd back wheels do not engage

Search for this title.

Thank you!

This is starting to become a theory that I think may be true; a problem with the 4x4 module.
Like I said, abs and 4x4 lights never come on and that just bugs me, because why would they not light up if mechanically and electrically everything else is sound?
If I understand the system correctly, it should automatically apply a set precentage to the rear wheels even when taking off normally from a stand still and the 4x4 light should flash it the system detects slippage at the front wheels.

For those who wonder, the reason why i keep citing the abs light is because it and the 4x4 light should light up or flash when the U2023 error code is present and such conditions are present where the 4x4 system should engage. and ofcourse when turning the power on from the key.



Smario259, Big thanks. I will look up the topic you mentioned

 

[smario259]

Thank you!

This is starting to become a theory that I think may be true; a problem with the 4x4 module.
Like I said, abs and 4x4 lights never come on and that just bugs me, because why would they not light up if mechanically and electrically everything else is sound?
If I understand the system correctly, it should automatically apply a set precentage to the rear wheels even when taking off normally from a stand still and the 4x4 light should flash it the system detects slippage at the front wheels.

For those who wonder, the reason why i keep citing the abs light is because it and the 4x4 light should light up or flash when the U2023 error code is present and such conditions are present where the 4x4 system should engage. and ofcourse when turning the power on from the key.



Smario259, Big thanks. I will look up the topic you mentioned

Please keep us posted of your findings. It will help others in the future.
I'm wondering if the dash indicator lights are LEDs of filament bulbs, in the 2005.
It seems like the 2005 is a good example of the Murphy's law. All the problems that I've had with this vehicle.

 

[maverick02490]

Please keep us posted of your findings. It will help others in the future.
I'm wondering if the dash indicator lights are LEDs of filament bulbs, in the 2005.
It seems like the 2005 is a good example of the Murphy's law. All the problems that I've had with this vehicle.

I believe they are surface mount LED's. it's not impossible that they've just burned. I must check this.

The next thing I'll do is locate the 4x4 module, check the part number and get a replacement.
I will post the results, but it may take a few weeks before I get the replacement.

 

[ProjectSHO89]

Don't know about the '05 but my now-gone 07 Mariner had bulbs for the backlighting. Never had an issue with the indicators so never took a look to see if they were bulbs or SMT LEDs. Probably simply going to have to pull the cluster and see what you've got (if you're so inclined...).

The following is based on the Ford factory documentation for vehicles destined for the North American market. If you vehicle is something else, it may or may not apply.

The ITCC module (aka 4x4 or 4WD module) is mounted on the forward part of the center console facing the firewall. Remove the center floor console to access.

There is single 16-pin connector to the module, only 7 wires are used. There's a ground, two power feeds (one switched, one ALWAYS HOT), two wires that go to the ITCC in the rear differential, and two wires for the HS-CAN bus.

With the connector disconnected, proceed in order advancing to the next step only if the correct indication is observed.

1. Verify continuity of ground circuit. Pin 15.
2. Verify power on ALWAYS HOT pin 6 via fuse F18.
3. Switch ignition to RUN. Verify power on HOT in START/RUN pin 5 via fuse F35. Switch ignition back off.
4. Measure resistance between pins 8 & 16. Expected value should be a few ohms but not zero. This tests the wiring to and through the solenoid in the rear differential.
A. If open, move to the connector on the rear differential previously inspected. Disconnect it and measure the solenoid resistance at that connector. If open, solenoid has failed and the whole differential should be replaced.
B. If 4A failed and 4B passed, then there is an open circuit in the harness between the two connectors.

It would be interesting to see if, with the ITCC module disconnected, the U2023 DTC is still pulled (after clearing) when re-running the diagnostic. Same for the cluster indicators.


.

 

[maverick02490]

Don't know about the '05 but my now-gone 07 Mariner had bulbs for the backlighting. Never had an issue with the indicators so never took a look to see if they were bulbs or SMT LEDs. Probably simply going to have to pull the cluster and see what you've got (if you're so inclined...).

The following is based on the Ford factory documentation for vehicles destined for the North American market. If you vehicle is something else, it may or may not apply.

The ITCC module (aka 4x4 or 4WD module) is mounted on the forward part of the center console facing the firewall. Remove the center floor console to access.

There is single 16-pin connector to the module, only 7 wires are used. There's a ground, two power feeds (one switched, one ALWAYS HOT), two wires that go to the ITCC in the rear differential, and two wires for the HS-CAN bus.

With the connector disconnected, proceed in order advancing to the next step only if the correct indication is observed.

1. Verify continuity of ground circuit. Pin 15.
2. Verify power on ALWAYS HOT pin 6 via fuse F18.
3. Switch ignition to RUN. Verify power on HOT in START/RUN pin 5 via fuse F35. Switch ignition back off.
4. Measure resistance between pins 8 & 16. Expected value should be a few ohms but not zero. This tests the wiring to and through the solenoid in the rear differential.
A. If open, move to the connector on the rear differential previously inspected. Disconnect it and measure the solenoid resistance at that connector. If open, solenoid has failed and the whole differential should be replaced.
B. If 4A failed and 4B passed, then there is an open circuit in the harness between the two connectors.

It would be interesting to see if, with the ITCC module disconnected, the U2023 DTC is still pulled (after clearing) when re-running the diagnostic. Same for the cluster indicators.


.

thank you.
I will definitely check these the next time I visit the garage.

Indicator lights should be surface mount LED's, based on pictures found in the web.
The maverick is a rebadged escape, made in the same factory. the only difference is the metric dials.

 

[maverick02490]

hello.

for the sake of keeping this thread alive:
i have not still had the time to do further checks.
basically nothing has happened since the last message.

i still fully intend to find the problem and to report back to here.

2 months have passed since my last message on this thread, so i just wanted to let everyone know the situation.

 

[smario259]

As you still have the ABS you are safe unless you need to cross mountains daily in record times under the snow. I severed the 4WD on mine and it made no difference to me as I mostly do city driving.

 

[maverick02490]

I feel I owe everyone an apology.

It has been too long since I've given an update.
Trust me, there's nothing I hate more than an incomplete thread, where a fault is specified but no solutuion or follow-up is give.
And because of that, I apologize to everyone who is struggling with this fault, all over the internet.

The Russo-Ukranian war has really taken almost all of my time, for reasons I will not get into.
All I will say, is that I'm not russian or Ukranian, and that I am safe.

This is the part you want to read:
Sadly, for now I cannot report what was causing the problem, but I can say that it was either one of the following 3, or at least a combination of two to all of them.

I replaced the front left abs sensor, the 4wd control box and the rear diff.
This fixed the problem, the fault codes have not returned and the system works as intended.

I still have the original parts and hopefully I'll be able to resolve as to which of them was causing the actual fault.
But please do not hold your breath for it.
I am verry sorry to everyone that I cannot give a definitive answer to the fault, but I hope I can provide one as soon as possible.

However, I am preparing and fixing the car so that I can sell it. With the current fuel prices, It's just nuts to have an early 90's spec 3 litre v6, with a 4 speed traditional automatic.

I hope to find the cause of the problem, I really do.
But I also hope the world will forgive me if I can't meet that objective.

I am so sorry.