Been out looking for hours but can't find a thread re: 1995 400 Xplorer.
Lights work, light on speedo works, but no lights on AWD button. There are only two things going into the speedo, a cable for speed/hours, and two wires, Red and Brown. Looking at different years, I see instruction to unplug the 6 pin connector, splice the brown and brown/white together. I only have the two wires. Any idea how to bypass the speedo and get power directly to the AWD switch? Thanks for any help/suggestions you have.

 

Your speedo doesn't control this function. The switch in the gear shift box is usually the problem. You can first check that the bulb in the awd switch housing isn't burnt out and getting power to the hot wire leading to it while it's in gear ignition on. If it doesn't have power the switch probably isn't touching the shift ball. Try low range,plus push forward a little on the shift lever. The light will sometimes come on with more pressure to the switch. Item #15.Dirt Cheap Yamaha, Honda, Arctic Cat & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse

 

Thanks as always for the clues. After looking at the wiring and the wiring diagram, I couldn't see how the speedo could possibly control power to the hubs.
Windchill is down to 20 degrees, mama's already got the fireplace going, so the Polaris takes back seat tonight. Suppose to be in the 40's Monday so I'll follow your lead on the gear shift switch after the wife leaves for work. Once again, thanks for the guidance!

 

Although the windchill is 18 degrees, I had to go outside and push on the gear shift in low range with ignition on as you suggested to see if it was the switch.
WA-LA, the AWD light came on.
In retrospect, the former owner had a bungee cord from the front rack to the shift lever. I thought it was to keep it from popping out of gear which it never did. Now I understand the bungee cord's purpose for being there.
Once again, many, many thanks from chilly St. Louis.

 

The brain dead idea of the speedo controlling the AWD did not come into effect until the first "non cable digital" operated speedo came about in 1998 or 1999.

 

Problem is this high $ switch has been updated from having a plastic flip lever to a metal tipped plunger switch. Usually low range will work better in awd as a lot of people don't use low that much. Some have cracked the box open and tried to shim the switch up a tad,but usually doesn't hold up long. This was another of Polaris early attempts to go cheap. If you do replace this $100 switch you wont have any more problems in either high range or low range awd as far as the switch goes.Not the first time I've heard or seen bungee cords for this purpose.

 

Found a new one on eBay for $98/free shipping. I use reverse too often to be messing with a bungee cord every time I want to back up. Looks easy enough to replace and a permanent solution. I like my design much better that the later speedo design which just doesn't make a lick of sense to me.
Thanks again... problem solved.

 

My switch arrived. I was hoping it would screw in from the outside, but it looks like I have to take the top of the box off to replace it. Anything tricky I need to know before I start taking it apart. Can't find anything on the forum.
Thanks

 

I pulled out the old switch, it looked reasonably new and it was made out of steel, not plastic. Had a funny feeling the new switch would behave the same, i.e. have to push a bit on the gear shift to light up the AWD. That's exactly what happened. Unfortunately, I cut the wires on the old one to remove it easier, a $100 mistake. Guess I'll be using the bungee cord the previous owner had attached. Don't see any tension adjustments to fix the play in the shifter. Oh well......

 

Then the shift lever itself is probably worn where it contacts the plunger if you have the rubber grommet of the switch correctly in the groove.You can try to build this area up a tad on the shift ball(haven't done it myself) to see if it works. This is the bad thing at times on this box as you may have to replace multiple parts.Dirt Cheap Yamaha, Honda, Arctic Cat & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse #3233197 shift lever appears to be only available through Polaris at Pure Polaris Parts,that is if it isn't NLA.