2004.5 Sportsman 400 AWD / wiring issue?
 

AWD is currently not working on my machine and I have tested it as follows:

• Machine jacked up in air with all 4 wheels off ground; with AWD switch on and transmission in L I revved the motor past 3k rpm with no movement of the front wheels
• While doing the above test the AWD indicator light blinks erratically, no pattern to the blinking.
• The same issue is present when trying to use AWD in reverse override mode

I have tested continuity of the front diff and it is within spec. I am getting 12v from the switch when on and nothing when switched off.

When I put the machine in diagnostic mode and select the AWD screen, it shows OFF when the switch is off and does the same erratic blinking from ON to OFF when the switch is switched ON. To further clarify erratic, it will blip ON for a second and then go OFF for a few seconds or more and then randomly blip ON.

My gear selector switch seems to be operational as my speedo shows the correct gear indicator when selected and the ohms for each gear are within spec when in diagnostic mode.

I have twice flushed the front diff fluid and its currently sitting with fresh fluid in it. The drained fluid was a bit dark but the magnetic plug was not overly covered in metal material. The ECM was recently replaced due to being faulty and not charging the battery during operation.

So maybe now my question is, is the AWD not working electrical and if so what else can I check or do to fix the problem? If its a mechanical issue, what is my next course of action?

Thanks for any help that can be offered!

Bump for any help or suggestions thanks

Have you tried looking on web for polaris awd fix? Seems lots of people have had good luck by splicing small brown wire on front 4wd housing to new ground should be able to eliminate a intermittent bad ground fairly easily? Good luck

I actually just tried this today.. I cut the brown/white wire coming from the diff and the two brown/white wires coming into the plug supplying the diff. I jumped all these to a fresh ground wire under the hood. The intermittent blinking went away but the AWD still won't kick on. I'm still getting 12v from the switch.

So now I'm really puzzled... is the switch still somehow bad? Is the armature in the diff bad? Is the speedo bad somehow?

Would it be worth running a new power jumper wire from the battery to the power into the diff to see if it will engage? Obviously doing this it wouldn't show on the speedo since I'm bypassing it and if that works, does that prove that something is wrong with the speedo? If i jump the power to the diff and jack up the atv, awd should kick on right (assuming the armature isn't the issue?)

Worth a try a direct line of power should lock the armature plate otherwise you have go into front diff Check your wires where they go into diff. sharp bend could of broken one or two there good luck if you do get a kit from quad logic with an alluminium cage plastic ones prone to breaking The one I put in my 2004 atp came with everything bearrings seals bushings and arm. plate if you have to go that route
Good luck

Well the jumper didn't work so I guess I'm ordering parts to rebuild the front diff...

Pull it out and apart and check out Mine didn't work either rollers and cage were toast po didn't change front fluid caught just in time. was a gunky mess Put in kit from quad logic after cleaning up with brake clean hardest part was pressing bearings on and off. hopefully you luck out and just need new armature plate and seals easier if you got manual

I have a shop manual, I think the hardest part will be getting the diff out without taking the entire front of the quad off...

The fluid in mine after I got it was almost black when I got it but no metal shavings. Flushing it didn't help so my guess is the armature is toast. I'm hoping to just replace the cage, rollers and armature as the bearings seem fine right now. I'll have them on hand in case while I'm in there, might as well.

Amazon has the quad logic set with aluminum cage for $279...im going to shop around a bit before a bite that bullet.

I priced out everything separately The kit is way less and you get everything even the big bearing if you need I did some diffs don't use thrust washers and bushings for output hubs

The saga continues...

I got the diff out (with much cussing and PB blaster...) and low and behold the diff is PERFECTLY FINE! Other than the dark fluid I originally changed out, the inside is mint hardly any wear rings on the armature plate.

I took it to a local Polaris dealer and showed it to the ATV tech and explained the situation and he said that it has to be electrical, especially with the blinking I described.

So no I need to muscle everything back together and somehow re-re-re-trace my wiring again for something wrong...

Really debating how bad I want AWD to work now or if I just take it into the dealer and let them mess with it. I know the ECM is new, switch is OK... the speedo seems to be working by all accounts but I have a sneaking suspicion that there is a gremlin in there messing with me...