For the first time in about (6) months, I decided to ride my '00 500 Sportsman. The thing had a dead battery & would not start using the pull start. Finally, I added some "Stabil" to the tank & was able to get it started. Anyhow, everything was great until I engaged 4x4. It simply would not engage, no red lit "awd" no front wheel drive. Before I shut it down the right front would engage but not the left. I admit that I have never serviced the hubs, could that be the problem?

 

Anyone!

 

I had the same problem on my girlfriend's 2000 magnum 500 last weekend. Make sure you dont have any surface rust or dried mud on your magnets and also change your front hubs oil, adding the correct qty said in your owners manual.

If that doesnt help ... then you might have a bad coil in your wheel.... and for that, I sadly cant help you out anymore.

 

If the battery is not fully charged the four wheel drive will not engage. I know this because I ran my 03 500 sportsman ho with a dead battery and was unable to engage the four wheel drive.

Hope this helps..

Superintendent

 

Thanks much, I'll try the battery first & hopefully thats all it is.

 

the right amount of vlotage in the battery is a must for the adw to work. i dont see how adding stabiler to the gas maade it start? but as long as it did lol.

 

The gas must have been bad, it usually starts very easy. I added more "fresh" fuel along with the additive & it finally started many pulls later. Anyhow, I'm going to buy a battery charger tomorrow & hopefully that does the trick.

 

yeah a fresh battery should do it ... 2wd sucks when you're forced to it and you'd need 4wd so bad at times ...

 

first thing i would ask is why is the battery dead? if you charge it make sure it does have fluid in it for it might have a dead cell in which the battery is junk and wont keep a charge. most batterys are only good for about 4 to 6 years.

 

It gets very little use anymore. It just sets for long periods of time before it's ridden. It is not uncommon for the battery to be dead even though I replaced it a couple of years ago. I just dont ride it enough to keep the battery charged. The only thing different now is no "awd" activation. I have a charger on it now so I should know something pretty soon.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif[/img]