Just drove over 30 miles on dry concrete in four wheel drive around 60 mph because I needed 4x4 to get out of a parking lot by the lake I was ice fishing and once I got out on the highway I totally forgot about it. I hate this new truck just for the simple reason the dam 4x4 knob is right next to the steering colum on the right side and when in drive the shift lever blocks the real nice little dim light on the knob when in 4x4.
I never left a truck in 4x4 by accident on all the last gm trucks I have had because the 4x4 buttons were on the left hand side and up high were you could see them and they had really bright orange lights next to the buttons indicating which selection was activated.
I guess it would be to hard to have a 4x4 light on the dash when one is in 4x4. This really gets my goat because I have done it more than once already but never this bad usually I notice it a couple miles down the road but guess I was not paying very close attention tonight. Does anyone think I might have damaged anything. I am sure it did it no good.

Keep an eye on the fluid colors and smells of the front diff and t-case, but they driveline components are fairly indestuctable...us should be fine.

I have run in 4 HI for 3 days on older Chevy trucks I have had due to snow and ice. There was a lot of times I would run up to 55 mph during those days on dry pavement and never had any problems.

Your truck should be ok but I agree with you. Pay over 40k for a 4x4 and it doesn't even have a light on the dash to inform you when it's in 4x4. :mad:

the guy that designed that system must be the same guy who designed that *#$ dip stick.

Relax...you didn't hurt anything

I just got back from a trip running at highway speeds with a 10K trailer in tow and left my truck in 4wd for hundreds of miles at a time due to slick roads. I have also been over 100 mph on 4wd on the track on several high 12 second 1/4 mile runs. Nothing to worry about.

Its what 4x4 high is designed for...I too agree the control has a weak indicater and really the biggest complaint i have about the truck. Ive done the same thing esp when someone else is backing the trailer in and im putting the boat on, they put it in 4 high and then by the time I get in to drive home I have no idea that its in 4x4. Really should have better indicater light on dash for sure.

Relax...you didn't hurt anything

I agree. No harm done unless you have substantually different sized tires on the front and rear, which I highly doubt is the case. I have owned many, many 4x4 GM trucks over the years, put lots of miles on all of them. I keep my trucks in 4 wheel drive quite a bit this time of year because you never know when you'll hit a patch of ice in Iowa. In fact, I drove from Topeka to Cedar Rapids last Monday with my 2500 HD in 4wd for probably 180 miles of the trip at 70mph.
I have never had problems with wear because of this and I don't change differential or t-case fluid more than specified. The only problems I have ever had with 4wd on my trucks is actuators going bad and not locking in the front differential when energized. That was in the 90's and it was a $100 part that screws into the front differential housing. I think GM has that problem licked.
Your fine.

Yup, you're fine bro. A few straight hwy miles won't cause you any bother and when it's icy out many choose to run that way. Now the lack of a light on the dash is a problem.

you will be fine.

I've read on here somewhere that somebody jumped a wire from that knob to the dash for a 4x4 light. I guess its there on the dash, just wasn't utilized in these trucks.

The only problem that guy had was a little feedback in the wires if his dash lights were dimmed all the way down.

A search would probably pull up what you are looking for.

Thanks for the post NorthIAdiesel .
I did the same thing at @ about 600 miles on my new LMM.
Boy was I FREAKING OUT when I realized it.
Haven't even told my buddy's, I'm so embarassed.

GM REALLY ought to put a light on the dash. You can't hardly even see the light on the selector knob when you are LOOKING at it.

Another problem with the 4x4 knob is that it is exactly the same as the headlight switch and and they are mounted close together on the left side. Yesterday I switched my headlights on (or, at least I thought I did) and drove just over 20 miles in 4x4 Low. I didn't notice it until I had difficulty turning into a parking spot. Did I break anything? Do I have anything to worry about?

Another problem with the 4x4 knob is that it is exactly the same as the headlight switch and and they are mounted close together on the left side. Yesterday I switched my headlights on (or, at least I thought I did) and drove just over 20 miles in 4x4 Low. I didn't notice it until I had difficulty turning into a parking spot. Did I break anything? Do I have anything to worry about?

You drove 20 miles in 4-low and didn't notice it? I wouldn't think that you would've broken anything but I'm sure you had it wound out! :D

Another problem with the 4x4 knob is that it is exactly the same as the headlight switch and and they are mounted close together on the left side. Yesterday I switched my headlights on (or, at least I thought I did) and drove just over 20 miles in 4x4 Low. I didn't notice it until I had difficulty turning into a parking spot. Did I break anything? Do I have anything to worry about?

Were you on side streets? I don't think you can go much over 30 mph in 4 low.

Kejsj30 I've read on here somewhere that somebody jumped a wire from that knob to the dash for a 4x4 light. I guess its there on the dash, just wasn't utilized in these trucks.

The only problem that guy had was a little feedback in the wires if his dash lights were dimmed all the way down.

A search would probably pull up what you are looking for.

I have a manual transfer case and there is a yellow dummy light, that you can't miss. I wonder why GM doesn't tie it in with the auto transfer cases. But he's right, you could do it yourself, I'm not that electrically inclined, but it could be done.

and drove just over 20 miles in 4x4 Low.

you did not drive 20 miles in 4x4 low, unless you stopped the truck for 5 seconds, put it in neutral, then tried to "turn on your headlights", then put it in drive, rolled forward a few feet, then waited, then drove off again....

you did not drive 20 miles in 4x4 low, unless you stopped the truck for 5 seconds, put it in neutral, then tried to "turn on your headlights", then put it in drive, rolled forward a few feet, then waited, then drove off again....


X2 Just had my truck detailed and they truned the selector to 4-low while cleaning the dash. Didn't notice it and hooked up the flatbed and tractor and drove about 15 miles before I noticed the selector knob was in 4-low. Truck never was in 4-low.
Like everyone says, poor design on the 4-wheel drive indicator light.:(

Relax as you have nothing to worry about. A person can drive hundreds of miles in 4X4 and will most likely not suffer any damage.

I live in Michigan's upper peninsula where it snows from November through March or April. During the winters, I regularly drive (most weekends) 200 miles, pulling a trailer, in 4X4. The roads vary and I often forget to shift back into 2X4. The only real damage is the one to the fuel economy. This drive has been done with the current generation (GMT900) trucks as well as the previous two versions without any problems. Keep your fluids changed at recommended intervals and you should be good to go.

you did not drive 20 miles in 4x4 low, unless you stopped the truck for 5 seconds, put it in neutral, then tried to "turn on your headlights", then put it in drive, rolled forward a few feet, then waited, then drove off again....

I don't understand...When I first got into my truck, I started it, turned (what I thought was) the headlight knob all the way clockwise and drove off. The first couple of miles are on surface streets, then about 20 miles of freeway when I got off of the freeway to stop at a sporting goods store. While on the freeway I noticed that my engine RPMs were a bit high and the fuel mileage was dropping. When I went to turn into a parking stall at the store the truck was very difficult to turn - it was at that point that I realized it was in 4WD. I'm positive that the indicator light in the knob showed it in 4WD-LO; the headlight knob was still in Auto.

Did I drive off too soon for it to go into 4WD-LO and I was actually in 4WD? I stopped at a couple of signals before I got onto the freeway; why didn't it go into 4WD-LO then?

I don't understand...When I first got into my truck, I started it, turned (what I thought was) the headlight knob all the way clockwise and drove off. The first couple of miles are on surface streets, then about 20 miles of freeway when I got off of the freeway to stop at a sporting goods store. While on the freeway I noticed that my engine RPMs were a bit high and the fuel mileage was dropping. When I went to turn into a parking stall at the store the truck was very difficult to turn - it was at that point that I realized it was in 4WD. I'm positive that the indicator light in the knob showed it in 4WD-LO; the headlight knob was still in Auto.

Did I drive off too soon for it to go into 4WD-LO and I was actually in 4WD? I stopped at a couple of signals before I got onto the freeway; why didn't it go into 4WD-LO then?

all I know is you were NOT in 4wd low. You can barely even go 35mph in 4wd low.

you have to be STOPPED and in NEUTRAL for it to go into 4wd low. You can turn the knob all you want but it will not go into 4wd low unless those conditions have been met

all I know is you were NOT in 4wd low. You can barely even go 35mph in 4wd low.

you have to be STOPPED and in NEUTRAL for it to go into 4wd low. You can turn the knob all you want but it will not go into 4wd low unless those conditions have been met


x2

you have to be STOPPED and in NEUTRAL for it to go into 4wd low. You can turn the knob all you want but it will not go into 4wd low unless those conditions have been met

Thanks, but how do you know this? I've searched my owner's manuals and can't find any reference to the transfer case switch.

Because you have to shift to N on in order to go 4lo

Thanks, but how do you know this? I've searched my owner's manuals and can't find any reference to the transfer case switch.


Go to page 161 of the manual. You have to shift the transmission into NEUTRAL and turn the knob to 4-low. It's recommended that you have the truck moving 1 to 2 mph while shifting into 4-low.

Don't feel bad, I once drove 200 plus miles in 4x4 for the very same reason. Needed 4x4 to get out of this muddy drive way pulling my fifth wheel that weights out at 12,000 plus lbs and drove all the waqy to LakeTahoe. when I got there I said all S""" look at what I just did to the wife, she just gave me that stupid look and said no more. It never hurt any thing traded the truck in 4 yrs later on a new 2008 Durmax.. It had 190,000 plus miles on it when I traded her in and everything still work except the injectors,but that another story in itself.

I was in ND for the past 2 weeks and my truck was in 4x4 98% percents of the time because snow removal out there is a joke. Hard packed snow and ice running 70 mph no issues! These trucks definitaly run very nice in 4 wheel!

I was in ND for the past 2 weeks and my truck was in 4x4 98% percents of the time because snow removal out there is a joke. Hard packed snow and ice running 70 mph no issues! These trucks definitaly run very nice in 4 wheel!

There's a difference between running all day in 4wd on packed snow and ice (tires can slip = no drive train strain) and running in 4wd on dry clean roads (tires can't slip = drive train strain). That said, as has been brought up in other threads, odds are no damage was done. It's something that shouldn't be done regularly, but not something to loose sleep over when you realize you've done it accidently.

My truck shakes just a little when at highway speeds in 4wd (like a tire or driveshaft is out of balance). I have learned to notice this and immediately I know what is wrong.