2000 Blazer: put it on jack stands and start it up. While in park, put it into 4wd-hi. Foot on brake, shift into drive. Slowly let foot of brake. Front and rear wheels moving as they should. Foot on break. Back to park. Push 2wd. Back through the process, rear moving front not. All's well. Back through the process starting in neutral to 4wd. All's well. Back to 2wd. All's well. You get the idea. Everything working as it should.

Next time I need 4wd, I don't have it. When I get the time, out comes the battery... blah, blah, blah. I find the actuator cable is NOT latched into the actuator. I wonder about it for a bit, and put it back together. Then, again, back through the process noted in the first paragraph. All's well. In addition, I physically grab the cable and pull. It stays in place.

Next time I need 4wd, I don't have it. Fast forward... the actuator cable is NOT latched into the actuator. Now I'm really thinking about it, but I have no answer.

Apparently at some speed other than idle, the cable pops out of the actuator. It's a relatively new actuator. The spring clip came with the new actuator. The cable is not new. Anyone ever experience and fix this problem?

...and swartlkk, I did a solid search of the forums and found nothing that remotely applies.

 

Simple problem really. Sounds like the little clip has sprung. Try removing the clip at the actuator and compressing it more. See if that allows it to hold. If it doesn't, the cable end may have been damaged or just worn that is allowing the spring clip to slip free. If the problem persists, you may have to replace the cable.