--- title: 4x4 and Four-Wheel Drive Repair in Reno | A-1 url: https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/4x4s/ business: A-1 Transmission (A-1 Transmission Inc) address: 670 East Grove Street, Reno, NV 89502 phone: (775) 829-1333 hours: Monday to Friday 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, closed Saturday and Sunday type: Transmission shop and auto repair shop in Reno, Nevada, since 1968; walk-ins welcome during business hours, appointments suggested --- - [Home](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/) - [Vehicles we work on](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/) - 4x4s and four-wheel drive # 4x4 and four-wheel drive A-1 Transmission repairs 4x4 transmissions and transfer cases at its Reno shop. A four-wheel-drive vehicle has one more gearbox than a two-wheel-drive one, the transfer case, and it has its own fluid and wear points. [Call (775) 829-1333](tel:+17758291333) [Get directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=A-1+Transmission+Inc,+670+East+Grove+Street,+Reno,+NV+89502&destination_place_id=ChIJZfhkfH4_mYARqc7eV_uhOws)[What is it doing?](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/symptoms/#checker) 1968 In business since [4.6 ★ 112 Google reviews](https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=809418658926218921) ATRA Member shop M-F 7:30 am to 5:30 pm A-1 Transmission lists 4x4s among the vehicles the shop works on and transfer cases among its services. This page explains what a 4x4 drivetrain adds, the signs to watch for and what the shop needs to know when you call. ## At a glance - 4x4s and transfer cases are both on the shop's list - A transfer case has its own fluid, separate from the transmission - Noise in 4WD, a flashing 4WD light or no engagement are the usual symptoms - Jeeps, pickups and SUVs with transfer cases are all 4x4s ## What a transfer case does In a four-wheel-drive vehicle the transmission sends power to a transfer case, which splits it between the front and rear axles. Many transfer cases also offer a low range, a set of reduction gears for crawling, towing a heavy load or pulling out of mud and snow. Wikipedia describes the main designs, from gear-driven to chain-driven, and the owner's manual for your vehicle says which one it has and what fluid it takes. The transfer case is bolted behind the transmission and shares the vibration, heat and road debris that the rest of the drivetrain sees. Its fluid wears out like any other. Our [transfer case guide](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/what-is-a-transfer-case/) goes into more detail. ## Signs a 4x4 needs a look - A 4WD light that flashes, stays on or will not come on - The shift into four-wheel drive or low range does not engage, or pops back out - A grind, clunk or whine that is there in 4WD and not in 2WD - The vehicle binds or hops in tight turns on dry pavement - Oil or fluid at the front or rear of the transmission The [4WD noise or not engaging page](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/symptoms/4wd-noise-or-not-engaging/) covers what these usually point to, and the [transfer case repair page](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/services/transfer-case-repair/) says what the shop does first. ## Winter and northern Nevada The Reno normals show 25.7 F as the average December low and 5.2 inches of snow in each of December, January and February (NOAA 1991 to 2020), and the passes above Reno get more. Many owners of 4x4s use 4WD for the first time of the season on the first snowy morning, and a system that has sat unused for months is the one most likely to show a problem then. Using it briefly where the owner's manual allows, before the snow arrives, is a way to find out early. ## 4WD or AWD? The two are not the same, and the care differs. A part-time 4WD system is selected by the driver and is meant for slippery surfaces, while an AWD system works automatically and may include clutches or couplings that need fluid service on their own schedule. The [4WD vs AWD guide](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/4wd-vs-awd/) explains the difference, and the manual lists the intervals for your vehicle. See also the page on [Jeep transmissions and transfer cases](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/jeep/). ### Sources - [Wikipedia, Transfer case](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transfer_case) - [Wikipedia, Four-wheel drive](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-wheel_drive) - [NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020, Reno-Tahoe International Airport](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals) - [A-1 Transmission reviews on Google](https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=809418658926218921) Keep reading ## Related pages [Pickup trucks A-1 Transmission works on pickup truck transmissions, clutches and transfer cases, automatic and standard, foreign and domestic.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/trucks/)[SUVs A-1 Transmission repairs SUV transmissions and transfer cases, automatic and standard, foreign and domestic, at its Reno shop.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/suvs/)[What is a transfer case? A transfer case is a gearbox that takes power from the transmission and splits it between the front and rear axles of a four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicle.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/what-is-a-transfer-case/)[4WD vs AWD: how the drivetrain differs The main difference in 4WD vs AWD is who decides when the front wheels get power.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/guides/4wd-vs-awd/)[4WD noise or 4WD not engaging (transfer case) Transfer case noise or a four-wheel-drive system that will not engage usually comes from low or worn fluid, a stretched chain.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/symptoms/4wd-noise-or-not-engaging/) Services ## Work this vehicle often needs [Transfer case repair A transfer case is the gearbox that splits power between the front and rear axles in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/services/transfer-case-repair/)[Transmission repair Transmission repair means finding what is wrong inside or around the transmission and fixing that part.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/services/transmission-repair/)[Transmission fluid service Transmission fluid service replaces the worn fluid that cools, lubricates and operates your transmission.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/services/transmission-fluid-service/) Vehicles ## Other vehicles [Foreign and domestic vehicles A-1 Transmission works on foreign and domestic vehicles, and has been in business since 1968.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/foreign-and-domestic/)[Ford transmissions A-1 Transmission works on Ford cars, trucks and SUVs.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/ford/)[Chevrolet and GMC transmissions A-1 Transmission works on Chevrolet and GMC trucks, SUVs and cars, older trucks and new.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/chevrolet-gmc/)[Dodge and Ram transmissions A-1 Transmission works on Dodge and Ram trucks, vans and SUVs, and an October 2021 Google review mentions a Ram 2500 full transmission rebuild.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/dodge-ram/)[Toyota and Lexus transmissions A-1 Transmission works on foreign and domestic vehicles.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/toyota-lexus/)[Jeep transmissions and transfer cases A-1 Transmission works on 4x4s, transfer cases and transmissions, foreign and domestic.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/jeep/)[Honda transmissions A-1 Transmission in Reno works on every type of transmission, including the CVTs in many Honda Civic.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/honda/)[Subaru transmissions A-1 Transmission in Reno works on every type of transmission, including Subaru's Lineartronic CVT.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/subaru/)[Nissan transmissions A-1 Transmission in Reno works on every type of transmission, from the Xtronic CVTs in the Altima.](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/vehicles/nissan/) Answers ## 4x4s and four-wheel drive questions Still have a question? Call [(775) 829-1333](tel:+17758291333) during shop hours. More answers are on the [questions page](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/faq/). ### Does A-1 Transmission repair transfer cases? Yes. Transfer cases are one of the shop's listed services, and 4x4s are on its list of vehicles. ### Why does my 4WD light flash? A flashing 4WD light usually means the system has found a problem or has not finished a shift. Call the shop and describe when it flashes. ### Can I drive a 4x4 that will not shift into 4WD? Usually you can drive in two-wheel drive, but call before you rely on it, especially in snow or on a grade. ### Does a transfer case have its own fluid? Most do, and it is separate from the transmission fluid. The owner's manual lists the type and interval. ## Not shifting right? 670 East Grove Street, Reno, NV 89502 Monday to Friday, 7:30 am to 5:30 pm [What to tell us when you call](https://a1transmissionrenonv.com/call/) [(775) 829-1333](tel:+17758291333)