Mitsubishi Pajero: Super Select 4WD Transfer Case Actuator Motor Failure

The electric actuator motor that controls the Super Select II 4WD transfer case mode selector (2H/4H/4HLc/4LLc) is a known failure point, particularly on NS and NT generation vehicles. The motor's brushes wear out or the motor housing cracks and allows moisture ingress, causing the actuator to stop driving the shift fork. The result is the system becoming stuck in one drive mode or refusing to engage 4WD or low range, sometimes illuminating the 4WD warning light on the dash.

• 4WD warning indicator light flashing continuously after mode selection attempt
• Transfer case stuck in one mode and refusing to shift
• Grinding or no sound from transfer case area during mode selection
• 4WD mode selector on dash unresponsive or selecting only some modes
• Binding or vibration on tarmac when vehicle is stuck in 4H or 4HLc

With the vehicle stationary on a safe surface, cycle through all four Super Select modes (2H, 4H, 4HLc, 4LLc) and confirm each selection engages without the warning light flashing continuously. Listen for the electric motor running and the transfer case clunking into gear. A solid or repeated flash of the 4WD indicator after selection attempts indicates actuator or sensor fault.

Parts involved: Transfer case.

$600 to $2,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

• “Does the 4WD system cycle through all four modes cleanly without any warning lights?”
• “Has the transfer case actuator motor ever been repaired or replaced?”
• “When was the transfer case oil last changed, and has the system ever been left in 4WD on sealed roads for extended periods?”

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.