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OBD-II Code

C0327

Severity

Not yet reviewed

Nobody on our side has assessed this code yet, so we are not going to guess at how serious it is.

Can you drive it

We cannot say

Treat it as unknown until a shop reads it with live data. If the check-engine light is FLASHING, stop driving as soon as it is safe to — that means an active misfire, whatever the code.

Indicative cost (USD)

$250–$1,500

From this code's diagnostic notes. Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.

$250 (DIY encoder motor) to $1,500 (complete shift motor and TCCM with programming).

C0327 means the ABS or TCCM (transfer case control module) sees a fault in the encoder motor circuit on a 4WD transfer case shift motor — the electric motor that physically rotates the transfer-case shift fork between 2HI, 4HI, N, and 4LO has either failed open, failed shorted, or its position-feedback encoder is sending bad data.

How a shop works this

Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed.

  1. Note every code that is set, not just this one.

    Codes that appear together usually narrow the cause faster than any one of them read alone.

  2. Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under.

    Cold or warm, idle or load, road speed and engine speed. A fault that only appears cold is a different fault from one that only appears under load, even with the same code on the scanner.

  3. Confirm the fault is current rather than history.

    Clear the code and see whether it returns under those same conditions. A code that does not come back may have been logged during a repair, a flat battery, or a bad connection that has since been disturbed.

  4. Then follow the diagnostic notes further down this page, in the order they are written.

    They are written in the order a shop works this code, cheapest checks first. Where they name a component, inspect its wiring and connector before replacing it.

If the code comes back after a repair, the underlying fault is still there. That is the point to bring in a scanner with live data and freeze-frame, or a shop that has one.

Common symptoms

  • Check engine light
Read the full diagnostic procedureC0327 means the ABS or TCCM (transfer case control module) sees a fault in the encoder motor circuit on a 4WD transfer case shift motor — the electri…

C0327 means the ABS or TCCM (transfer case control module) sees a fault in the encoder motor circuit on a 4WD transfer case shift motor — the electric motor that physically rotates the transfer-case shift fork between 2HI, 4HI, N, and 4LO has either failed open, failed shorted, or its position-feedback encoder is sending bad data.

Diagnostic order

  1. Inspect the shift motor on the back of the transfer case — most are bolted on with 4 bolts and a single connector, sitting behind the t-case and exposed to road spray. Pull the connector and check for water intrusion or green corrosion on the pins; salt-belt vehicles eat these connectors.
  2. Back-probe the motor connector with key-on and command a shift through the dash button or scan tool — the motor should draw 5-20A momentarily as it rotates; no current draw means open motor or open wiring, sustained high current means stuck mechanism.
  3. Ohm the encoder position-feedback wires per FSM spec — most encoders are 4-position contacts that read different voltage divider values for each shift position.
  4. Visually inspect the t-case shift fork through the motor bore — a snapped fork or worn shift collar will let the motor spin freely without engaging. Misdiagnosis caveat: replacing the encoder motor without diagnosing why the original failed leads to repeat failure within 30k miles — if the t-case has internal binding (worn pump, bad bearing, low fluid), the motor stalls under load and burns out; do a fluid check and rotate the input shaft by hand before installing a new motor.
Vehicle-specific patterns2002-2010 Ford Explorer/Mountaineer/Expedition with the BorgWarner 44-04/44-06 transfer case is the classic C0327 case in North America — the encoder…
  • 2002-2010Ford Explorer/Mountaineer/Expedition with the BorgWarner 44-04/44-06 transfer case is the classic C0327 case in North America — the encoder motor gets road-spray water intrusion through the wiring boot and locks up around 100k miles; Ford has published TSBs covering inspection and replacement procedures (verify current TSB list through OASIS or Motorcraft service portal before quoting).
  • 1999-2007GM trucks (Silverado, Sierra, Tahoe, Yukon) with the NP246 or NP149 Autotrac transfer case throw C0327 from encoder motor failure or TCCM internal short — the TCCM is mounted on the t-case and shares the same water-intrusion fate.
  • 2005-2014Toyota Tundra/Sequoia 4WD with the Active Torque Control (ATC) actuator throws C0327 when the actuator motor binds; Toyota issued service campaigns on certain VIN ranges.
  • 2008-2014Jeep Liberty/Commander throws C0327 from NV245 transfer case shift motor failure.

Estimated repair$250 (DIY encoder motor) to $1,500 (complete shift motor and TCCM with programming).

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