I’ll throw the tl;dr up top here: 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport 4x4 Quad Cab with 4.7 and 241 J transfer case. “4x4” dash indicator light is illuminated when the transfer case is in 2H and Neutral and is off when in 4H and 4L. Case is functioning properly aside from the indicator light. Disconnected the battery and now the indicator won’t turn on at all.

Some background: The truck has a 241J and a manual t-case shifter with 146k miles on it. Hasn’t been serviced since 100k miles, isn’t abused or run hard, and generally operates perfectly fine.

I went camping and off-roading with my wife and some friends this last weekend in the high Uintas and used 4x4 two or three times up there. The first time I shifted into 4H was when I was driving the rear left tire up onto a rock to level out the tailgate. I needed a semi level platform for my camp stove, so I threw a large rock in front of the tire and tried to climb on to it. The throttle was a little too touchy, the rock shifted, and I rolled off the other side, so I put the transmission into neutral, threw the t-case down into 4L, put the transmission back into drive, and tried again since it was easier to modulate the brake and gas with the more extreme gear ratio. Worked like a charm. When I put the transmission back into neutral and the t-case back into 2H, I noticed the 4x4 indicator light was still illuminated. Put the truck in 4H and it went out. Back to 2H and indicator popped back on. Up to neutral and the indicator stayed on. You get the idea.

The next morning when we were leaving for a day trip, I rolled the truck off the rock and fiddled with the transfer case again. Same issue. No matter what I did, the 4x4 indicator would turn on in 2H and N, and turn off in 4H and 4L. I sort of gave up trying and just drove around normally for the day ignoring the light. On our adventures we stayed mostly on double track roads with a little pavement here and there. I used 4H a couple more times on loose rock and big ruts with no problems and the t-case is very obviously shifting correctly in and out of all gears. I’ve never left it in 4x4 on any surface with good traction and only use it when I really need it.

EDIT: Today I disconnected the battery for about 30 seconds and the indicator light wouldn’t turn on all for about 5 minutes. Then it went right back to the same issue. My question is this: should I care? Is there anything I need to do or should I just get used to it? I can’t imagine this is the case, but does the computer change how the truck runs when it thinks it’s in 4WD?Thanks in advance.

Here’s a photo of the transfer case tag. And here’s a photo of the shifter.