I have a 3 year old Mitsubishi Barbarian (I believe series 4) which I've owned from new.
I don't do much off roading and don't claim to know all about 4 wheel drive.
My wife tows a 1.2 tonne trailer with up to 2 horses adding about another tonne and often finds herself in muddy fields and in need of 4 wheel drive.
Recently (last 3 months) she has got home after having engaged 4 wheel drive (lever in first position - not diff lock) and the 4 lights on the dash are still flashing even though she has driven over 10 miles since switching back to 2 wheel drive - neither of us remember this the case in the past.
I drove the vehicle up and down the road and switched into 4 wheel / 2 wheel a lot of times before it actually showed 2 steady lights for 2 wheel drive.

Then, I noticed that when engaging 4 wheel drive (again lever in first position from 2 wheel drive) that sometimes the wheels were locked and a) it was difficult to reverse or drive forwards whilst turning b) the centre lamp for diff lock was not lit up.
I understand why it is difficult to drive on tarmac in this state as one wheel is travelling further than the other - surely this is dangerous on tarmac.

When getting a service I mentioned this to the dealership and when I picked it up they claimed nothing was wrong. When I suggested it was dangerous to be in 4 wheel drive with diff lock on tarmac they sent me out with someone to demonstrate and then told me diff lock was normal whilst switching to/from 4 wheel drive when the 2 top lights are flashing.
Note, in this demo I only ever switched the lever into the first position. Typically, I was in 2 wheel drive, switched lever one position forward, top 2 lights start flashing, then slow down and turn right/left - the wheels definitely lock. This is repeatable. Similarly when switching back to 2 wheel drive.
I don't know enough to question the dealer but on setting off home I engaged 4 wheel drive, waiting until all 4 lights steady, then switched back to 2 wheel drive and drove 20+ miles home with the top 2 lights flashing.

This doesn't seem right to me.

Could anyone confirm if this is right or wrong?

Thanks

Martin

Even thou you have a Barbarian that has Super Select 4x4
You can only use 4H on dry roads any time anywhere.
If you want to use 4L or the Centre Difflock it must be on loose ground mud or snow.
I think you have had a bit of diff wind up.
You need find a open space on loose ground, gravel or mud.
Put it in 4l and reverse back, if that doesnt work try it with diff lock engaged

My 56 plate Warrior did it once.
I used 4L in an underground car park to drag a BMW 330D out that was locked up and we had no keys.
It sorted mine out.

was there not a bit of plastic that can come adrift in the box that may cause issues akin to this ? @Benson ?

The selector problem only hit 2006-7 models, it caused the 4wd lever to lock up, this doesn't sound like the problem here, I'm with NIck on this as regards a bit of diff wind up. As he said, a bit of reversing may resolve it.