Noob help please!!!

[Wade_Racer]

Hi all thanks in advance for any help!!! I purchased a 2002 explorer XLT 4X4
Through searches and reading posts I have quickly figured out I have the rearend howl lol !! and I may even have bad wheel bearings lol but anyways to my questions. On the dash it says 4x4 Auto 4x4 High and then 4x4 Low so does this mean its all wheel drive??? basically can someone help me understand why if its 4x4 auto which to me means all the time why have 4x4 HIGH ??? I understand LOW RANGE

 

[EasyRhino]

Hi all thanks in advance for any help!!! I purchased a 2002 explorer XLT 4X4
Through searches and reading posts I have quickly figured out I have the rearend howl lol !! and I may even have bad wheel bearings lol but anyways to my questions. On the dash it says 4x4 Auto 4x4 High and then 4x4 Low so does this mean its all wheel drive??? basically can someone help me understand why if its 4x4 auto which to me means all the time why have 4x4 HIGH ??? I understand LOW RANGE

Okay, do you mean that it has switches on the right hand side of the dashboard, just to the left of the stereo that say this?

If so, you have an arrangement identical to my 2002 AWD Limited.

If so, this is what it means: You already know 4x4 Low and 4x4 High. In 4x4 auto, it stays in 2wd until it detects rear tire slippage (sensor is on the rear differential), then it redistributes torque to the front wheels, through the electronically-controlled transfer case.

Hope this helps.

 

[Wade_Racer]

yes sounds like your setup so its 2wd until the rears spins then it engages the fronts! so if I were to drive it in snow just leave it in auto 4x4 or should I do 4x4 high?

 

[EasyRhino]

yes sounds like your setup so its 2wd until the rears spins then it engages the fronts! so if I were to drive it in snow just leave it in auto 4x4 or should I do 4x4 high?

That's basically it.

If in light or intermittent snow, leave it in 4x4 Auto, and in deep continuous snow, you might want to go to 4x4 High.

Just never drive on dry pavement in 4x4 high.

 

[Mbrooks420]

This setup is NOT AWD, it is Automatic 4x4. This can get confusing, especially on the 3rd gens where the v8's can have 4x4 or AWD. On the road Auto would be fine for most situations, but for offroad/deep snow I'd run it in high. I'd shift it into low every once and a while to keep the shift motor in working order.

 

[EasyRhino]

This setup is NOT AWD, it is Automatic 4x4. This can get confusing, especially on the 3rd gens where the v8's can have 4x4 or AWD. On the road Auto would be fine for most situations, but for offroad/deep snow I'd run it in high. I'd shift it into low every once and a while to keep the shift motor in working order.

I think you are right on the term "Auto 4x4" vice "AWD". Ford's name for this system is "Control Track 4WD". Had to get out the paperwork for the reminder.

I apologize for any confusion!

 

[Mbrooks420]

No need to apologize for anything, just trying to hedge of some confusion before there is some

 

[EasyRhino]

No need to apologize for anything, just trying to hedge of some confusion before there is some

Hey, constructive feedback is good! Don't want to inadvertently mislead anyone.

Now that I think about it, I think I spec'd this '02 Ex out with this system intentionally, as my '97 was fully automatic AWD with no switches and no low range.