Random 4x4 engaged? WTH?

[Jim Kechely]

Driving just a bit ago and made a right hand turn (and driving like a normal person) I noticed my 4x4 turned on feeling like 4x4 High while on the pavement. I immediately hit the "4x4 Auto" button and it turned back off. Any idea why this happened? Kinda freaked me out.

06 Explorer XLT 4x4
4.0 V6 w/ 5r55

 

[Machine090767]

It was your "Auto" 4x4 turning on. Normally, it's in 2wd, but if the vehicle senses some slippage of the tires, (even when going around corners, or hard acceleration), auto 4x4 will engage.
Now, if your 4x4 "High" icon lit up, that's another story.

 

[Jim Kechely]

The symbol on my

It was your "Auto" 4x4 turning on. Normally, it's in 2wd, but if the vehicle senses some slippage of the tires, (even when going around corners, or hard acceleration), auto 4x4 will engage.
Now, if your 4x4 "High" icon lit up, that's another story.

The symbol on my dash was just "4x4". I was hardly in the throttle at all.

 

[PotatoExplorer]

I think sometimes even if a tire hits some loose gravel when making a sharper turn the 4x4 kicks in. (At least it has in my experience)

 

[MotorCityFats13]

from my experience in auto the fronts are always active and getting 20% power at all times unless more is needed ....the other button makes it 50/50 spit constant

 

[D Hook]

Jim: Are you saying the dash light lit up "4x4" all by itself? Then it went off when you hit the "Auto" button, correct?

 

[Jim Kechely]

Jim: Are you saying the dash light lit up "4x4" all by itself? Then it went off when you hit the "Auto" button, correct?

Yes, that's what happened.