Snow mode - force 4WD?

[CharlieWhiskey]

Bought my 2016 XLT earlier this month and winter officially swung into gear in Wisconsin with over a foot of snow and sustained subzero temperatures. My old Cherokee 4x4 didn't bat an eyelash at these conditions and cruised through the worst at any speed. Now driving the 2016 XLT with TMS on, in Auto or Snow mode, once reaching cruising speed, the rear wheels go idle and all power is sent to the front. In Snow mode or Auto, the vehicle launches with 4 wheels, but then when cruising cuts all power to the rear. When hitting small patches of ice on the freeway, the vehicle wants to skitter a foot or two to the left or right before finding its footing again, which is frightening with other cars on the road. I tried Mud and Sand modes as well, but they didn't help. I tried disabling Traction Control, but no better. Is there a mode or setting that will guarantee power be sent to all 4 wheels, even at highway speeds? I love this thing around the neighborhood, but hating it on the highway. I'm not ashamed to be passed by a 4x4 pickup truck, but getting on the highway and getting passed by FWD Corollas and other small sedans is embarrassing. Makes me want to trade it back in for a real 4x4. I find myself yelling at the "Intelligent 4WD" display yelling "This is dog-!"

 

[imp]

@CharlieWhiskey Sorry no help here, but will remark that your plight illustrates why, IMO, the designers and builders have gone too hog-wild with the electronic control of everything, and why I drive vehicles built earlier, and differently.

'Course, my '94 Mustang GT w/5.0 wouldn't even make it very far out of your garage, were it there! imp

 

[Elfiero]

1. What are you calling “cruising speeds”? If you were driving your Jeep 60 mph in 4wd you were not following the owners manual, were you? 2. If you drive your exploder the way the manual says, you won’t feel any slippage. The “4wd” system is working exactly the way it is designed to work. Perhaps it isn’t the vehicle for you? Maybe you should go back to a 90-something Jeep product? You don’t like all the “tech” anyways- right?

 

[Halwg]

I suspect you need a better set of winter tires. I've never had the problem you allude to, and I am driving a 2016.

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum CW.
First question would be, are you using dedicated Winter tires? If not, then that is probably the main cause of the problem. I've driven on the highway covered in slush and snow occasionally in 'Snow' mode and had no issue with Winter tires. In fact, even in 'Normal' it handles almost as well. When the system senses that there an issue the system will react as required to keep the vehicle stable. The only mode that I'm aware of that seems to lock the system is Sand mode but I don't think that is meant for high speeds. I've driven my last 3 vehicles in snow and have not had any problems whatsoever using the proper tires. As for ice traction, ice is a challenge to any type of drive system, more so if the vehicle is not equipped with the proper tires. BTW, the Explorer is AWD, not 4WD. This has been discussed many times here in different threads

Peter

 

[thefranchise713]

No way to do it. The PTU or rear drive unit would probably fry itself first if locked in full time.

That said I've never had the problem you've experienced--I suspect winter tires would be a good mitigation. In the most miserable conditions the traction has been rock solid.

 

[jhu8]

I don't even think you need dedicated winter tires. Just good all season tires that are in good condition. Which I do not have right now and it sucks. Ordered some today though.

 

[imp]

1. What are you calling “cruising speeds”? If you were driving your Jeep 60 mph in 4wd you were not following the owners manual, were you? 2. If you drive your exploder the way the manual says, you won’t feel any slippage. The “4wd” system is working exactly the way it is designed to work. Perhaps it isn’t the vehicle for you? Maybe you should go back to a 90-something Jeep product? You don’t like all the “tech” anyways- right?

@Elfiero
If yer addressing me (at least in part), the "tech" is fine until it's owner cannot fix it himself. Then he becomes "slave" to the "system". Are you able to work with the data send by the CAN bus? Old time gauges worked just fine without digitization. Today, an arm and a leg buys a brand new car. My '65 Mustang WITH the High Performance Package cost me $3150. imp

 

[section525]

I concur with good all season tires. I took our ‘13 Explorer snowboarding for 5 seasons and never had any issues. I couldn’t get it to break loose!

 

[Odrapnew]

As said before, sounds like a tire issue.
If the whole vehicle is sliding sideways, then it's not a 4wd issue.
In fact, if you had all 4 wheels being driven equally, I would expect it to be more likely to slide sideways(all 4 wheels that is).

 

[jhu8]

No way to do it. The PTU or rear drive unit would probably fry itself first if locked in full time.

That said I've never had the problem you've experienced--I suspect winter tires would be a good mitigation. In the most miserable conditions the traction has been rock solid.

Ehh it could work. The Hyundai Tucson has a button to lock in 4wd from awd. My sister has one. Never used it before but I would imagine it only works to a certain speed but nonetheless still an option.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Ehh it could work. The Hyundai Tucson has a button to lock in 4wd from awd. My sister has one. Never used it before but I would imagine it only works to a certain speed but nonetheless still an option.

Not really true. It uses a different system that is probably a lot more stout. The older Explorers do something similar. The PTU is very light duty and not built for continuous use.

I agree the original posters issue is almost surely the tires.

 

[jhu8]

Not really true. It uses a different system that is probably a lot more stout. The older Explorers do something similar. The PTU is very light duty and not built for continuous use.

I agree the original posters issue is almost surely the tires.

That's possible but I'm having a hard time believing that a little Hyundai cuv has a better system than the explorer and a stronger PTU. I suppose it's possible but I doubt it. Doesn't mean it's a good system though either. My cx5 doesn't have a dedicated 4wd but has an intelligent system like the explorer and that thing is a champ in the snow.

I haven't been able to fairly test my explorer because my tires are shot. I'm getting new ones this weekend and excited to try it out....when it snows again.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Hyundai’s are actually built solid, and I’d bet they have less issues per 1,000 units before the 100,000 mile mark than the newer explorers. The transfer case might not be “stronger” in the Hyundai, but I bet money it’s much more suited to the level of power that is put through it.

The PTU in the Explorer is garbage engineering, through and through. The amount of fluid it holds and it’s “lifetime” fluid are total jokes.

As far as “little” goes, I’d put my vintage Subaru wagon against a new Explorer on ice and snowy road conditions any day of the week.

 

[relbus]

I too am used to vehicles with a real transfer case and 4x4. The Explorer kind of sucks in the snow in stock trim. We added snow tires and it was MUCH better. Still not as sure footed as my Jeeps or pickup.

 

[peterk9]

There are big differences between so-called All Season tires and dedicated Winter tires which lead to better traction and safety.
There are three primary characteristics shared by winter tires: first, a softer, more flexible rubber compound is used to keep the tires from turning to bowling balls in cold temperatures; second, an aggressive tread pattern with wide grooves between tread blocks helps the tires dig down and evacuate the snow and slush that can prevent proper contact with the road surface; finally, narrow zigzag slots, or sipes, in the tread blocks allow more tread flex and a higher number of small edges with which the tires can grip a slick surface.
These characteristics together make for improved performance in all cold-weather situations, not just those that involve snow and ice. Also, many insurance companies now offer a discount on insurance premiums for using Winter tires during certain months of the year.

Peter

 

[Mbrooks420]

A quality, fresh ALL season will do very well in the winter as long as the tread wear rating isn’t extreme. I’ve driven many cars, trucks, and SUVs with combinations of all terrains, mud tires, winter tires, and studded tires.

I’ve never had an issue with all terrains, and didn’t find the winter tires worth the hassle of mounting/dismounting, unless they were studded and I was going to be doing a lot of back road driving.

 

[KayGee]

No way to do it. The PTU or rear drive unit would probably fry itself first if locked in full time.

That said I've never had the problem you've experienced--I suspect winter tires would be a good mitigation. In the most miserable conditions the traction has been rock solid.

Not really true. It uses a different system that is probably a lot more stout. The older Explorers do something similar. The PTU is very light duty and not built for continuous use.

I agree the original posters issue is almost surely the tires.

Just a reminder that the PTU in the 5g explorer is always engaged and turning. It is the RDU that has the clutches and cycles on and off to regulate power to the rear wheels.

The RDU also has a temp sensor that will allow it to either lock or unlock entirely to control the amount of heat in the clutches. With the latest PTU revision, there should be no issue with running AWD all the time if one wanted to rig something up to trick the PCM into allowing it (might be something to ask Livernois or other tuner about - not sure if they can modify that code).

The PIU seems to use a slightly different AWD strategy than the retail model. When I accelerate rapidly on snow, it seems to behave more like a rear wheel drive vehicle at first and will easily fish tail around corners (more oversteer than understeer). Although it does disengage the RDU when cruising, it re-engages it rather quickly as soon as you begin accelerating at all. I currently have the all season Goodyear RSAs on both of mine and have had no problem in the last snows we've had up to 6+ inches, whether around town or at highway speeds.

 

[Elfiero]

@Elfiero
If yer addressing me (at least in part), the "tech" is fine until it's owner cannot fix it himself. Then he becomes "slave" to the "system". Are you able to work with the data send by the CAN bus? Old time gauges worked just fine without digitization. Today, an arm and a leg buys a brand new car. My '65 Mustang WITH the High Performance Package cost me $3150. imp

No, I was addressing the OP. I still remember MY ‘65 Mustang- FB, 271hp, automatic, PS. My mom made me sell my ‘68 GTO- ram air IV 400 4spd, because it was too fast. So I did and bought the Mustang. I think I paid around $1200 for it. Funny, I never got a single ticket in the goat, but I got so many in the “little” Mustang, I almost lost my DL. I believe tech is fine, and even though I used to be an ISE master tech(years ago) I don’t even bother opening the hood any more! Now, I buy them new( or almost), beat the snot out of them for 5 or 6 years, then sell ‘em to some unsuspecting putz and start all over. That way you don’t lose too much money. But nowadays, you have to accept the fact that it cost about $400 per month to drive a late model car in the United States, no matter how you do it.
P.S. the little Woman drives a 2015 Mustang GT with ALL options as her DD. She said: “ why don’t you drive my car more?” Umm because I like having a DL?

 

[imp]

No, I was addressing the OP. I still remember MY ‘65 Mustang- FB, 271hp, automatic, PS.

@Elfiero
When I ordered my '65 "K" car, High Performance Option, as yours was, if 271 HP, they were not factory-available with an automatic, strictly Top-Loader 4-speed.

What gives?? imp