Snow mode rear end "sway"

[peterk9]

Hi there just wondering what the fix was. As I’m experiencing exactly what you describe.

Welcome to the Forum.
Are you using Winter tires? I do and have not experienced this sliding issue with my 2011 or my current 2017 under any conditions. BTW, I rarely use "Snow" mode. If you are, do you get the same results in 'Normal' mode?

Peter

 

[Halwg]

I have never heard of this on any Explorer. Has to be a suspension issue.

 

[Flying68]

I have never heard of this on any Explorer. Has to be a suspension issue.

Second that. I have driven in a lot of snowy, slushy, or otherwise slick conditions and my 2012 has always handled perfectly. I only use snow mode when the roads have several inches. Also I have only had all season tires.

 

[narcanony18Platinum]

I have had an overall poor experience with snow mode in any conditions I have tried it in. The vehicle feels much more sluggish which I assume is expected in this mode as you should probably be using it in deep snow and moving slower anyway. Aside from that, I have noticed the sway and have had much less traction on icy/snowy surfaces than I do in Normal mode.

From what I can tell, snow mode is only for very deep snow. I haven't had a chance to test it out there yet (I'll let you know after my trip into the mountains this weekend) but for normal driving in snowy conditions, I am sticking to normal mode.

 

[Mikestreet]

Yesterday was last of our cold weather I think, we were driving along and went under a bridge. There was a spot as big as a car that was ice direbtly under bridge covering half the road and only the right side tires went across it but sure enough. Even at 30 mph the car got out of shape immediately. Not like you would panic but enough to wonder wtf.....

I'm going to do 4 wheel alignment and if nothing pops up it's time to unload this soon as warranty is up. I'm convinced it's why I needed a new rear end at 35K miles.

 

[peterk9]

I have had an overall poor experience with snow mode in any conditions I have tried it in. The vehicle feels much more sluggish which I assume is expected in this mode as you should probably be using it in deep snow and moving slower anyway. Aside from that, I have noticed the sway and have had much less traction on icy/snowy surfaces than I do in Normal mode.

From what I can tell, snow mode is only for very deep snow. I haven't had a chance to test it out there yet (I'll let you know after my trip into the mountains this weekend) but for normal driving in snowy conditions, I am sticking to normal mode.

I've used 'Snow' mode occasionally on lightly covered streets and it works well. I've even used one time on a 20 mile stretch of highway when conditions were snow/slush and slippery spots. The Explorer drove straight and true. In that mode, the acceleration is automatically slower for traction. Each mode will change the characteristics of the electronic features to suit the conditions. But as stated before, I usually leave it in 'Normal" Are running Winter tires or 3-seasons?

Peter

 

[peterk9]

Yesterday was last of our cold weather I think, we were driving along and went under a bridge. There was a spot as big as a car that was ice direbtly under bridge covering half the road and only the right side tires went across it but sure enough. Even at 30 mph the car got out of shape immediately. Not like you would panic but enough to wonder wtf.....

I'm going to do 4 wheel alignment and if nothing pops up it's time to unload this soon as warranty is up. I'm convinced it's why I needed a new rear end at 35K miles.

If you were not using Winter tires that might explain it since your OEM tires would have stiffened up and lose traction starting at 44 F.

Peter

 

[RhinoQuartz]

I have had an overall poor experience with snow mode in any conditions I have tried it in. The vehicle feels much more sluggish which I assume is expected in this mode as you should probably be using it in deep snow and moving slower anyway. Aside from that, I have noticed the sway and have had much less traction on icy/snowy surfaces than I do in Normal mode.

From what I can tell, snow mode is only for very deep snow. I haven't had a chance to test it out there yet (I'll let you know after my trip into the mountains this weekend) but for normal driving in snowy conditions, I am sticking to normal mode.

Under Terrain Response on page 192 of the owners manual, it specifically states that it is for snow/grass/gravel type of terrain, ie a surface thats only a bit slippery. Sand and mud mode are to be used only for off road - which, deep snow would count as.

Snow mode really only means that the vehicle is programmed to stop wheelspin from happening. You can turn traction control off in it as well.

Your issues don't seem to stem from snow mode, but from something else. Maybe your PTU?

 

[Elfiero]

You guys probably won’t like this but, I have tried all 4 modes on all different surfaces, and I really can’t tell much of a difference! The traction nannies seem to keep mine going straight with minimal or no wheel spin. Is there something wrong with me or my exploder?

 

[peterk9]

I would say that your Explorer is working just as it was intended to work.

Peter

 

[Jesse B]

I’m wondering if anyone has come up with any solutions to this issue because I’m experiencing very similar things. This is starting our 5th winter driving our 2015 Explorer. In previous winters we’ve driven on the original all-season tires and overall I was impressed…no real issues and definitely no issues like I’m currently experiencing. Our original tires were probably overdue to be changed so two weeks ago I bought winter tires for the first time: Continental VikingContact 7s (245 60/18). We’ve had a handful of storms so far including one before I got the winter tires on the car. In all cases I felt this back end sway that others have described…someone else described it as a “squirrely” feeling where you can’t drive straight. When you get above 30 or 35mph you start getting pulled side to side in a way that is extremely disconcerting (in the middle of my wife’s 40 mile commute she pulled over and had me come look at the car and switch to our other car because she was so freaked out). In hindsight, I was feeling this same thing before I switched to the new winter tires but at the time I thought it was just our old tires performing terribly and needing to be replaced (which we definitely needed but wasn’t the cause of that side to side squirrely feeling). Weirdly enough, I can tell that the new tires themselves are performing spectacularly with regard to traction. Braking and turning on snow/ice feels extremely solid and exactly what I was hoping for from a winter tire. It’s just this issue when going straight at speeds starting around 30mph. I also bought the same winter tires for our Subaru at the same time and it is performing exactly as I would want: great traction, no issues like this.

After initially thinking it was the new tires that are somehow causing this, I’m now convinced it’s not the tires and is something with the car. (because I felt this feeling before switching to the new tires, nothing like this is happening in the Subaru, and others here have had the same issue). This is completely new this winter…in previous winters I would have written on this forum that I couldn’t be happier with how the Explorer performs in snow/ice conditions. The only thing I can come up with is a recall service I had done over the summer: “Rear suspension toe link replacement.” What this means is beyond my levels of understanding but it seems like it could be relevant to what I’m experiencing now.

I would love to hear from anyone who has any thoughts on this? Does this recall service seem like something that could have caused this issue? If I take the car in to the dealership and explain the situation is it something they would likely be able to address? Other ideas about how to proceed? Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

 

[KayGee]

My suggestion would be to step away from the online forums and get your alignment and suspension checked out. I've said before, but I will repeat, some chain shops will do a free alignment check and courtesy inspection. All it will cost is a little of your time.

I suspect it may be a bad/worn suspension part or an out of spec alignment (perhaps rear toe or thrust angle).

 

[Sgt1411]

Have you confirmed the vehicle has had TSB19S17 toe link replacements done?

 

[peterk9]

Have you confirmed the vehicle has had TSB19S17 toe link replacements done?

It was mentioned in post 31 that it was done over the Summer.

Peter

 

[Jesse B]

Thanks for the responses...I'm going to get it checked out ASAP.

 

[Jesse B]

Just to close the loop, it turns out when the Ford dealership did the toe link replacements over the summer, they didn't fully tighten the nuts so it was significantly out of alignment. I assume that was causing my problems...I won't get a chance to drive it on snow/ice for a few weeks it looks like but hopefully no issues going forward.

 

[exploder2013]

My wife bought a 2013 Explorer with 52,000 miles on it Tuesday. She took it to work Wednesday morning the day after a snow storm and the rear end was swaying back and forth at 30 mph to the point where she had to come back home and switch to the Malibu.She tried snow mode and normal mode and there was no difference. It would not drive strait down the road. It has all season tires with 3/4 plus tread. We don't have winter tires on any of our cars (HHR,Malibu,Jeep) and they all drive fine in the snow. Its at the dealership where they cant find nothing wrong with it. There's a similar thread on here with the same issue but no resolution. Any ideas or help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[peterk9]

^^ Welcome to the Forum.
Your thread was merged with this one.
The best thing to do for traction and safety is to use dedicated Winter tires.
See the post above yours for the problem that the thread starter found. Has the dealer checked your toe link? Have you had the Recall done?

Peter

 

[SuperGreg]

Just to close the loop, it turns out when the Ford dealership did the toe link replacements over the summer, they didn't fully tighten the nuts so it was significantly out of alignment. I assume that was causing my problems...I won't get a chance to drive it on snow/ice for a few weeks it looks like but hopefully no issues going forward.

Wow. You're not the first to have this happen. Just had mine done, gonna take a look at the nuts.

 

[Adrian Gitch]

My wife bought a 2013 Explorer with 52,000 miles on it Tuesday. She took it to work Wednesday morning the day after a snow storm and the rear end was swaying back and forth at 30 mph to the point where she had to come back home and switch to the Malibu.She tried snow mode and normal mode and there was no difference. It would not drive strait down the road. It has all season tires with 3/4 plus tread. We don't have winter tires on any of our cars (HHR,Malibu,Jeep) and they all drive fine in the snow. Its at the dealership where they cant find nothing wrong with it. There's a similar thread on here with the same issue but no resolution. Any ideas or help would be appreciated. Thanks.

That's definitely not normal. I've driven mine on snowy roads many times at 30+ mph and zero rear end sway with all season tires. I was thinking tires or something broke or out of tolerance/adjustement in the rear end. It sounds like your tires should be fine though.