True 4wd? Or awd?

[Halwg]

To me, it's not really 4WD unless it has a 2-speed transfer case with a low range. The Explorer is simply an on-demand AWD.

 

[Rubberhead]

The different TMS modes simply change the way the engine/transmission delivers the power to the wheels. It really changes nothing in way of actual traction.

I disagree on one point. Normal and Snow mode both leave the traction control system active. Mud and Sand mode turn the traction control system off.

I had a friend that stuck his 2WD 2011 Explorer in snow going up a hill to his house. He called and I suggested turning off the Traction Control. He was able to power through the new snow and get out.

Of course, turning off traction control with a 2WD Ex is different than the simple turn of a switch in an Ex with TMS.

 

[TheWindyCity]

Thank you everyone. The truck was in a slushy mix, so when I got out, it didn't appear that I bottomed out or had a pile up in front. I think as 182RG said, that Sand Mode would have been best for my situation. I experimented today with the Left Display mode screen, observing what the system does in each mode, and yep....Sand would have been what I needed to get out without rocking a bit.

If anything, this situation forced me to learn how Ford's AWD/4WD really works. Geez...and my thinking did not even involve tire size. I thought the wide tires were better! And I thought they are All Season! I just have to decide if the few days I actually need aggressive tires are worth the expense. If I lived outside of Chicago, further North, I would have to for sure.

 

[MarkM]

I disagree on one point. Normal and Snow mode both leave the traction control system active. Mud and Sand mode turn the traction control system off.

I had a friend that stuck his 2WD 2011 Explorer in snow going up a hill to his house. He called and I suggested turning off the Traction Control. He was able to power through the new snow and get out.

Of course, turning off traction control with a 2WD Ex is different than the simple turn of a switch in an Ex with TMS.

What I meant by actual traction is the friction coefficient between the tires and the driving surface. The only way to get true actual traction is better tires.

That being said, how the power is delivered has a great effect on actual traction as well.

 

[bobbyks69]

Ford Intelligent 4 WD? Misleading at BEST

I am a fairly new (18,000 miles in) owner of a 2014 Explorer Sport. It came standard with the 3.5 Ecoboost engine and 4WD. For clarification, it is 4WD of "some" nature known only to Ford. The term Four Wheel Drive is self explanatory. It describes a vehicle that operates in two wheel drive mode but has the capabilities of being put into full time four wheel drive mode. The Explorer is NOT capable of this. Having owned several traditional 4WD vehicles prior, I did exhaustive research on the net and with several dealerships representatives (salesmen & mechanics) and never could get a definitive answer as to what Intelligent Four Wheel Drive actually is. I can tell you after my first winter half way through that it is NOT 4 wheel drive. With the Terrain Management System set in the Snow/Ice setting, the vehicle starts out in Front Wheel Drive mode. As there is slippage detected it shifts into a All Wheel Drive mode where power is shifted to the back wheels. Once the slippage has corrected it shifts back to front wheel drive. As suggested in earlier posts this is verified and documented when you pull up the graphic in your message center. I am extremely disappointed in the performance of this vehicle on snow and ice compared to the highly desirable 4WD Hi settings on past vehicles. Of the many wonderful features on the Explorer and there are truly a lot, this system is NOT one of them. For Ford to place a emblem on the rear of the vehicle that says Four Wheel Drive is TOTALLY misleading and false at best. It is NOT 4 wheel drive by any traditional and standard definition. And even though they put Intelligent 4WD in their literature, the symbol on the vehicle is a lie.

 

[tmg19103]

I am a fairly new (18,000 miles in) owner of a 2014 Explorer Sport. It came standard with the 3.5 Ecoboost engine and 4WD. For clarification, it is 4WD of "some" nature known only to Ford. The term Four Wheel Drive is self explanatory. It describes a vehicle that operates in two wheel drive mode but has the capabilities of being put into full time four wheel drive mode. The Explorer is NOT capable of this. Having owned several traditional 4WD vehicles prior, I did exhaustive research on the net and with several dealerships representatives (salesmen & mechanics) and never could get a definitive answer as to what Intelligent Four Wheel Drive actually is. I can tell you after my first winter half way through that it is NOT 4 wheel drive. With the Terrain Management System set in the Snow/Ice setting, the vehicle starts out in Front Wheel Drive mode. As there is slippage detected it shifts into a All Wheel Drive mode where power is shifted to the back wheels. Once the slippage has corrected it shifts back to front wheel drive. As suggested in earlier posts this is verified and documented when you pull up the graphic in your message center. I am extremely disappointed in the performance of this vehicle on snow and ice compared to the highly desirable 4WD Hi settings on past vehicles. Of the many wonderful features on the Explorer and there are truly a lot, this system is NOT one of them. For Ford to place a emblem on the rear of the vehicle that says Four Wheel Drive is TOTALLY misleading and false at best. It is NOT 4 wheel drive by any traditional and standard definition. And even though they put Intelligent 4WD in their literature, the symbol on the vehicle is a lie.

Yeah, it has been discussed on this long thread why it is AWD. Ford should have put AWD on the rear or something like i4WD to differentiate from traditional locking differential 4WD. Audi did a great job marketing their AWD as Quattro over the years. Never said it was 4WD - at least originally.

That being said, I'm satisfied with a AWD capabilities. I drive a lot of soft sand beaches and it is fine. The all-season tries are actually better for the sand. Ideal for beach driving is bald so you "float" over the sand.

The problem the Ex has for off-road or real deep snow is low ground clearance (especially front air dam) and all-season tires. Then, the Ex was never meant to be a rugged off-road vehicle. It was meant to be a smoother riding CUV that looks like a more rugged SUV as most people never go offroad and the AWD and car height is fine for most typical snow conditions. The air dam and lower ground clearance than many traditional SUV's make for a smoother ride with better cornering. All-season tires make for a smoother ride than an aggressive tread. The suspension is also more comfort oriented than load carrying or offroad shock taking oriented so it rides smoother.

My girlfriend had an Expedition. First thing she commented on was how smoothly the Ex drove and how easy and comfortable the steering was. That's what most people want - with the ability to haul a bunch of people/kids/stuff around.

 

[peterk9]

I was extremely happy with the performance of the 2011 Limited I had when it came to snow and ice, and believe me we had lots of that. A good set of dedicated Winter tires can make a world of difference.
BTW, my previous 2009 Highlander had a 4WD badge on it and it had power to all wheels full time. Now they have the same type of system that the Ex has.

Peter

 

[TheWindyCity]

I am a fairly new (18,000 miles in) owner of a 2014 Explorer Sport. It came standard with the 3.5 Ecoboost engine and 4WD. For clarification, it is 4WD of "some" nature known only to Ford. The term Four Wheel Drive is self explanatory. It describes a vehicle that operates in two wheel drive mode but has the capabilities of being put into full time four wheel drive mode. The Explorer is NOT capable of this. Having owned several traditional 4WD vehicles prior, I did exhaustive research on the net and with several dealerships representatives (salesmen & mechanics) and never could get a definitive answer as to what Intelligent Four Wheel Drive actually is. I can tell you after my first winter half way through that it is NOT 4 wheel drive. With the Terrain Management System set in the Snow/Ice setting, the vehicle starts out in Front Wheel Drive mode. As there is slippage detected it shifts into a All Wheel Drive mode where power is shifted to the back wheels. Once the slippage has corrected it shifts back to front wheel drive. As suggested in earlier posts this is verified and documented when you pull up the graphic in your message center. I am extremely disappointed in the performance of this vehicle on snow and ice compared to the highly desirable 4WD Hi settings on past vehicles. Of the many wonderful features on the Explorer and there are truly a lot, this system is NOT one of them. For Ford to place a emblem on the rear of the vehicle that says Four Wheel Drive is TOTALLY misleading and false at best. It is NOT 4 wheel drive by any traditional and standard definition. And even though they put Intelligent 4WD in their literature, the symbol on the vehicle is a lie.

After reading 182RG's suggestion of Sand Mode if you get stuck, I did try it while looking at the display, and from what I saw, this would have possibly helped my situation a little more because (tires aside) it does put power to all four wheels. I feel a little more confident having additional knowledge for next time this happens.

Totally agree with you on your disappointment in snow performance - especially where you live (driven to Monticello & Champaign!) , and also the rear labeling of the nameplate. It's misleading and false.

 

[bobbyks69]

Hey Guys,

are you sayimg that the sand mode is full time 4wd?

 

[Truckguy7]

Hey Guys,

are you sayimg that the sand mode is full time 4wd?

I have read through these posts, and I think the answer is yes to
your question. It sounds like it disables the auto features that want
to keep you out of trouble. ABS is a pita, when you need some go
power, it will bog you down into no mans land.

By the way, I have ordered a new 2015 Explorer should be here in
March. First Ford for a while, the only other one we have is a 2002
T-Bird. I hope I don't get to try the AWD features.

I own 4, 4x4 pickups right now, and am trading in an AWD GMC
Acadia. We have never had one issue with our previous AWD Vehicles, including GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave.
They have no selector, they just work. I have pulled my pickup out
of a snowbank with the Acadia. No selector, just hook up and do it.

So, this means I think some here, worry too much. I live in ND and
we have snow, 5 months a year.

I do hope I find the Explorer to my liking.

 

[peterk9]

Hey Guys,

are you sayimg that the sand mode is full time 4wd?

That is what they are saying but keep in mind it is not to be used in every day driving. Only 'Normal' and 'Snow' modes can be used for that.
As per your Owner's Guide;
Note: The Sand and Mud/Ruts modes are for off-road use only.

Peter

 

[tmg19103]

Sand mode my be the closest thing to 4WD, but it is still AWD. All four wheels are not locked together and rotating together simultaneously as they do with a locking differential on true 4WD. It is still computer managed and the power will change depending on road conditions. This is not a bad thing. Ford's AWD system is quite good.

 

[ObsceneJesster]

Hey Guys,

are you sayimg that the sand mode is full time 4wd?

I know you said that when you put your Ex into Snow mode and look at the graphic, you only see it start out in front wheel drive however, I have had a different experience with mine.

I have a 2015 XLT and have had two snows this year. I used Normal, Snow and Sand throughout my commute in both storms.

Here is what I noticed in all three modes.

Normal - Started in front wheel drive and the rear tires only kicked in when needed.

Snow - According to the graphic in the instrument panel, as soon as I stepped on the gas, all 4 tires lit up evenly the entire time. Every once in a while, I would notice a little more power going to the rear or to the front but it was dependent on acceleration and turning. This mode also decreased the throttle response by a good amount which I assume is to help minimize tire spin.

Sand - Again, all 4 wheels turned together evenly. Also, just like Snow mode, the power to each wheel would change every once in a while. In this mode, I noticed an increase in throttle response. It was actually quite fun to drive in the snow with. I took it to an open parking lot one night and had some fun in this mode.

 

[Halwg]

Thank you everyone. The truck was in a slushy mix, so when I got out, it didn't appear that I bottomed out or had a pile up in front. I think as 182RG said, that Sand Mode would have been best for my situation. I experimented today with the Left Display mode screen, observing what the system does in each mode, and yep....Sand would have been what I needed to get out without rocking a bit.

If anything, this situation forced me to learn how Ford's AWD/4WD really works. Geez...and my thinking did not even involve tire size. I thought the wide tires were better! And I thought they are All Season! I just have to decide if the few days I actually need aggressive tires are worth the expense. If I lived outside of Chicago, further North, I would have to for sure.

The thing that is going to help you most is a set of dedicated winter tires. The wimpy, all season tires that come on these vehicles should not be used for driving in snow and ice. Get some decent winter tires, and fear no snow!

 

[TheWindyCity]

Thank Halwg....with the new weather extremes, it does make sense. Whose brand are those? Are those yours?

 

[peterk9]

Thank Halwg....with the new weather extremes, it does make sense. Whose brand are those? Are those yours?

There's a whole thread on Winter tires. I use them every time the season comes around. Better and safer even on cold bare roads. I even get a 5% insurance discount for using them.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=372353&highlight=winter+tires

Peter

 

[amilecz]

I know you said that when you put your Ex into Snow mode and look at the graphic, you only see it start out in front wheel drive however, I have had a different experience with mine.

I have a 2015 XLT and have had two snows this year. I used Normal, Snow and Sand throughout my commute in both storms.

Here is what I noticed in all three modes.

Normal - Started in front wheel drive and the rear tires only kicked in when needed.

Snow - According to the graphic in the instrument panel, as soon as I stepped on the gas, all 4 tires lit up evenly the entire time. Every once in a while, I would notice a little more power going to the rear or to the front but it was dependent on acceleration and turning. This mode also decreased the throttle response by a good amount which I assume is to help minimize tire spin.

Sand - Again, all 4 wheels turned together evenly. Also, just like Snow mode, the power to each wheel would change every once in a while. In this mode, I noticed an increase in throttle response. It was actually quite fun to drive in the snow with. I took it to an open parking lot one night and had some fun in this mode.

Have to agree with you. We went up to Colorado and was driving in snow quite a lot and when looking at the graphics I came to the same conclusion. Snow and Sand mode gives somewhat of a actual 4wd. In my case all 4 wheels were powered equally from dead stop in both modes, even when drove faster than 20-30mph. All other modes prefer front wheels and use rear wheel when needed besides Snow and Sand mode.

 

[Rubberhead]

That is what they are saying but keep in mind it is not to be used in every day driving. Only 'Normal' and 'Snow' modes can be used for that.
As per your Owner's Guide;
Note: The Sand and Mud/Ruts modes are for off-road use only.

Peter

I really think that is for safety reasons, not mechanical reasons since the traction control is turned off in the Sand and Mud/Ruts modes.

 

[Halwg]

Thank Halwg....with the new weather extremes, it does make sense. Whose brand are those? Are those yours?

Those are Cooper Weather-Master WSC. I am running them now and we have had some bad weather this weekend. They do great on ice and snow.

But as Peter says, there is an entire thread dedicated to winter tires, and everyone has their own preference for brands. I like these Coopers for the aggressive tread design. I also have to travel a lot of well roads and they do great in muddy conditions, as well.

 

[JerryC]

Manufacturers have in the past called anything 4wd that drove both front and rear axles at the same time. For most of those vehicles there was an open differential in each axle giving it effectively just 2wd as it would spin just one wheel per axle.

Typically you could optionally get a limited slip diff in the rear, sometimes you could option one for the front to get a true 4wd. Some you could/can even get locking diffs.

Hard to believe that the people that make and sell vehicles would mislead the customer base...

Having said all of that, I took our 2015 Sport out on the ice covered roads last night. Can't really say anything bad about it, including the stock Hankook's. Drives and stops just great in normal mode and snow mode is "ice driving for dummies". I couldn't get it to spin in snow mode. I couldn't get it to get out of its own way sometimes as the computer cut power to prevent wheel spin but I can't argue that it wasn't doing the job.