When you know how to use 4WD, you can take on the toughest on-road and off-road conditions, from deep snow to steep mountains. I found that i had a bad connection to the control module which is located infront of the passenger side door behind the plastic cover under the dash. It provides double the torque sent to all four wheels, increasing your truck's capability of conquering hellish terrains. Gmc 4 wheel drive. These will help you visualize the road ahead and mentally prepare for the optimal speed and settings that will help you successfully overcome obstacles. But one of the best features of a Silverado is the 4 wheel drive system. This helps the car get the best possible traction.
AWD removes some of the drama from snow and ice driving. I don't know if any of the newer full time vehicles have that feature or not. When is it 100% SAFE to switch from 2H to 4-wheel drive. This means the driver must engage the system at some point by way of a button, dial, or shift lever. How to Engage 4 Wheel Drive GMC Sierra – Step by Step Guide. This mode is suitable for any regular driving conditions. 4-Wheel Drive Defined. Let's look at what happens to the drivetrain first.
RWD vehicles offer better cornering performance than FWD. This takes practice to perfect. It improves traction on slippery paths by preventing wheel slippage in the rear of the car. This is when you want to exercise extreme caution by not powering up slippery hills since this is when you could easily break traction causing your wheels to spin out. There is just no turn up front. Either system is meant for low traction or somewhat slippery surfaces. Location: MD's Eastern Shore. How to engage 4 wheel drive gmc sierra madre. Wet, dry, slippery, good traction, none of these surfaces pose a major threat. While the Sierra is designed for serious off-roading, you want to get a good idea of the terrain you're about to brave. Many AWD systems add very little weight to the vehicle and, therefore, have little impact on fuel economy. There are a few advantages of four-wheel drive, including: - Improved traction on slippery or unpaved roads.
There are a lot of things to love about Chevy Silverados. Other vehicles are front- or rear-wheel drive, which means power is transferred to the front or rear wheels. Not always, but most commonly, 4WD is a part-time system. The transfer case, front differential, and rear differentials are the main components of a 4-wheel drive system. These types of vehicles should always be driven in 2H on the tarmac. Then just jiggle the connection and press the button at the same time. In fact, failing to engage 4H while driving on sand could result in you not getting very far. Detailed information about all U. S. Can You Switch to 4-Wheel-Drive While Driving: A Must Read! – 4WheelDriveGuide. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site:. Additional weight increases stopping distances. When you look at the workings of the GMC Sierra 4WD system, you will see that it's quite simple and works almost without any involvement from you.
This reversal will release the wind-up in the transmission box. On a "low" 4WD setting, the truck will maximize torque in all four wheels for especially slippery or unstable surfaces. The chief rule of the 4WD road? Avoid using 4↓ on slippery surfaces, such as roads with snow and ice. Use momentum for sand driving. Installing it is apparently an easy 20-minute job -- 4 minutes shorter than the time allotted to reprogram the shift-control module. How to engage 4 wheel drive gmc sierra de guara. In a full-time 4WD system, you cannot switch it. However, in turning the vehicle, the outside wheels must turn faster than the inside wheels.
Low range is a gear compounder, lets just say about 2 to 1 but perhaps a little more. They're only for while you're actually driving on slippery terrain. 2, 040 posts, read 2, 349, 364. It helps the vehicle to pass any rough terrain or muddy spot almost effortlessly. 4A stands for 4WD mode Auto. The beauty of 4A & Super Select. The actual answer is… well, it depends, however, we've covered a few variables in this article to help us come to a conclusion, which is: If you drive a part-time 4WD it is only safe to engage 4WD if the road surface is low traction and slippery enough. This is an excellent environment to engage your 4WD mode. When crossing any tricky road conditions, such as muddy areas, snowy hills, or loose graves, one can feel very safe if he is using a four-wheeler that can deliver power to all four wheels when needed. When Deciding Between 4WD and 2WD, Ignore the Internet - Car Talk. Always be on the lookout for marine animals like turtles, beach campers, and swimmers on the beach. The only area where a full-time 4WD falls short could be in the fuel consumption department, and even that is negligible with modern 4-wheel-drives. What You Need to Know About The Chevy Silverado. 4↓ is better for low speeds and when traction is required.
They are also poorly suited for straying very far off the pavement. Just make sure that your foot is firmly on the brake before shifting into the park. Here's the answer: You can use either "2WD" or "Auto" all the time. Switching from 4hi to 4Lo while driving is a huge no-no. Dear Car Talk: My 2020 Chevy Silverado has a selectable four-wheel-drive system.
Many unsuspecting 4×4 drivers have lost their vehicles on the beach due to negligence, and lack of awareness. With a full-time 4WD, you never have to worry about road surface traction as much as a part-time 4WD. The temporary workaround was for the dealer to reset the trouble code (transfer case code C0398 or C0326) and warn drivers to engage 4-high mode when needed but to return the truck to 2-high (RWD) mode before switching off the ignition. The following road surfaces are completely safe to engage 4-wheel-drive. That way if you get stuck, you can use 4x4 to get you out. Paying close attention to the road can mean the difference between conquering the trail and slipping off the way because you didn't notice a log in the grass. Be careful OP, it's easy to over estimate the capabilities of a 4x4 and easy to underestimate the depth of a mud hole. Alternatively, When engaging 4H on a slippery surface there is no risk since all wheels can slip and release any potential windup in the process. The part was redesigned and assigned a new number (23355888). I wrote a complete mud driving how-to guide – you can read it here). Only use 4 Low when you are stopped on mud, ice, etc.
You may hear the term 4 Wheel Drive System (4WD). The Wrangler has 2H – 4H – 4A – 4Lo. Jeep Wrangler 4A Mode. Usually, it's only the rear driveshaft that is activated in 2H and not the front. So there you have it. When is that important?
So don't think you can now go fast around corners on icy roads because you have 4 wheel drive. If you have ever experienced this binding, which feels like the truck is fighting itself to make a turn since both front wheels are trying to turn at the same rate rather than the outside wheel traveling more to help you make the turn, you know it isn't a smooth experience. Icy, snowy surfaces need more stopping because traction is greatly reduced. Family Handyman adds that 4WD uses up more fuel to get the gears and drive shaft going. Conclusion: Understanding the mechanism of 4WD and knowing the proper way to engage it can improve your driving skills a lot.
Think of 4 low as an extremely low first gear. If you need to go faster than 55 mph, you'll need to disengage the four-wheel-drive system by turning the knob back to the "two-wheel-drive" position. As I stated earlier, my old trooper and YJ in Costa Rica had no issues whatsoever in low range crawling down some very steep and slippery mountain roads and I didn't need to touch the gas. The idea is the computer senses slippage and then engages the front wheels automatically when needed. The GMC Auto 4wd System allows your vehicle to have lower gears for going through rough terrain and higher gears for city driving. The Automatic 4×4 setting is a convenient way to cruise through road conditions that frequently switch from paved to rough. My light comes on and when to switch it to 4h or4low it blinks and goes back to 2 wheel drive what could it be. Keep in mind if you are headed out into slick conditions, stop and lock the hubs before you get into the area you will be wanting 4WD.
Make sure you are free of distractions while driving.