Auto 4wd how does it work

Doing so may place undue stress on axles, transfer cases, and other drivetrain components which could lead to damage. This setting allows your GMC to automatically distribute torque to the front axle by anticipating the need for additional traction. Low range is meant predominantly for off-road situations, and should not be used at speeds above 45 mph.

Shifting into low-range four-wheel drive is a little more involved than shifting into high-range four-wheel drive. Drivers will need to shift the transmission into neutral to disconnect torque to allow the transfer case to shift gears.

Once the transfer case is in low-range, shift the transmission back into drive. To shift out of low-range back to high range, follow the same procedures. From placing calls to streaming music, smartphones and other mobile devices allow you to remain connected and entertained while on the go — and that includes within your GMC.

The IntelliLink infotainment system to provides Bluetooth connectivity, giving you the ability to make hands-free calls or listen to your favorite playlist within your vehicle. Staying connected while on the go is as easy as this simple walkthrough shows.

Service varies with conditions and location. The weight of passengers, cargo and options or accessories may reduce the amount you can tow. The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price excludes destination freight charge, tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. See your GMC dealer for details. Click here to see all GMC destination freight charges.

The button usually has some squiggly lines on it. That's your stability-control-defeat button. Stability control will try to keep your tires from spinning. If you're on a rocky trail, that can be great—by grabbing the brakes at individual corners, stability control can sometimes mimic the benefits of locking differentials.

We proved that with the Kia Telluride. But if you're in mud, sand, or snow, stability control might get you stuck, even if you've got four-wheel drive. That's because in certain circumstances, you want wheelspin and momentum. Out on the sand, your stability control system will detect wheelspin and cut power to the spinning wheels.

Which, in that context, will be all of them. Then you grind to a halt. To turn off the system, you usually hold down the button for at least five seconds. First the, traction-control system will deactivate sometimes just with a push of a button but you want the whole thing off, so hold down the button until you see a message like "stability-control system disabled. One more thing: the price of your 4x4 often has a direct correlation to the complexity of its drive systems.

And we can't really explain all of them on a case-by-case basis, but if you purchase a machine with overt off-road pretensions, it behooves you to study up on its capabilities. A Mercedes GLE with the optional hydropneumatic suspension can bounce itself out if it gets stuck.

The Ford Raptor offers something called Baja mode, which activates an antilag system for the turbos—yee haw. And the Land Cruiser has a button for off-road turn assist, which brakes the inside wheels to give you a skid-steer effect and tighten your turning circle on loose surfaces. But to activate it, you'll need to be in 4WD Low and using Crawl Control, which is like an off-road cruise control system.

Point is: whatever your rig, step one should probably be opening your glove box and reading the owner's manual. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Hero Images Getty Images. The Infiniti QX80 offers three flavors of four-wheel drive.

Although 4WD and AWD are different, they both transfer power to your front and back wheels, which can be beneficial during muddy, snowy, rocky, and other difficult driving conditions. You typically see 4WD systems on larger vehicles that are designed with all-terrain abilities, such as trucks, SUVS, and off-road vehicles. The main difference between 4WD and AWD is that four-wheel drive vehicles use two differentials and a transfer case while all-wheel drive vehicles employ a front, rear, and center differential.

When 4WD is engaged, the engine sends power to the transmission, which is then split into the front and wheel axles. The torque gets transferred to the wheels, but the wheels must have traction on the road in order for the vehicle to move anywhere. Otherwise the tires will merely spin as you have probably experienced when stuck in mud or sand.

If you have two-wheel drive 2WD , then your wheels will probably spin and spin. In this case, it might be extremely useful to have four-wheel drive so that your front wheels could get some traction on the road.

This is essentially what four-wheel drive does. It gives you traction where and when you need it. Most of the time, all you need is 2WD. When you need extra power and traction deep mud, soft sand, ruts, steep inclines and declines, rocky surfaces, etc , you can engage 4WD by pressing a button.

The process for engaging 4WD, however, depends on your vehicle. For older vehicles, you may have come to a complete stop first and put your vehicle in neutral or park before engaging 4WD. Newer vehicles, however, can normally activate 4WD with a simple push of a button. Some modern 4WD systems turn on automatically whenever it detects one or more of the wheels slipping. Each system—part-time, full-time, manual shift, on-the-fly, and fully automatic—all have different requirements for engagement and disengagement.

The main benefits of 4WD are traction and power. Have you ever seen those commercials where the Jeep is climbing over boulders and rocks? If you are climbing a steep hill or are off-roading, you will want increased power in order to get over obstacles and climb steep hills.