Auto 4WD via Terrain Control

[Jerry Caldwell]

I thought it odd that the FX4 does not have the Auto 4WD as an option on the controls. Reading through the owners manual on my FX4, page 167, Normal Setting, it seems that it may be by default whether you are using Terrain Control or not. It just doesn’t call it Auto 4WD. Has anyone confirmed through getting in a slick condition with 4X2 H engaged? I would ask my dealer, but pretty sure they would not have a clue. I have attached a picture of the OM page.

Sponsored

 

[VAMike]

Do not activate 4hi on a regular road. The note in the manual means that if you hit TM it will change you out of 2wd. It does not turn into AWD.

 

[Jerry Caldwell]

Do not activate 4hi on a regular road. The note in the manual means that if you hit TM it will change you out of 2wd. It does not turn into AWD.

Not sure you understand what I was getting at and what was said in the manual. TM does not automatically change you out of 2H and into 4H. It is available in 2H as the default setting. It would be nice if some knowledgeable Ford Engineer would address this question. My Dealer has no clue.

 

[VAMike]

Not sure you understand what I was getting at and what was said in the manual. TM does not automatically change you out of 2H and into 4H.

It certainly does in my truck. If I'm parked in my driveway and hit the tm button, it switches to 4h. If I turn the mode selection to 2h, it cancels tm.

 

[Jerry Caldwell]

It certainly does in my truck. If I'm parked in my driveway and hit the tm button, it switches to 4h. If I turn the mode selection to 2h, it cancels tm.

I was driving mine today and I hit the TM button and it came up in Normal mode and stayed in 2H. If you select something other than Normal mode then yes it may change to 4H. The manual says it is available in 2H.

 

[VAMike]

I was driving mine today and I hit the TM button and it came up in Normal mode and stayed in 2H. If you select something other than Normal mode then yes it may change to 4H. The manual says it is available in 2H.

Normal is "off". It gets you out of the other modes.

 

[Jerry Caldwell]

Normal is "off". It gets you out of the other modes.

That may be correct, but I need an answer from someone at Ford that actually knows how it is programmed. I don’t function well on opinions and I find it hard to believe it is there for no reason other than to switch TM off. Shouldn’t it say OFF and not Normal if that was the case. You could turn your knob from 4H to 2H and accomplish the same task to get out of TM mode.

 

[VAMike]

That may be correct, but I need an answer from someone at Ford that actually knows how it is programmed. I don’t function well on opinions and I find it hard to believe it is there for no reason other than to switch TM off. Shouldn’t it say OFF and not Normal if that was the case. You could turn your knob from 4H to 2H and accomplish the same task to get out of TM mode.

Ok, have fun

 

[BOT_ROCKET]

Good luck. I've been looking all over for confirmation from Ford on how their Terrain Management System actually works. I'm not sure Henry Ford himself would get an answer if he came back from the dead.

 

[THLONE]

If you cant figure it by trial and error then dont use it. Is there a programmer that can tell how to disable TM? It is only needed by people who probably should not be driving on that trail anyway. Sorry if you paid extra for it, maybe it will help the resale.

 

[Jerry Caldwell]

If you cant figure it by trial and error then dont use it. Is there a programmer that can tell how to disable TM? It is only needed by people who probably should not be driving on that trail anyway. Sorry if you paid extra for it, maybe it will help the resale.

I am just looking for a real answer from someone who actually knows.

 

[t4thfavor]

It doesn’t function as auto, I’ve had it in every mode with the rear tires buried in mud, I had to engage 4hi or select another mode to get 4x4 to do anything.

 

[Jerry Caldwell]

It doesn’t function as auto, I’ve had it in every mode with the rear tires buried in mud, I had to engage 4hi or select another mode to get 4x4 to do anything.

Thanks for your response. I know on the Explorers with TM it does put power to the rear wheels since it is front wheel drive. Anyway, good to know.

 

[Deleted member 773]

TM modes each have different traction control settings, transmission tunes, and stability control settings that are tuned to allow varying levels of wheel spin to provide the best traction and transfer of power in that condition. In addition it changes the throttle response to further aid the driver.
Yes, the selector knob will also change the drive setting but it doesn’t change stability control settings in 4H (4L shuts everything off I believe) The front wheels have varying levels of “lock” based on the TM setting to mimic a true front locker. While not a true locker, it does lead to increased ease in maneuvering because it can electronically lock when needed and then unlock to allow tight turns. Saying TM is for people who shouldn’t be out on a trail is a little bit silly, they are just driver aids. A crappy driver will always be a crappy driver, regardless of how off-road worthy their vehicle is, can’t blame clever tech for that.

 

[doug910]

The Rangers do not have auto 4WD. On the F150s, if you get a Lariat trim or higher, there is a 4A setting in between 2H and 4H. 4A will send power to the front if it notices rear slip but will otherwise keep it RWD. It's useful when you're driving on pavement that has patches of snow.

The Rangers will not engage 4WD unless you put it into 4H and/or select a terrain mode. Once it's in 4WD, it will always send power to the front until you turn it back to 2H.

Sponsored