Getting used to No 4 wheel Drive Auto

Long time GM truck owner, used to having Auto 4WD feature waiting for my new Tundra. Anyone else switch over and had any concerns not having that feature available?

 

Yes, it's ridiculous that the Tundra's don't offer it. But as long as Toyota has the cult following that they do, they will continue to make changes as slowly as possible.

 

Personally I love AWD vehicles ability in the snow here in NE and if I could have an AWD Tundra I'd be all about. That said without a center differential I wouldn't want 4wd activated without me doing it. Correct me if I'm wrong but it's not like the auto four-wheel drive trucks can just send power to a front wheel if it starts slipping it still needs to engage the transfer case and is more meant if you're actually off-road and in which case you would have already put it in four-wheel drive.

 

When deciding replacement for dead 04 ford, auto 4wd drive was one thing leaning me to gm. That was only thing so here I am.

My first drive after buying truck at northern Kansas hit crappy weather driving home with standing water. Auto4wd or awd would have been nice but truck handled well.

I am curious what folks on here do for snow or ice. How bad to just go 4wd? Manual says snow covered.

 

I've never had a Range Rover or Land Rover that had a center diff and don't think they are very common (I'm probably wrong), are they? Here's the blurb from Ford," 4-Auto Provides electronic controlled four-wheel drive with power delivered to the front and rear wheels, as required, for increased traction. The system continuously monitors road conditions, driver's input as well as other vehicle sensors and optimizes the system's behavior based on terrain mode selection." I use mine on road in the Raptor whenever roads are potentially slick (standing water, ice, snow, mud) and the power transfer to front wheels feels very quick if not instant. The only time I've used 4A off-road was on a baja expedition.

 

Just hit 80k miles and I haven’t missed 4Auto yet.

Toyota does have lockable Torsen center diffs they put in Sequoias and LandCruisers - @ViktorG has a thread about putting a Sequoia 4wd system into a 2nd gen Tundra. Not sure if the same will be possible with the new gen.

 

Any vehicle that is considered "all-wheel" drive has a center differential. Personally I have only driven all-wheel and four-wheel but never four-auto. The research that I have done is the four-autos still don't have a center diff and still need to engage the transfer case to give power to the front wheels. Given the time that it takes to engage and disengage 4High, I cant imagine a transfer case being able to immediately give power to the front wheels the second a rear tire slips it would still need a few seconds to engage.

 

I can't comment on the mechanics since I've obviously not versed in them with regard to these vehicles. But having owned several 4A vehicles I've never experienced any delay in the "seconds" range, less than one second would be how I'd anecdotally describe it. It honestly doesn't feel any different than my wife's Q8 when it comes to slippage and time to recovery. You should drive some for yourself.

 

I guess I can't speak since I've never driven one I've just read about how the system works and if it senses a rear wheel slipping it engages the transfer case which sends power to the front wheels basically the same as if you were to turn on for high yourself. Maybe the four auto trucks have some type of super fast transfer case since at least in my experience disengaging and engaging 4 high is never immediate. That said I've gotten used to turning on four-wheel drive in the snow and ice when on the straightaways and then disengaging it when I'm going to be turning unless of course it's completely snow covered.

 

I drove 4x4 Tundra's since Jan 2000, in Northern Vermont, in tons of snow. Snow tires make the vehicle, be it awd(I drove audi Quattros too) or 4x4's. But, even with good tires, and 4x4, the only time I'd go into 4H, is at intersections or if no plows had been out yet. The only time I went into 4L was when I was hill climbing up steep banks on a dirt road/over stone ridges in the road to deer camp. If you're concerned with just running on 2wd with the light rear end, friends of mine often would put a couple bags of sand in the back of the box, to help keep the tires from spinning, and handy, if they got stuck.

I typically ran with Nokian Hakka 5's on the Audi A6, or Hankook Snows (looks like they were the Hakka mold they probably purchased from Nokia) on the Tundras (2000 and 2011).

 

Rarely use 4wd on road in Minnesota. Just sand bags. 4A doesn’t help turning or stopping. Snow packed roads are the same in 4A or RWD if your going straight and maintaining consistent speed.

As for black ice, you’re losing traction on it regardless.

 

My work Chevy has 4AWD. It’s still a piece of shit.

I have never had it in my personal vehicle, and have never wished I did have it.

 

Yota fulltime 4WD torsen center differential transfer case works the same as part time 4WD if you push the CDL button. The center differential is in the tcase. Land Cruiser, some 4Runners, Lexus GX and LX are always in fulltime 4WD, don't have a 2WD setting. The tcase has 4HI and 4LO settings, CDL works in both modes. The guts of it is tediously explained here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESm0PPBkAQQ

1G and 2G Sequoia has 2HI along with the Land Cruiser torsen center diff tcase. So 2HI, fulltime 4HI, 4LO, both axles 50/50 with CDL button. Nice system, very reliable. 75W90 gear oil in the tcase same as a part time 4WD Tundra. So nice to stay in 4HI 24/7/365 instead of swapping back and forth as road conditions change.

 

Drive carefully in the snow in 2hi.

if it’s bad enough where I need 4hi I’m going 40mph or less anyway. 4lo rarely makes an appearance unless I’m in deep or steep.

 

Pretty sure we'll all survive if there isn't Auto 4WD. Hell, look back half a century and everything was RWD and people got around just fine. Heaven forbid a driver have to actually put down their latte and bookface and actually pay attention when they drive. All this whining about vehicles not having every known feature is such a first world problem.

Top it with the incredulous posts being followed by complaints about manufacturers cutting costs or raising prices, and I can't help but hope we start seeing fewer "driver aids" just so people can sack up and quit being so damn entitled about everything. Why do you think every new generation of vehicle has skyrocketing prices and they are trying to do little things to save cost? Because all the things that drive a car for you cost money! If you don't want to pay attention to WTH is going on around you and act accordingly, then go buy a damn Tesla.













A lot of this is an exaggerated rant about what is truly just an eyeroll, but if the snowflakes that can't drive spike their blood pressure over this post I won't be sad.

 

I bought an F150 which has has full time available to replace my 09 Crewmax. I wanted the auto system but could not find the trim that has it equipped as I wanted. So after 20 years of part time systems and thinking was gonna upgrade I ended up with another part time system.

Would have been nice to “set it and forget it.” But easing off the gas and flipping a switch when I go from a plowed to an un plowed patch or vice versa is no biggie. Around here either everything is coated because it’s gone all day and plows can’t keep up or you get plowed main streets and snow covered side streets. I’m typically in one mode for awhile and not constantly switching every few seconds. And I do not need or want 4wd in the rain, I use throttle control and slow down. If the road is just wet and I find myself in a scenario where Awd would come in use that means I done effed up. Get used to a part time system and it’s no big deal once you get a feel for what mode is needed when. Just let off the throttle and press the button or flip the switch and check for the light.

 

I had Auto 4wd in my 2011 Sierra. Haven't had it in any vehicle since and I don't miss it.

 

I wish I could go back to the days of manual locking hubs. In Alaska I locked them in Oct and unlocked them in May. Getting into 4WD was a simple movement of a floor shifter. Quick and easy even at 60 mph.

 

Shifting to 4Hi is equally simple on these trucks. You can go between 2Hi and 4Hi while driving. Only need to stop and shift to N if you need to get to 4Lo.

 

Coolest forum name I’ve seen today.

 

TLDR - While convenient, lack of 4A isn’t a big deal to me. Proper tire choice handles the issue for me.

Story time…… for reference, am a lifelong South Central Alaskan who drives on snow / ice covered roads for roughly half the year. Have had Toyota trucks as my personal trucks for going on 30 years now and Tundras for the last 20+ (96 and 01 Tacomas, 01 / 10 18 Tundras).

I am somewhat torn on the 4A feature. I have had it for about the last 10 years on my work vehicles (2014 and 2017 Tahoes, and 2020 Ram), and greatly appreciate it for the times where 4wd is not needed all the time. Previously on my Tundras when running AT tires I would end up switching between 2wd and 4wd at least a half dozen times a day when highways were clear, but my sloped driveway and intersections were still slick. The 4A system handled these seamlessly and conveniently, and enabled me to run AT tires year round.

I preferred to run AT tires year round rather than dedicated winter tires on my Tundras since it saved me time and money. I always just dealt with the relatively minor inconvenience of manually switching between drive modes.

Now that my wife primarily drives the Tundra, we got her dedicated winter tires, and can honestly say I’m very impressed. In 2wd with the studded winter tires it has handled our driveway and most every winter driving condition better than being in 4wd and running AT tires.

While I would much prefer the new Tundra (and especially Sequoia) had the Torsen center diff like offered on the Sequoia / LC / select 4R’s, it is not a deal breaker for me if I was looking at purchasing a new Tundra or Sequoia. The rear seat and floor / 3rd row storage abortions are however a deal breaker, but that’s another topic.

 

I knew you liked boats, but had no idea you liked turds!

 

Got no time for hoes.

 

it’s like you don’t even know me.

 

To actually answer the OP, I also came from numerous 4auto trucks, loved it, and had apprehensions on the tundra because of the lack of 4auto. Getting used to it although I did just put on studded winters and some weight in the box which I never did on my 4auto trucks. To be honest , what I miss more though is the smooth traction control of my last gm and ford compared to the experience of a “slow and clunky” traction control on the tundra. I could barely tell on my ford and gm if my back wheels were starting to slip and traction control was kicking in. The tundra system definitely lets you know. Better now that I put studs and weights on.

still love the truck. A good driver will be fine just don’t get lazy.

 

I sold my 2014 Tundra Limited just before the 2022 Tundra was announced. I replaced it with a 2021 GMC Sierra with the 3L Duramax Diesel. The power delivery is fantastic. I really like the 4Auto living at 8300’ in the Rockies. I run Nokian LT3 snow tires with studs, and leave it in 4Auto most of the winter. Traction is way better than my old Tundra with studs. But nothing beats my FJ manual with fulltime 4wd and Torsen center diff.

Im considering a 2023 Tundra CrewMax 6.5’ bed, I have some concerns about longevity with the GMC. I would certainly miss the 4Auto, but maybe the Sequoia center diff swap is viable. I would 100% do this modification. I did a lot of research on this when I had my 2014 Tundra but it only worked with 2007-2013 models.

 

I missed it the first storm , by the second I had it down. Just need to switch back and forth. My old 2002 Tacoma had a floor shifter, this is easier. The GM system is really good though, just saying.

 

Some of you crack me up. 4A is the truck version of a blankie. They could call it “emotional support mode” and have the same end result.

You don’t need to be more diligent with part time 4wd or even that good a driver. You’ll be fine. Unclench that ass and give your balls a tug.

 

Sounds like Florida has some nice weather. You might have a different opinion if you lived in a snow and ice part of the country. You’d be fine with a 2WD truck prancing around the dry payment.

 

I’m in Minnesota.