4WD on Icy Roads?
JK Super Freak
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,891
Likes: 5
From: Great Lakes
@CerOf. I can't stand the ESP on the jeep. When it engages it takes most of the feel and control away from you which is a terribly unnerving feeling in such a situation that would trigger the system to begin with. It has, on more than one occasion, actually worsened the whole incident.
One time when exiting the highway jeep got a little loose in the middle of the ramp, was rolling @ about 40mph. ESP flares up and damn near throws the jeep into the guardrail! Brakes throw a fit, gas petal goes useless, steering gets willy-nilly because of the brakes... All i could do was hold on for dear life until the ESP gave the all clear, which came @ 5mph & 2" from guardrail.
Another rainy day, getting on highway hitting 60mph I see a semi truck flying down the lane I'm merging into when I hit a respectable sized puddle @ the best possible moment. Damn ESP has another spell. Long story short; had to avoid semi truck but stop short of retaining wall. Came within 3 feet of the wall and less from truck..
Nick
One time when exiting the highway jeep got a little loose in the middle of the ramp, was rolling @ about 40mph. ESP flares up and damn near throws the jeep into the guardrail! Brakes throw a fit, gas petal goes useless, steering gets willy-nilly because of the brakes... All i could do was hold on for dear life until the ESP gave the all clear, which came @ 5mph & 2" from guardrail.
Another rainy day, getting on highway hitting 60mph I see a semi truck flying down the lane I'm merging into when I hit a respectable sized puddle @ the best possible moment. Damn ESP has another spell. Long story short; had to avoid semi truck but stop short of retaining wall. Came within 3 feet of the wall and less from truck..
Nick
JK Newbie
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Hickory Hills,il
2007's do not allow full disable of ESP, don't understand why :/
I've got a routine going though! Get in car, start car, engage cig lighter, disengage ESP, light said cig, remind myself to quit smoking after the next cig, drive
Nick
I've got a routine going though! Get in car, start car, engage cig lighter, disengage ESP, light said cig, remind myself to quit smoking after the next cig, drive
Nick
JK Freak
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 815
Likes: 1
From: Cody, Wyoming
It sounds like your jeep does not have a new enough version of the program. You can get the latest flashed (downloaded) into the PCM at the dealer. Be aware that the idiot lights stay on all the time when you "permanently" disable the feature. If you refer back to the first few post on this thread and read the long, very long TSB it mentioned having to re-flash the PCM of the early 07s.
JK Newbie
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: youngsville, la
What you want to avoid in 4WD mode is turning -- or not driving straight -- when you DO have traction. This can damage your transfer case due to slight differences in the rotation of the front and rear drive shafts.
But when it's moderatly icy, I will drive with 4WD until I feel I'm not longer in the ice, then I switch back to 2WD.... but I also switch out of 4WD if I'm coming up to a completely dry stop/corner.
But when it's moderatly icy, I will drive with 4WD until I feel I'm not longer in the ice, then I switch back to 2WD.... but I also switch out of 4WD if I'm coming up to a completely dry stop/corner.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis, MO
We've been getting a ton of snow and ice in St. Louis this year, so I've used my 4WD quite a bit! I don't ever go faster than 55 in 4HI, but I will switch between 2WD and 4WD at any speed between 0 and 55. Works great!
I'm an uber-safe snow driver and don't ever go as fast as "the other SUVs", but I feel like I have so much more control in my JK when 4WD's engaged.
I, too, have had the lurching when initially changing to 4HI, but that's usually when I'm first leaving work in the parking garage. It always looks icy, but I think it's actually not slick enough for the 4WD.
We're getting more snow today, so I'm looking forward to going out and crunching through the snow!
Karla
I'm an uber-safe snow driver and don't ever go as fast as "the other SUVs", but I feel like I have so much more control in my JK when 4WD's engaged.
I, too, have had the lurching when initially changing to 4HI, but that's usually when I'm first leaving work in the parking garage. It always looks icy, but I think it's actually not slick enough for the 4WD.
We're getting more snow today, so I'm looking forward to going out and crunching through the snow!
Karla
JK Newbie
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Little Rock, AR
New to Jeep hence New to Jeep on snow
I have only had my Jeep about a week. We got some snow and ice here in Little Rock yesterday. I had to get out this morning and was very impressed with how it handled. I did have it in 4Hi for the whole time on the freeway. Couldnt go much faster than about 40mph due to conditions but all in all I loved it!
JK Freak
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 538
Likes: 1
From: Arkansas
I live in LR too.
heck, i never even put it in 4WD yesterday.
I couldn't even get the jeep to slide around corners when I tried.
I like the ESP and ARM functions myself.
both have helped me out in some situations.
once on black ice and the other when I took a 90 degree curve WAY too fast.
heck, i never even put it in 4WD yesterday.
I couldn't even get the jeep to slide around corners when I tried.
I like the ESP and ARM functions myself.
both have helped me out in some situations.
once on black ice and the other when I took a 90 degree curve WAY too fast.
JK Newbie
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
From: Sunriver, OR
What you want to avoid in 4WD mode is turning -- or not driving straight -- when you DO have traction. This can damage your transfer case due to slight differences in the rotation of the front and rear drive shafts.
But when it's moderatly icy, I will drive with 4WD until I feel I'm not longer in the ice, then I switch back to 2WD.... but I also switch out of 4WD if I'm coming up to a completely dry stop/corner.
But when it's moderatly icy, I will drive with 4WD until I feel I'm not longer in the ice, then I switch back to 2WD.... but I also switch out of 4WD if I'm coming up to a completely dry stop/corner.
I lived for 9 years on top of a notorious mountain pass, San Marcos Pass on CA Hwy 154, a twisty two lane with 55 mph speed limit, fatal accident about once a month. During frequent rain (and the infrequent snow) I would definitely be in four wheel drive, made a huge difference in holding the road around the highway turns.
Also have a vacation home and spend a good amount of time in central Oregon. I don't have studded tires, but do carry chains if it gets too bad. I have had to use them on my Chevy (talk about a tank, put chains on your 4x). The Jeep on the other hand was a whole new experience. I found it comparitively very stable in 4wd on the hwy (I-97 and OR 140) in snow and ice. Eventually the ice starts melting and there's long stretches of on again off again icy/not icy pavement. I stay in 4wd as long as feels necessary. Sometimes forget to go back into 2wd for 20-30 miles or more.
The results:
98 Chevy K1500 bought new, i'm the original owner 240,000 miles, put in a crate motor (HT383 stroker) at 140,000 when it spun a main bearing, rebuilt the tranny and put a locker in the rear at that time, but still on the original transfer case, front diff and CV joints. 240,00 mi!
2008 JK X Unlmtd bought new 50,000 miles, no issues so far.
My $.02: Better to use 4wd in questionable conditions than end up in a ditch (or worse) to save your driveline just for wheeling.
JK Super Freak
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,331
Likes: 0
From: Dallas, TX
Originally Posted by FlyinSquirre1
@CerOf. I can't stand the ESP on the jeep. When it engages it takes most of the feel and control away from you which is a terribly unnerving feeling in such a situation that would trigger the system to begin with. It has, on more than one occasion, actually worsened the whole incident.
One time when exiting the highway jeep got a little loose in the middle of the ramp, was rolling @ about 40mph. ESP flares up and damn near throws the jeep into the guardrail! Brakes throw a fit, gas petal goes useless, steering gets willy-nilly because of the brakes... All i could do was hold on for dear life until the ESP gave the all clear, which came @ 5mph & 2" from guardrail.
Another rainy day, getting on highway hitting 60mph I see a semi truck flying down the lane I'm merging into when I hit a respectable sized puddle @ the best possible moment. Damn ESP has another spell. Long story short; had to avoid semi truck but stop short of retaining wall. Came within 3 feet of the wall and less from truck..
Nick
One time when exiting the highway jeep got a little loose in the middle of the ramp, was rolling @ about 40mph. ESP flares up and damn near throws the jeep into the guardrail! Brakes throw a fit, gas petal goes useless, steering gets willy-nilly because of the brakes... All i could do was hold on for dear life until the ESP gave the all clear, which came @ 5mph & 2" from guardrail.
Another rainy day, getting on highway hitting 60mph I see a semi truck flying down the lane I'm merging into when I hit a respectable sized puddle @ the best possible moment. Damn ESP has another spell. Long story short; had to avoid semi truck but stop short of retaining wall. Came within 3 feet of the wall and less from truck..
Nick
I did not find ESP to be intrusive at all.
There has to be different software versions of it.