This morning I woke up to 1/4 of ice covering all the roads. I have really never used the four wheel drive on the streets, usually just 4 low on the trails! I will have to say it did good but it struggled to get up to a decent speed. I have a 6 speed stock rubi tires an gears, my question is what is up with this, I wouldn't think it would take that much more power to run one more axle!

 

Was the traction control light blinking at all? That could be why it felt sluggish as when it senses wheel slip the ECU takes power away from the engine as well as applying individual brakes in order to prevent excessive wheel spin. If you don't realize this is going on it would just feel like you lost a lot of power.

 

Nope no traction problems, I felt it on the highway and they had cleaned it and salted already. It felt like I was pushing a ton of bricks. I know this thing is under powered but I would think it could pull it's self in 4x4 at 50 mph.

 

Did you possibly have your E-brake on? Weird, I've never had that issue, It's sometimes hard for me to even tell that 4-hi is engaged when running straight.

 

Yeah, not much difference with 2wd or 4hi, on mine.
You definitely have something going on if the power loss is as much as described.

 

Im a little north of you and got no ice just 3.5inches of snow but ive never had any problems on ice

 

you weren't in 4 low were you?

I don't have any issues with 4hi either. Last winter, with a blizzard, she handled on the hwy to DC with no issues....just a decreased mpg.

 

Mine always runs better with the gas tank completely full, maybe you were getting low?

Be careful on that ice, 4wd won't help you stop better.

 

Lol the e- brake has never even worked on my jeep it has 63000 miles on it and I bought it with 58000 miles. I don't know why it felt so sluggish?

 

With ice or snow I wouldn't want to go any faster than I felt I could control the Jeep including stopping it.

Here in So Cal we don't get ice on the road except up in the mountains. Right after and during a snowfall it's usually 4 WD with chains. My Wife and I head up. The roads are all snow covered some payches of ice and no idiots on the road either. It's 4 high all the way but slow and very peaceful. I sort of wished I lived in a place that got regular snow.