4 Runner slides on snow and ice

I am looking for some advice for a friend.
I have a friend that has the same 4 Runner as I do, same lift, same tires and model.

When she drives on snow and ice (roads) her 4 Runner goes sideways. I’m in my 4Runner right behind her and I don’t have the same results.

She has taken it to 2 different dealerships and they state they don’t find anything wrong.

I think there might be a problem with her 4 wheel drive. Any suggestions or ideas.
Thank you in advance !

PJ

 

https://aguyagirlandatrail.com/2022/12/07/winter-driving-with-4wd/

 

U drive it and then report back to us

 

Lead is the hottest fashion accessory for shoes this season, didn't you hear?

 

Not knowing from your profile whether you both have limiteds or something else (with part-time 4wd), I would need more info.

Same 4runner model, same lift, same tires is a very good comparison but my first question would be, do the tires have the same amount of tread left? If your friend has many more miles, it could be their tires are just worn and not as grippy.

Also, when it comes to snow and ice, driving style can make a HUGE difference. If you are light on the pedals (accelelerator and/or brake) and they are not, that could very easily account for slippage. Even the timing of acceleration and/or braking is enough to cause major differences in traction

 

Thank you for your reply. I offered to drive her 4 Runner to see if I get the same results. I’ll see if I can get a bit more information from her. Thank you again.

 

No problem, hope the forum can help! If you can drive it, there should be a noticeable difference in whether the 4wd is working or not after driving yours.

 

Thanks for always posting the most informative and detailed information on here!

 

THIS

Also, allow your friend to drive your truck.

 

Anything will slid if the friction coefficient is exceeded.

 

Driving behavior and tire pressure.

 

Good one, I didn't even think of tire pressure

 

I know you said you have the same tires, but are they the same load range?

I see that some tires will have more or less siping depending on load range (usually more siping on SL than LT versions). Siping is a big factor in winter traction.

 

Another point worth mentioning, if the TRAC is malfunctioning the truck will be squirrelly on a slick road. I tried once turning it off on a icy snowy road and my truck was all over the place. The TRAC function really works. Having said that I imagine there might be a fail annunciation if it was broke.

 

Is it possible that her 4wd isn't engaging because she's trying to shift into 4H under load?

For example, if I'm going up a hill and try to shift into 4H with my foot on the gas, the green 4H light blinks and will not engage. However, if I lift my foot off the gas, it will engage.

Is that something that could be happening to you.......I mean your friend?

 

I plan on driving her 4Runner next weekend to see if I can duplicate what is happening when she drives. I will post what happens. Thank you for your reply & input!

 

That’s my bet. Getting 4wd to engage is NOT self-explanatory on these old school rigs. That’s why there’s all those instructions and warnings right on the visor.

Even after reading the instructions on the visor and the manual, I still needed a few explanations in order to understand the finer points, such as lifting the throttle for moment to allow for things to completely engage. Plenty of new 4runner drivers need a quick tutorial on how to engage and use 4wd…and if they dont, it’s because they never use 4wd at all lol.

And as an aside, if her 4runner has a rear locker, it’s even harder to understand how to get that to engage (and more importantly, disengage). Took me a while to figure that out, and recently I drove more than a few miles on the road with my locker on because I didnt take the time to verify it disengaged.

We all might snicker at the occasional “my 4runner wont turn in 4wd” threads, but the fact is, these vehicles require an operator. It’s an old school machine, not a tesla-style thing with UI. Which is exactly why so many of us like the 4runner.

Come to think of it, these 4runners have to be pretty tough, since you dont see many exploded transfer case threads.

 

Not on your life!

 

I weep for our future...

 

I can almost guarantee it's driver behavior. I've had 4wd fail to engage, it was very obvious because the car could barely climb up the hills.

Going to a parking lot and asking my roommate to look if my front tires kicked up snow when I punched the throttle confirmed that my 4wd was indeed not working.

When the snow gets deeper it becomes even easier to catch an edge and make you go sideways. Very easy to flip your vehicle, the snow will quickly wedge against the sides of your tires as you slide and will slow the bottom of the vehicle while the upper part continues momentum. They need to slow down, you think your alright but your really not.

 

Sounds silly but check the tire pressure. Especially if it has been to the dealership, they often have a penchant for using higher tire pressures. My Taco specifies 29psi and they always put it to 40psi. Makes it ride rough over bumps and grip is affected in the snow and ice.

 

What's the best Psi for driving on Snow and Ice.
Its been on 40psi all year long. Haven't seen snow for a year now.

 

Unless your drive is only going to have you in ice/snow conditions, it’s probably not worth adjusting pressure from the regular recommended pressure.

I recently drove on ice and some snow for almost an entire day on a recent trail ride. Most of us did air down a bit, but not a ton, maybe high 20s for the most part.

 

You right, not on my life

lol