4WD Options on Cayenne

[poleposition]

Question is:

which settings are to be used when getting stuck in snow with Cayenne (no winter tires) ?

I am talking about that switch for locking/unlocking front/rear dif... etc etc, the one in the left, below the gear stick.

Since now I get PSM and ABS Failure, the wheels are spining without control untill they smoke... Christ !!!

Edited December 19, 2009 by poleposition

[DUTCH VanAtlanta]

Question is:

which settings are to be used when getting stuck in snow with Cayenne (no winter tires) ?

I am talking about that switch for locking/unlocking front/rear dif... etc etc, the one in the left, below the gear stick.

Since now I get PSM and ABS Failure, the wheels are spining without control untill they smoke... Christ !!!

That switch goes through several stages. First is to go into low gear in the Transfer Case; and your transmission should be in Neutral to make this switch.. Second is to lock the center diff. There is no front diff. Third, only if you have the off road technology option, is to lock the rear diff. Also, if you have the air suspension, you might want to raise the car to the highest level.

[poleposition]

Yes I got the pneumatic suspension, I don't know what is this off road technology, If I play with the switch it says something like: Locked front (sorry Center maybe), locked etc... on the display.

How do I go into "low gear on the tranfer case" ?

This is a picture of the switches on my car (for pneumatic susp, shocks and 4wd) :

Edited December 19, 2009 by poleposition

[odix]

Hi -- the manual does a great job explaining all the off road options and respective switch settings. If you do not have the paper/original manual then become a contributing member here and you can download a PDF Cayenne manual. For instructions on how to become a contributing member click on the "donate" button below and you are all set. It was the best money I ever spent to help me understand and maintain my Cayenne S (2004).

[DUTCH VanAtlanta]

See the attached file.

Off_Road_Driving.pdf

[eVoMotion]

Great topic. The car seems to have great traction in the normal mode. Are people finding that they only ever use the diff changes when they are truly offroading or on extra slippery snow & ice roads as well? I am headed to the snow for the 1st time in our CTT (with new performance snows) and am wondering if I should just drive like I did with our AWD turbo Subaru wagon on snow or should I be engaging some diff? Thanks in advance.

[poleposition]

My point exactly... :) The 4wd "standard" so to speak, is great, but I would like to get the advantage of all those settings, yet I do not know how to use them best.

The link above does not work :unsure:

PS: the water temperature on my cayenne Turbo, sometimes goes above "middle"... just 2-3 mm... is this normal ? :huh: Dealer sais it's ok... Just sometimes, then drops below middle...

[phillipj]

That link should work. It works for me

[poleposition]

Sorry, now it works... maybe Windows is messing with me :P

Great info, I will try this tomorrow, as in Romania, we have a lot of snow and icy roads at this time :)

Thank you :)

PS: Please, what about that temperature issue I mentioned above ? :huh:

[mudman2]

You should not need to set any of the diffs under normal snow and ice conditions. Raise the suspension up if its real deep and turn OFF PSM when you want some fun or if you get stuck, the system will stop you dead if all wheels lose traction with the system on.

The beast weighs a lot, the laws of physics do not get supsended just because your gonads feel big driving it. Remember the mantra "dont brake, dont brake , dont brake, always repeat it 3 times.

Please be carefull, us old timers have seen these threads before, the next ones will be blaming the car for not stopping or for hitting the tree that was not there a minute ago

Find a parking lot in the snow and have at it to get the feel, try it with and without PSM, feel the difference, the **** thing thinks so much so its not as much fun as you think it will be.

PSM = Please Save Me

Sorry, now it works... maybe Windows is messing with me :P

Great info, I will try this tomorrow, as in Romania, we have a lot of snow and icy roads at this time :)

Thank you :)

PS: Please, what about that temperature issue I mentioned above ? :huh:

[DUTCH VanAtlanta]

One additional comment. It is unfortunate that you must put the transfer case in low gear before you can lock the differential(s). The low gearing puts too much power/torque on the wheels; and this leads to more slipping and spinning in the snow. It would be better to stay in high gear in the transfer case, which will give you better traction; and above all, go easy on the accelerator if you want traction.

[odix]

Regarding: "PS: the water temperature on my cayenne Turbo, sometimes goes above "middle"... just 2-3 mm... is this normal ? huh.gif Dealer sais it's ok... Just sometimes, then drops below middle... "

Temp-variance is normal. Search the forums and you will find many threads discussing this. Also, become a contributing member and you will be able to download manual and technical service bulletins. Well worth the cost of joining Renntech.

Edited December 21, 2009 by odix

[poleposition]

You should not need to set any of the diffs under normal snow and ice conditions. Raise the suspension up if its real deep and turn OFF PSM when you want some fun or if you get stuck, the system will stop you dead if all wheels lose traction with the system on.

The beast weighs a lot, the laws of physics do not get supsended just because your gonads feel big driving it. Remember the mantra "dont brake, dont brake , dont brake, always repeat it 3 times.

Please be carefull, us old timers have seen these threads before, the next ones will be blaming the car for not stopping or for hitting the tree that was not there a minute ago

Find a parking lot in the snow and have at it to get the feel, try it with and without PSM, feel the difference, the **** thing thinks so much so its not as much fun as you think it will be.

PSM = Please Save Me

Sorry, now it works... maybe Windows is messing with me :P

Great info, I will try this tomorrow, as in Romania, we have a lot of snow and icy roads at this time :)

Thank you :)

PS: Please, what about that temperature issue I mentioned above ? :huh:

Very well put, thank you for your comment :)

Well, as I detailed in another thread, I need to change the ABS unit, so I am running without PSM or ABS, on icy roads and snow... well the sensations I get these days, truly tops the ones I have in my BMW M6 :wacko:

I hope the unit will arrive soon at the dealer, it freaks me out driving with no electronics whasoever, a 2.7 ton truck, on icy surfaces... :huh: I might as well drive the BMW, it's the same deal right now :D

Anyways, I wish you all the best for this Christmas guys ! :cheers: