If you have an SUV or similar vehicle with a four-wheel drive feature, you may be looking forward to putting it to good use this winter. Between thick snowfalls and mountain ski trips, this is a time when your wheels are working overtime. Of course, you don’t want to end up reaching for the four-wheel drive when you need it and finding that it isn’t working properly. You’re probably not using it over the summer, so a faulty four-wheel drive can sneak up on you. This is why it is important to check your system before the start of the cold season.
It is also important to remember that, while a four-wheel drive system can greatly improve your traction on snow and ice from a stationary position, it is not a magical system that will allow you to speed about like a racer on a frozen street. When you apply your brakes, your tires will not grip the pavement any better than you could without four-wheel drive. Various four-wheel drive systems work differently; check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for the best environment in which to use your system.