Originally Posted By: Ken2
Chado, how does that 4wd operate? Does it actually lock in the 4wd or AWD, or does it pick the time to engage and disengage? (Are you sure?) Going downhill on worn all-season tires, the car has switched itself to front wheel drive, and hitting a well polished slick spot bring out the stress mentioned above, and maybe the crash mentioned above.
Here's another vote for 4 real winter tires. Not only is your driving safer, but you ability to dodge some fool sliding toward you is much greater.
The newer Kias, and probably Hyundais, have a sticker on the car that says AWD, but the car is not.* It is FWD except when the fronts slip, then it engages the rears. It has some way to know when to disengage the rears. Even the 4wd button only is active below 19 mph, above that speed the rears disengage even with the button depressed. Find out exactly what your car's drive train does. Down hill or curves with just FWD and worn tires may not be close to safe.
(*There is no center differential or other slip device. It is a solid connection between front & rear when engaged, thus not what I'd call AWD.)
to my knowledge, it is not locking. there is no button or gear to lock anything either. it seems it is a FWD, with sensors, that upon slippage, divert power to the rear. it's a bit mileading, because the badge on my personal car is "4WD". that's hardly 4WD!!
info from here:
http://www.awdwiki.com/en/hyundai/
seems the smaller engines were equipped with FULL TIME AWD 60/40 splits. i have the 3.5l