PowerBookG4 said:
..... for some reason i do not know why my all wheel drive did absoluly nothing in preventing the skid like the people who sold me the car said it would. I don't know havent' completly read the book yet....
First, its good to hear that you and your friend are alright. The car can always be repaired or replaced. Its a lot harder to do that for you and your friend :black:
Now as far as AWD...it will do nothing to help on a slick roadway. During traction loss on the driven axle, a fully automatic AWD system routes torque to the axle with traction. This means you have to completely lose traction in 2WD on your driven axle first and then the other axle will take over and try to keep the car moving. So, for a moment it is almost the same as 4WD. Doesn't mean much because only two wheels have traction. Your primary power goes only to one axle and makes spinning tires much more likely, due to inefficient use of traction, as likely as in any other 2WD car. Once the powered axle or one of the powered tires loses traction, the powered drive shaft rotates faster than the one that is just rotating along. The control unit reacts to the speed difference and kinda glues both drive shafts together. This way the previously unpowered shaft will get some of the torque and rescue the failing tires. This works kinda OK on slippery pavement, when the vehicle has already sufficient momentum. This fails miserably though, when need of high torque arises or when activated frequently. Once the driven axle regains traction and both axles rotate at the same speed again, the system moves back to 2WD.
Yes, AWD does offer some increased stability but on a wet, slick surface, it isn't going to help you much. But then again, I seriously doubt that the salesmen knew this or really cared to tell you if he did.
I drive a Ford Explorer (True 4WD) and it always tickles me when I see idiots with their AWD Subarus and Volkswagens try to negotiate heavy snow covered roads and try to drive like they are on a normal, dry pavement. They skid and slip all over the place. Even with my 4X4 engaged, I still drive at a cautious, yet consistent speed and have no problem. It comes down to knowing how to drive with AWD or 4WD. In short, AWD and even 4WD is not the great saviour that car companies would like you to believe it to be. No amount of AWD/4WD is going to automatically "save" you from a treacherous road surface, despite what dealers and auto makers would have you believe.