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AWD not working


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So i was getting my oil changed the other day and my cousin the mechanic asked me if my awd was working. I thought so but he couldn't get the rear to go when it was up on the rack. Then it made sense why i had been slipping in the snow with brand new tires. It's an automatic so i heard there's a fuse under the dash and if it's blown it will cut off your awd. But all the fuses are good and no there's not a fuse in the fwd thing under the hood. I hate it because it sucks in the snow. Any ideas? It would really help me out..
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Check all your fluids, its an automatic right? I had that problem with my car but i was just about a quart low on ATF. Next time you drive your car run it through every gear and then check the trans fluid a couple of times. Im pretty sure your center dif. uses ATF so if its low it doesn't work too well. The FWD fuse holder under the hood is for when you have to use a spare tire, there shouldn't be a fuse in there unless you just want FWD. hope this helps:spin:
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I sure hope that you actually have AWD on your vehicle. There have been a few Subies on odd markets that have been FWD. But I assume that you have seen the rear differential.

 

If there is a fuse for the AWD position - remove it.

 

The fuse is only to be inserted to DISABLE the AWD.

 

And the fuse is only working for the 4EAT, not the 5EAT or the 5MT. OK, some late 4EAT gearboxes also has the same tech as the 5EAT, but they are rare.

 

The 5EAT does have a hydraulically operated clutch pack that acts as a brake for the center differential, and if there is a lack of hydraulic pressure or there is an electric malfunction for the control of the clutch pack it's an open diff.

 

The 5MT has a viscous coupled LSD clutch pack that's completely mechanical and the center diff is like any normal rear diff, so if you experience here it's the clutch pack that's dead in some way.

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Also remeber that just becasue you have brand new tires on doesnt mean your going to get all that traction you paid for right when you put them on, tires are slick and need to be worn in a bit before you get the full potential of the grip. Plus since your in snow, your tires are going to have a hell of a time breaking in, as you have get through that new tire slickness which is hard when your in the snow so expect poor or not adaquate performace from your tires.

 

Remeber the 96-99 automactics (not to sure about other models) but our cars are mostly front wheel drive most of the time due to our torque split (f90% r10%) under conditions where the ecu thinks that the torque split needs to be changed it will then change to (50% 50%) and thats when our true awd of our car comes alive. And also if you have a 5mt then your probally have somthing different, as the 00-01 5mt 25rs came with a continous 50-50 and a limited slip diff but for out 5mt lgts iono??

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To fix this on my car, I had to replace the Duty C Solenoid, Transfer Clutch Pack, and the Reduction Gear that has the Transfer Clutch Hub built onto it (it was torn loose from the gear.) This is all located in the tailshaft housing of the transmission. Cleared my AT Oil Temp light and AWD worked great in the snow we had a couple of weeks ago.
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  • 6 years later...
AWD/4WD does not guarantee traction in snow. Snow tires and/or chains are the best chance when there is significant snow on the ground. I've seen many AWD/4WD cars get stuck in 3 to 4 inches of snow because they don't have proper tires/chains. M+S tires, otherwise known as All-Seasons, are not snow tires. They're good for light snow, maybe an inch or less. I hear people all the time locally who say "Oh I have all season tires so it'll be okay when it snows." We get snow events maybe 3 times a year where we'll get 4-8 inches and they're shocked that their "all-season" tires didn't provide the traction they need. We don't get snow enough to warrant putting snow tires on our cars, so we use chains.
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We're about to get one of those snow events right now. Maybe...

 

But yes, tires is what touches the road and gives you traction. If snow makes your driven wheel .1 times as stuck-to-the-road as normal under power, then adding AWD into the mix means you still have at best .2 times normal power-on traction from the added tire (assuming open diffs).

 

Same thing for ABS. That just means your tire won't slip. If total available traction is .1 of normal, that just means your ABS will let off the brakes for you until you are at .1 braking effort of normal. Then you will, without locking up the wheels, smash right into that thing in front of you.

 

If it's yucky out the only correct answer is slow down and keep bigger gaps between you and others, or else don't go out in it.

 

PS, mine is working perfectly, but I can still drift around, rear end out, all I want if there is a layer of snow covering the road. (Good All Season tires)

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i have a couple friends up there in prescott that have been sending me videos of the snow carnage this past weekend, looks like a good time. id have been up there playing in it if any of my subarus had good enough tires lol
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Found a guy up on a mountain road hella stuck in his huge diesel 4x4 truck. After we got him out I drove away no problem. It's not that bad on the snow, but I guess people around here think any snow that sticks warrants the national guard being deployed to help.
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Found a guy up on a mountain road hella stuck in his huge diesel 4x4 truck. After we got him out I drove away no problem. It's not that bad on the snow, but I guess people around here think any snow that sticks warrants the national guard being deployed to help.

 

Were you up on Crown King trail or Senator? SSA did a cruise over the weekend up to Crown King and encountered a stuck truck.

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I don't remember seeing the FR-52 markings when I've gone out Senator. Maybe I didn't go far enough.

 

You have to go out White Spar to Wilhoit and then hit up Wagoner Rd. Wagoner turns into FR-52 as you get closer to Crown King

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