crossroadjohn Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) I've had my Crossroad AWD since May. LOVED IT, until last Wednesday. My wife drives our Journey 35 miles to work every day and she has driven it through bumper deep snow on occasion without any problems. Well last Wedensday on her drive home from work the Service AWD message pops up, and of coarse she only has front wheed drive. I work afternoons so I didn't get a chance to try it 'till the next morning. When I started it up no message tells me anything is wrong, so when I drive it it still has no AWD. I got it in to a dealer Friday morning where the found 2 codes stored, cleared them, told me I needed winter tires, and sent me on my way. I live in Upper Michigan, and the closest car dealer of any kind is 50 miles from me, and in a different time zone. Anyway on my drive home my Journey doesn't have AWD again, and no warning message comes up on my dash. I'm Stumped. And I'm not buying the You Need Winter Tires Excuse. Edited January 14, 2015 by crossroadjohn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) Your manual details reasons for this light to activate... How are you determining that you don't have all wheel drive if there is no light? AWD is not always active as the car attempts to decide when you need it and when you don't. In most operating conditions it will be FWD... There is a post that Journeyman425 made recently that describes the operation of the AWD system and may clear up your confusion... EDIT: See posts #49 and #51 http://www.dodgejourneyforum.com/topic/6074-fwd-vs-awd-in-snow/page-3 Edited January 14, 2015 by Lobitz68 dhh3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossroadjohn Posted January 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 We've driven 11,000 without a problem. When I was stuck in an intersection with only the front wheels spinning is how I know I only have front wheel drive. And let me tell you an awd with only the from wheels spinning is scarier than a front wheel drive with summer tires. I' be been winter driving for 42 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhh3 Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Is there a light, or any kind of indication, that tells you that you are in AWD? I'm slowly beginning to think that I really didn't need it after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 We've driven 11,000 without a problem. When I was stuck in an intersection with only the front wheels spinning is how I know I only have front wheel drive. And let me tell you an awd with only the from wheels spinning is scarier than a front wheel drive with summer tires. I' be been winter driving for 42 years. Turn off ESC. Then it will be engaged all the time... Just because your front tires are spinning doesn't mean it isn't working. The ESC cuts power to the wheels that are slipping, if all 4 wheels are slipping you will sit still. As far as the service light on, it is usually triggered by worn tires (not likely your case with only 11,000 miles) or because someone freaked out and hit the gas so hard that the wheels started spinning at different rates. The vehicle shuts off AWD at that point to avoid damaging the drive train. Not sure what the amount of time you have been driving in the winter has to do with your issue? Is there a light, or any kind of indication, that tells you that you are in AWD? I'm slowly beginning to think that I really didn't need it after all. No light... You didn't NEED it, but it is nice to have if you understand how it operates and use it within its limitations. I would not classify this AWD in the same category as true AWD. It is simply there to assist as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossroadjohn Posted January 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 We have had over 130" of snow this winter with somtime 12" of snow that the Journey plowed through. In fact I was going to post on how well the Kumhos handled the snow. I shut the traction control off only to have it come back on immediatly. I know for a fact that the rear wheels never even tried to spin and the fronts were spinning llike crazy. It has been working the past few days, and we have a lot of winter left to see how things work out. I've lost peace of mind. bigtsr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobitz68 Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 (edited) Was another post on here saying their's didn't shut off either... Interesting. What does the manual say about turning off the ESC? Edited January 16, 2015 by Lobitz68 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crossroadjohn Posted January 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Everyone I've talked to is missing my point. The service AWD drive light only came on once, The next time I started my Journey the light, or message was gone, but i still only had front drive. Being that I haven't driven on roads that weren't covered in snow since November, I can tell when All Wheel Drive isn't working. It's an intermittent problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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