2009 Escape Hybrid – 4x4 Hoax

[jayhahn03]

I own a 2009 Escape Hybrid Limited all wheel drive. I absolutely love the vehicle with the exception of one small thing; I have yet to see or feel the rear wheels engage to offer torque in many snow/ice situations. Can someone out there help me? I understand that the Ford traction system checks traction on each wheel that may be slipping and sends a message to the “smart” 4-wheel drive system telling it to redistribute some of that torque to the rear wheels or wheels that are not slipping. But in my experiences in a mild Missouri winter that has yet to happen, I’ve almost been stuck many times in 3in to 5in of snow just attempting to get out of a semi- steep driveway. Same thing happens every time the front wheels just spin out with no assistance from the rear wheels. This happens regardless of if the Track Control button is engaged, there is no distinguishable difference. It slightly angers me because of the extra cost associated with all wheel drive coupled with the decline in MPG average, yet I haven’t once yet got the rear wheels to engage. Maybe I’m missing something here. Should I take this thing back to Ford and have them check to see what’s going on, or are all other alleged (all wheel drives) the same way?

[stevedebi]

I own a 2009 Escape Hybrid Limited all wheel drive. I absolutely love the vehicle with the exception of one small thing; I have yet to see or feel the rear wheels engage to offer torque in many snow/ice situations. Can someone out there help me? I understand that the Ford traction system checks traction on each wheel that may be slipping and sends a message to the “smart” 4-wheel drive system telling it to redistribute some of that torque to the rear wheels or wheels that are not slipping. But in my experiences in a mild Missouri winter that has yet to happen, I’ve almost been stuck many times in 3in to 5in of snow just attempting to get out of a semi- steep driveway. Same thing happens every time the front wheels just spin out with no assistance from the rear wheels. This happens regardless of if the Track Control button is engaged, there is no distinguishable difference. It slightly angers me because of the extra cost associated with all wheel drive coupled with the decline in MPG average, yet I haven’t once yet got the rear wheels to engage. Maybe I’m missing something here. Should I take this thing back to Ford and have them check to see what’s going on, or are all other alleged (all wheel drives) the same way?

 

Actually, the 4WD works all the time, even in good weather. I have a 2008 myself, and a ScanGuage II that is set to monitor the 4WD activation. It engages every time I pull out from a stop. I live in Southern California, and it doesn't snow here! The system is not like other "AWD" systems; it activates all the time, and I think you would not know that it was engaged unless you monitor the computer. It is proactive as well as reactive. If you have the differential under the rear wheels, and there is no error light on your dash, then the 4WD is working.

 

The rear wheels would not spin freely; the TC keeps the wheels from spinning. So I don't think that one looking at the rear wheels would know that power is being sent to those wheels. But that doesn't mean that the FEH is not attempting to use all four wheels.

[jayhahn03]

Actually, the 4WD works all the time, even in good weather. I have a 2008 myself, and a ScanGuage II that is set to monitor the 4WD activation. It engages every time I pull out from a stop. I live in Southern California, and it doesn't snow here! The system is not like other "AWD" systems; it activates all the time, and I think you would not know that it was engaged unless you monitor the computer. It is proactive as well as reactive. If you have the differential under the rear wheels, and there is no error light on your dash, then the 4WD is working.

 

The rear wheels would not spin freely; the TC keeps the wheels from spinning. So I don't think that one looking at the rear wheels would know that power is being sent to those wheels. But that doesn't mean that the FEH is not attempting to use all four wheels.

 

I understand there are a lot of variables at play. However, in each instance where my front wheels loose traction my rear wheels never provide any sort of force at all. If your theory is correct, if I jack up my vehicle using 4 secure jacking points with all 4 wheels off the ground and place the vehicle in drive all 4 wheels are going to spin? I’ll try it and see what happens. Every time, including this morning, the Escape gets caught up on snow and a slight incline you should be able to feel if there is some sort of assistance from the rear end when your front tires are spinning and the vehicle isn’t going anywhere. Never have I seen or felt the rear end provide any sort of assistance. What type of monitoring system would I need to check to see what my rear wheels are actually doing?

[wptski]

I understand there are a lot of variables at play. However, in each instance where my front wheels loose traction my rear wheels never provide any sort of force at all. If your theory is correct, if I jack up my vehicle using 4 secure jacking points with all 4 wheels off the ground and place the vehicle in drive all 4 wheels are going to spin? I’ll try it and see what happens. Every time, including this morning, the Escape gets caught up on snow and a slight incline you should be able to feel if there is some sort of assistance from the rear end when your front tires are spinning and the vehicle isn’t going anywhere. Never have I seen or felt the rear end provide any sort of assistance. What type of monitoring system would I need to check to see what my rear wheels are actually doing?

That may not work because of the traction control! Try turning it OFF. If one rear wheel is on the ground with the TC OFF, it should send all possible torque to the free spinning rear wheel. If you try that make double sure that the TC is OFF or just jam one rear wheel with a 2x4 with all wheels off the ground to be safe.

[Walt]

If one rear wheel is on the ground with the TC OFF, it should send all possible torque to the free spinning rear wheel.

 

From what I understand, the AWD system will never attempt to divert more than 50% of torque to the rear wheels. The front wheels get between 100 and 50%, and the rear between 0 and 50%.

 

If the AWD system is at its "max" of 50-50 split, and the front wheels are still spinning, that is about all it can do. Hopefully, with 50% going to the rear wheels is enough to keep the vehicle itself moving.

Edited February 28, 2010 by Walt

[CoalMiner]

I have a 2009 Mariner Hybrid with the 4WD. Had it for almost a year now, and at first (during the spring, summer an fall) I doubted if the rear wheel drive ever engaged.

 

However, after three months of the winter of 2009/2010 in the Philadelphia area, I'm certain it is working as expected. When the first plow-able snow hit, I purposely drive it around a town that had not yet plowed it's streets of ten inches of snow (that was in late Dec. '09), and it was obvious it was working in more than 2WD. For the record, I've owned 4WD dodge pickups, the kind you shift into 4WD manually inside the cab.

 

Two more major snow storms (called blizzards by the local media), further confirmed that the 4WD works and you never hear a thing (from the transmission or from the rear wheels) or notice any indicator or indicator lights. One of those snow storms was a big one, local media called it a blizzard, and I drove 80 miles in NJ and PA over roads unplowed of 10 or 12 inches of new snow, I'm talking interstates, toll roads and major city arterial roadways, it was at the height of the storm and I had no choice but to go as far as I could. I had absolutely no problems whatsoever with the traction, and in hindsight I was more than pleased (let's call it super pleased) on how it worked in heavy snow. And this is with the OEM stock/factory tires. For comparison, I've been in some AWD Subaru Outback Legacys that some friends have owned in the past, and the Mariner handled as well as those subbies did in snow and on snow covered roads. I wasn't really sure what to expect in driving in snow, but it has exceeded expectations in the driving I've done with it.

Edited March 2, 2010 by CoalMiner

[wptski]

I have a 2009 Mariner Hybrid with the 4WD. Had it for almost a year now, and at first (during the spring, summer an fall) I doubted if the rear wheel drive ever engaged.

There is rear wheel torgue every time leave from a dead stop on dry hard pavement till you reach a constant speed. I've measured it with a scope on the 4WD module but now use a ScanGuage II to monitor it. That's why a 4WD's EPA MPG is less.

[wptski]

From what I understand, the AWD system will never attempt to divert more than 50% of torque to the rear wheels. The front wheels get between 100 and 50%, and the rear between 0 and 50%.

 

If the AWD system is at its "max" of 50-50 split, and the front wheels are still spinning, that is about all it can do. Hopefully, with 50% going to the rear wheels is enough to keep the vehicle itself moving.

The front wheels may spin but would appear to slip to the system therefore deverting torque to the rear wheels. Ford's manual don't explain the system very well, my dearler couldn't answer my question and neither could the Ford Tech Hotline!

[johnjyi]

During the recent blizzard, I was able to move about with no problems in my 2007 Mariner V6 AWD. I noticed a slight spin on the front tire when she seemed to kick into all-wheel mode because the spinning stopped and I felt more of a push than a pull. I like the AWD feature. I have it on my MKZ and will get it in my next vehicle which will likely be another Mariner.

[wptski]

During the recent blizzard, I was able to move about with no problems in my 2007 Mariner V6 AWD. I noticed a slight spin on the front tire when she seemed to kick into all-wheel mode because the spinning stopped and I felt more of a push than a pull. I like the AWD feature. I have it on my MKZ and will get it in my next vehicle which will likely be another Mariner.

The term "AWD" is very loosely used! It's a variation of 4WD. A 4WD with traction control like AdvanceTrac is closer to a AWD than just 4WD. AdvanceTrac wasn't added till '08 in the Escape/Mariner.

 

The same system is used in the Fusion and called AWD as does the Edge. On the Escape/Mariner the rear tag shows 4WD! There's been a number of '10 Escape owners asking about the lack of any tailgate tags on their 4WD equipped vehicles.

[Walt]

There's been a number of '10 Escape owners asking about the lack of any tailgate tags on their 4WD equipped vehicles.

 

My '07 Mariner hybrid doesn't have the tailgate tags either. Though, it is pretty easy from back there to notice the rear differential (or its absents).

[akirby]

The term "AWD" is very loosely used! It's a variation of 4WD. A 4WD with traction control like AdvanceTrac is closer to a AWD than just 4WD. AdvanceTrac wasn't added till '08 in the Escape/Mariner.

 

The same system is used in the Fusion and called AWD as does the Edge. On the Escape/Mariner the rear tag shows 4WD! There's been a number of '10 Escape owners asking about the lack of any tailgate tags on their 4WD equipped vehicles.

 

AWD implies full-time AWD that is always engaged and can safely be used on all surfaces.

 

4WD implies the ability to lock the front and rear axles together which is only safe off road where the tires can slip to prevent driveline wind-up.

 

Full-time 4WD and AWD are functionally identical.

 

Although a lot of people use these terms loosely and interchangeability sometimes.

[wptski]

AWD implies full-time AWD that is always engaged and can safely be used on all surfaces.

 

4WD implies the ability to lock the front and rear axles together which is only safe off road where the tires can slip to prevent driveline wind-up.

 

Full-time 4WD and AWD are functionally identical.

 

Although a lot of people use these terms loosely and interchangeability sometimes.

If you think full time 4WD is the same as AWD then why isn't it engaged all the time? Full time 4WD is always dividing torque between the front and rear, Ford's so called AWD doesn't do this.

[stevedebi]

The term "AWD" is very loosely used! It's a variation of 4WD. A 4WD with traction control like AdvanceTrac is closer to a AWD than just 4WD. AdvanceTrac wasn't added till '08 in the Escape/Mariner.

 

The same system is used in the Fusion and called AWD as does the Edge. On the Escape/Mariner the rear tag shows 4WD! There's been a number of '10 Escape owners asking about the lack of any tailgate tags on their 4WD equipped vehicles.

 

It was added in 2009. I own a 2008 and it does not have RSC.