First time using 4wd

[brians09]

Went up to Tahoe for Christmas and was snowing like crazy. I had the truck in 4hi and worked great, but when I would stop a plume of smoke would come out the front of the hood, kinda stunk too. I called the dealer and they said probably just snow slush got sprayed on the exhaust and it as steam. Well, just drove up to Seattle and was snowing in Oregon so I turned 4hi on. Again, when I stopped it did the steam or smoke plume out the front when I would stop. Do you think the dealer forgot oil in the 4wd when I bought it? Is there a low oil light? Does anybody else get this when they use their 4 wheel drive?? It still works and haven't had any issues.

[jamin87ss]

not sure about the stink, but i do get steam from the center of my hood up front when i get sprayed or go thru a wash

[Debra in Cali]

I took that grandkids up to the snow a few days after Christmas. was driving on an unplowed road that had at least 6 if not 8 inches of snow. Also put it in 4 WD high. Never saw any steam, smoke or smelled anything. I personally would have that at a dealer so fast. Just talked to hubby. He has owned and worked on too many 4x4s to count. He says that your situation is not normal.

[DeePa]

Sounds like a coolant leak from a cracked rad

[brians09]

I thought the same thing but it doesn't do it any other time.. I'll take it in to the dealer when I get back to California.

[brians09]

Thanks Debra, I just sort of figured with all the sensors it would give me a service 4x4 message or something. I'll tell the dealer their previous slush splashing up is bogus.

[Travis Whitmore]

I smell bunt oil every now and then. Always figured it was some hoopty near me, not my brand new truck. Reading around it seems a pretty common complaint with these trucks with no obvious solution. Not dependent on 4x4 on mine though.

 

 

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[fpdsniper]

The turning of the front differential/gears creates heat in the axle/differential housing, making the cold snow evaporate and cause the situation your talking about. That's my guess, anyhow.

[bdbake01]

Never had the oil smell, but the puff of steam from the front when water is about is quite common. Just seems to be an odd result of the body shape around the radiator.

[dave07]

Whoa. Mine did the same thing when I first used my 4wd. My Pap lives on a mountain back a dirt road. Well it was raining out and I decided to throw it 4wd because the road was muddy. When I parked the truck at his house, a bunch of steam came out from the front of my hood. Figured it was just water hitting the headers or something. Let me know what your dealer says, I'm curious!

 

 

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[brians09]

Well I guess I'm sort of glad others have had it happen. I guess it could be snow accumulating on the radiator due to the massive grille opening, makes sense. The other thing I thought was maybe leftover grease on the front diff and then having it heat up when I use it. I'll let you know what the dealer says, I'll try to get it in the next few days

[foo.c]

The turning of the front differential/gears creates heat in the axle/differential housing, making the cold snow evaporate and cause the situation your talking about. That's my guess, anyhow.

 

We don't have unlocking hubs, so the gears in the diff should always be turning if the truck is moving.

[dave07]

We had some snow today and I ran the 4wd. No steam or anything.

 

 

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[Oreamnos]

I experienced this same thing too for the first time yesterday. Drove a couple hundred miles in snow/ice/freezing rain, and when I finally got home and stopped at the bottom of the driveway to pick up the mail, I noticed similar clouds of something. Had never encountered that before.

 

It had a little bit of a not-pure-steam smell to it, which I just ascribed to perhaps having been running in Auto 4WD for quite a while, including up an icy hill in the prior minute or so. Our Acura MDX has made a similar smell when digging through deeper snow without the traction control being turned off.

 

After sitting and idling for a few minutes, it dissipated.

 

Am not too worried about it, and am actually a bit relieved to see it's common.

[redwngr]

We don't have unlocking hubs, so the gears in the diff should always be turning if the truck is moving.

There is front axle engage, it's just not the hubs.

 

Diff does not turn in 2wd.

Diff does turn in 4 auto, which causes the mpg loss.