I am a new owner of a 2016 Expedition Limited. Before my warranty ran out, I was trying to check that the 4x4 system was working ok. Since the roads were pretty dry I put it in 4A, which the manual says "is appropriate for all on-road driving conditions, such as dry road surfaces, wet pavement, snow, or gravel".
In my old 2003 Expedition I could put it in 4A and forget that I had done that. I never heard or felt the car unexpectedly shifting into 4 wheel drive unless needed. When I was testing the 2016, I could both hear and feel the car engaging the front wheel drive at random moments.
I took the car to the dealer explaining that when in 4x4 auto, the car seemed to inappropriately engage the 4 wheel drive and it was making grinding noises that I was not familiar with. Two weeks later, I got the car back and the following had been done. They replaced the front left hub assembly. Then, when they tested it, they didn't like a noise they heard and they also replaced the front differential bearings and seals and both front IWE actuators.
Now that I have the car back, it still seems to randomly engage the front wheel drive. I would not normally drive in 4x4 auto when on paved roads with dry surfaces. But that was my choice for testing it. I drove it in 4x2 without any surprises, but when it was in 4x4 auto doing residential, slow driving with some slight uphill and downhill it would randomly engage. I could understand it happening once (maybe there was a bit of gravel on the road), but it seemed to happen multiple times, consistently.
When I talked to the dealer about it he said the current system uses vacuum actuators and that they are more sensitive (than my old Expedition) and that it is working properly. He also said don't drive it in 4x4 auto on dry surfaces. In the end, I rarely use 4x4 auto, but am I crazy for thinking it is not working correctly.
Any owners that use 4x4 auto regularly who can share their experiences? The noise when it engages is unsettling.
Thanks for any help.
In my old 2003 Expedition I could put it in 4A and forget that I had done that. I never heard or felt the car unexpectedly shifting into 4 wheel drive unless needed. When I was testing the 2016, I could both hear and feel the car engaging the front wheel drive at random moments.
I took the car to the dealer explaining that when in 4x4 auto, the car seemed to inappropriately engage the 4 wheel drive and it was making grinding noises that I was not familiar with. Two weeks later, I got the car back and the following had been done. They replaced the front left hub assembly. Then, when they tested it, they didn't like a noise they heard and they also replaced the front differential bearings and seals and both front IWE actuators.
Now that I have the car back, it still seems to randomly engage the front wheel drive. I would not normally drive in 4x4 auto when on paved roads with dry surfaces. But that was my choice for testing it. I drove it in 4x2 without any surprises, but when it was in 4x4 auto doing residential, slow driving with some slight uphill and downhill it would randomly engage. I could understand it happening once (maybe there was a bit of gravel on the road), but it seemed to happen multiple times, consistently.
When I talked to the dealer about it he said the current system uses vacuum actuators and that they are more sensitive (than my old Expedition) and that it is working properly. He also said don't drive it in 4x4 auto on dry surfaces. In the end, I rarely use 4x4 auto, but am I crazy for thinking it is not working correctly.
Any owners that use 4x4 auto regularly who can share their experiences? The noise when it engages is unsettling.
Thanks for any help.