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AWD not engaging

15K views 30 replies 13 participants last post by  JohnH123 
#1 ·
Hi. New to the forum and I apologize if this has been posted before but still working out how the search function works on here.
I bought a 2nd hand (very clean) 2016 CRDi EX for my wife that's done 100 000km.
We need an AWD as our driveway is a steep 100m gravel road.
I can't get up the drive (even in the dry)! The front wheels spin but I can't get the back wheels to spin.
I have tried different ways i.e. locking the center diff and switching traction control off etc. but it makes no difference.
I have checked fuses - no problem there.
The car went in last week for its 100 000km service and I reported it. The service manager says there's no problem and all is working fine.
I struggle to believe that this is normal and feel really disappointed in the car. My in-laws get up in their Rav!:(:eek:
Any info on this would be very welcome.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Hi. New to the forum and I apologize if this has been posted before but still working out how the search function works on here.
I bought a 2nd hand (very clean) 2016 CRDi EX for my wife that's done 100 000km.
We need an AWD as our driveway is a steep 100m gravel road.
I can't get up the drive (even in the dry)! The front wheels spin but I can't get the back wheels to spin.
I have tried different ways i.e. locking the center diff and switching traction control off etc. but it makes no difference.
I have checked fuses - no problem there.
The car went in last week for its 100 000km service and I reported it. The service manager says there's no problem and all is working fine.
I struggle to believe that this is normal and feel really disappointed in the car. My in-laws get up in their Rav!:(:eek:
Any info on this would be very welcome.
Sawubona boet

I'd ask the service manager to demonstrate that it is fine and working.

My Ford Edge has a graphic showing the intelligent drive distribution - does your vehicle have anything like that?

 
#3 ·
Howzit Ron1004.?
When I challenged the service guy he says that the system was never built to handle that much torque through to the rear wheels and that it is simply to help with on-road slippery situations. He says that the system is designed merely to help with traction. It was only after speaking to him that I YouTube'd and saw rear wheels spinning. My next move will be to take the vehicle to another dealership.
WRT the image you posted, no my car doesn't have this feature.
 
#4 ·
Baloney. The system is designed to send up to 50% to the rear wheels as needed. You should see the crazy Russian videos of guys out in the mud with their Hyundai and Kia vehicles with AWD. Or perhaps you have, and that's what you're describing.

I agree. New dealership time.
 
#5 ·
Yip. Have read elsewhere on the net that 50% goes to the back. Was thinking of selling the car and getting something else but its so awesome, so I'll rather get it right.
Amazing how a bad service manager can mess things up for a brand!
 
#7 · (Edited)
I tested mine out last fall on a steep gravel trail. I got stuck. The right front tire just spun, and none of the other wheels engaged at all. I tried the AWD Lock, which didn't change anything. I plan to take it to the dealer soon to get it checked out.

Zulugoat, I'll be interested to hear what you find out from your dealer. As you said, it is an excellent car! No need to trade it in. I've looked at the videos before others have mentioned, and the Sorento is quite capable with the AWD (it just needs to work).
 
#10 ·
The lock button does lock the front and rear, so all wheels are moving equally. They say not to use it on dry pavement as that can damage it. Mostly they say it is for getting unstuck when needed. It also shuts off over about 25 mph.
 
#11 ·
It is a center differential that locks. He front and rear are open differentials. The center diff transfers a variable amount of power to the rear axle. This is what the AWD system determines and controls automatically. When you lock it, you override the automatic operation and split the power 50/50 to both axles.

Above 25 mph the system reverts to automatic operation.

Rather than a locking or limited slip differential on front or rear axels, the system uses the brakes creatively to stop a spinning wheel, which directs the power to the wheel on an axel that has traction.
 
#13 ·
#15 ·
I have a 2016 AWD sorento V6. I had a similar issue where I could induce serious front wheel spin, even in rain. This took two trips to the dealer. At times the AWD light would come on briefly. In the end, the service adviser finally listened, and imagine this, the AWD coupler had failed. Replaced under warranty, fine since..
 
#16 ·
Some feedback.....
The car went in to the dealer for a thorough assessment so that they can prepare the warranty claim.
The following is according to the workshop manager: In the previous model, the weak link in the system was at the coupler in the transfer case. Apparently this has been addressed in the 2016 onward models.
In my case, all is working fine but although there is drive going in, there is no drive coming out of the rear diff. It seems something has stripped there. They did not open the diff, it sounds like they will replace the entire thing. The WM did say that it's not common and a first for him.
The car has to go back next week once the paperwork has been sorted out.
Will be in touch....
 
#17 ·
On my 2019 there is a visual representation of power to the wheels. Assuming it is not a toy, it shows power to the rear wheels when accelerating from 55 to 60 on the highway, and normally up to around 30 MPH+.
We had no snow this year, so I was unable to see if it is really true.
 
#18 ·
Finally I got my car back from the dealership.
They replaced the rear diff. The input shaft had sheared the splines where it goes into the rear diff. Fortunately I have the unlimited mileage warranty so fortunately it did not cost me anything. The workshop manager says it's the first one he's seen that has had this problem.
Apparently there was a fairly common problem with the previous model where it would strip the coupler at the transfer case.
Now to go and test it....
 
#19 ·
Wow! Thanks for keeping us all in the loop. Perhaps the previous owner was cruel to the vehicle pulling damaging maneuvers??
 
#20 ·
I think the service manager is being straight with you. Have never heard of that happening on any of the Santa Fe or Sorento models in this generation ... nor the prior one, for that matter.
What on earth did the previous owner DO with that vehicle? Hope the rest hasn't been abused that much.
 
#22 ·
The previous owner did tow a small trailer and lived in an area with sandy souls. The service manager seems to think that in tough sandy driving, if the PO was hard on the accelerator while towing, it could have caused this. the rest of the car is really spotless.
Holding thumbs there's nothing else lurking.
 
#23 ·
interesting read

I was curious how good the AWD drive is on my 2019. so I turned off traction control, put into "Sport" mode, and floored it. spun all 4 tires for about 1 second and then rocketed away...in the rain

really impressed. I've had other AWD vehicles before. This one seems to be the best I've owned to date. My fav before this was a 2005 Durango with Hemi...lol



I won't be doing that again. Would hate to strip the same part your Sorento had damaged
 
#25 ·
Pleased to report that I have tested the AWD system on the same hill that initially exposed the problem.
I got my wife to drive up the way she typically would (without coaching). She pressed the Diff lock button and then simply drove up. There was no hint of any loss of traction from any of the wheels. It was like we were on tar!
I am VERY impressed and pleased with this car's ability!!
 
#26 ·
Pleased to report that I have tested the AWD system on the same hill that initially exposed the problem.
I got my wife to drive up the way she typically would (without coaching). She pressed the Diff lock button and then simply drove up. There was no hint of any loss of traction from any of the wheels. It was like we were on tar!
I am VERY impressed and pleased with this car's ability!!
Good to hear, ..... now you get off the asphalt and tear up that bosveld.

Sad to hear about the white Zulu.
 
#29 ·
Sounds similar to this thread :

 
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