Pathy06UK Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 (edited) Hi everyone....1st posting! I own a 2006 UK spec Pathfinder Diesel Auto 4WD Aventura (UK's top of the range model). For the first time in 20 years the UK has enjoyed some good snow! Woo Hoo! I had a strange 4WD problem in the Pathfinder this morning after a snow covered decent I had to make. Setting the scene... This morning I had to drive down a gravel track that was covered in several inchs of snow with ice underneath from the night before. To add to the fun the track has various steep declines and the pathy's tyres (standard UK Goodyear Wrangler All weather M/S 265/65/17) only have around 4/5mm at best. http://www.flickr.com/photos/31866966@N07/3256069162/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/31866966@N07/3255237515/ Question 1 - Did I select the right gearing etc for the decent? I changed from auto into manual gear 1, 4LO and turned off ESP. In truth ESP was off from a slight climb to get to the track where ESP seemed to hold the cars traction back. Question 2 - Driving down the hill, did I tackle it correctly? To my knowledge, the model of Pathfinder I have has no hill decent of any sort, no button to enable it etc....so with the lightest of foot on the brake pedal I walked the car down the hill next to the wall, one side of the car in snow covered grass, the other in the ice covered tracks. It seemed to cope well and didn't slide off like I'd feared. At one particular steep section it did start to slide and run away a little so it was feet off all pedals and steer waiting for the engine to slow me down as the track leveled out. No major incidents I'm glad to report. Question 3 - 4WD problem afterwards... In recent days I've spent every trip in the car switching between 2WD and Auto for the roads and then 4H and 4LO for snow covered roads and tracks. After my decent this morning I found when I got back to the road that the 4LO wouldn't switch off. I can usually do this whilst driving, but even when I pulled over switching to Auto or 2WD did nothing, it stayed in 4LO and wined as I slowly drove the couple of miles home. Once parked up again I switched off the engine and tried to "reboot" the cars electronics in the hope that it would reset things. Nope, no such luck. At this point I left the car to do a little searching online and speak to the Nissan dealer. After finding nothing online and getting no sense out of the dealer apart from "bring it in so we can put the diagnostics on and charge you for it" I decided to try myself again. The car showed the graphic for 4LO and the orange ESP off was lit. If I turned the 4WD dial to anything else it just stayed in 4LO. Pressing the ESP button didn't re-enable ESP either. After a few minutes of trying different things it finally switched itself out of 4LO and started behaving as normal. Can anyone explain what "mode" the car had put itself into? It all seems to have stemmed from the decent described above and I have no idea how I managed to get it out of this mode and back to normal.... Any advice is welcome, even if its, "get some new tyres you fool!" Nige. Edited February 5, 2009 by Pathy06UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 no idea but no brakes when descending in 4lo. it's geared real low and there is no need to make it slide or whatever. hey, you're on the correct side of the road. maybe that's the problem? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzy Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I'm not familiar with the newer pathys, but I have a few thoughts... 4Lo, I typically only use for off road, or if I am really stuck, (driving over snow banks) really low speed stuff. Otherwise, on the road I use 4 hi. In my pathy, and the older ones, you have to make a complete stop and throw the truck in neutral to get into 4lo. 4 hi, I can do "on the fly" or while driving. Same goes for putting the truck back into 2. Sometimes it may take a while to go back into 2, (and for the light to go off), as the system is still binding, or feels traction. (I'm wording that part really poorly)... sometimes it takes a full stop, or even throwing it into reverse to get it out of 4. As I said, I don't know if, or how your truck differs. Oh, and welcome to NPORA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pathy06UK Posted February 5, 2009 Author Share Posted February 5, 2009 Thanks for the replies, much appreciated info! Loving the forum! Nige. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BowTied Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 (edited) Agreed - trans in neutral for shift in or out of 4Lo. And welcome to NPORA! Edited February 5, 2009 by BowTied Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morpheus Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 I've seen it a few times the auto 4wd will get stuck in 4low. Usually checking and clearing codes in the TCM will reset it and allow it to go back to 4wd. The transfer case also has a valve body in it just like your transmission does, and if there is some wear and metal filings in the fluid it can get jammed in the solenoids and make them stick. I'd suggest draining the fluid and checking it's condition. If theres metal in it, that could indicate a mechanical failure in progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captaincaveman Posted February 7, 2009 Share Posted February 7, 2009 I have a 08 R51 as well. When in 4x4LOW you h ave to go to neutral before the t-case will switch. If you do not it will stay in 4LOW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry6 Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 I'm not familiar with the newer pathys, but I have a few thoughts... 4Lo, I typically only use for off road, or if I am really stuck, (driving over snow banks) really low speed stuff. Otherwise, on the road I use 4 hi. In my pathy, and the older ones, you have to make a complete stop and throw the truck in neutral to get into 4lo. 4 hi, I can do "on the fly" or while driving. Same goes for putting the truck back into 2. Sometimes it may take a while to go back into 2, (and for the light to go off), as the system is still binding, or feels traction. (I'm wording that part really poorly)... sometimes it takes a full stop, or even throwing it into reverse to get it out of 4. As I said, I don't know if, or how your truck differs. Oh, and welcome to NPORA! could be binding , try going a bit in reverse 30 feet or so, stop put in neutral then try switching to auto or 2 wd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beavis0076 Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 Neutral! it wont switch unless your in neutral. :coffee!: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Go to neutral before shifting into, and out of, 4Lo, and be sure the tranny had time to relax When coming out, it may be bound up, keeping it stuck in 4lo - try putting it in neutral, moving to 4x4 high, and reversing STRAIGHT BACK a little, then forward a little, again, perfectly straight. Any "binding" force should be released by this motion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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