sheikhmax

I know question have been asked multiple time but this seems weird.

I just moved from PA to CT. So have super steep hills and they were iced up after snow followed by freezing rain over night. I left home for work and was about to go downhill where i saw Nissan Versa driver trying to down hill but was slipping all over. I stopped at the top and watched him slide thinking i will go down just fine with 4wd.

I proceeded down hill but slipped a littled and hit the curb and stopped on the slope. Then thought DAC would help but that didn't even engage when i shifted in L and pressed DAC. It was just flashing. But i got down hill just fine.

2 Questions:

1.) Manual says put the Transmission In N and then shift to L. When my transmission is in N i can even move the 4wd lever to L as it gives me so much ressistance. But when i put it in Park it slides smoothly to L and engages. same story going back to H its kind a impossible to do that in N.

2.) How to really engage DAC for 2008 GX. Something is not right in the manual??

ALAN553

ice is ice...gravity wins that one, DAC is mostly for off roading...with some type of dry or even wet traction. using the L function again is used for off roading, lower gearing, the lever is a manual push...put it in neurtal and give it a good shove...should go into gear, not like syncromesh on a manual transmission. Your best be for down hill in icey condition is to use the shift lever and downshift to 1st or 2nd gear.

chiph9

Icy hill? 4x4 and DAC won't help you there.
You need some amount of traction to safely go down that hill and if it's totally iced up, better to stay home.

Chip H.

sheikhmax

LOL a Good Shove... Hope it doesn't come right out in my hand with that shove.

Does yours show resistance while shifting like its getting crunched with some thing while in N?

Still wondering how come it smoothly slide from H to L while in P??

Agreed with the ICE part i will try using downshifting while on icy slope next time.

sheikhmax

@ Chip

Thanks for the input

Agreed with your comment. Its best to stay home. But when you think you have a vehicle that can do better than any other mom pop suv/crossovers out there you want to get out and hit those slopes... You paid for it

Here nobody sits home ice or snow or blizzard also have to go to work to make $$$...

IanB2

1) Transfer case can be shifted between H and L in either N or P, it doesn't make much difference as long as there's no weight tension on the gears when you try to shift (like if you were in P on a hill, all the weight on the parking pawl).

2) I've never needed to use this feature, so nothing to add on that.

Using low range AND downshifting will allow you to maximize engine braking, and control your decent without relying on the brakes to keep you moving slowly. I know icy roads, and that's what I would do.

ALAN553

you bought a 5000 + lb truck that sits high off the ground, the only advantage we have is to plow through deep snow...and that is assuming you have good tires as well, all bets are off when it comes to ice, the tire has to stick to the road, you want something that "handles" in the the snow really well, try an audi or a subaru with winter tires.....

sheikhmax

That makes sense as of why it can be shifted to L or H in Neutral and Park.

Thanks

sheikhmax

Understood. I was just poking some fun. Yes tackling ICE is heck of a task. Hoping someone can shine on engaging DAC

6080prado

I found the DAC immensely helpful when our roads got a good glazing a couple weeks ago. Not sure how different it is from just putting into a lower gear, but I have a very steep commute home and it worked well. Of course, if the road is totally iced over, nothing will help. But that usually isn't the case. Simply push the button and you are good to go.

I agree with the others about 4 low. It isn't really used for snow where the super low gearing will actually make it harder to start moving. That is also why some vehicles like landcruisers have the 2nd gear start option.

GXallday

Why not use studded tires?

chiph9

Studded tires are illegal in many parts of the US. But chains are legal... go figure.

sheikhmax - are chains an option? Not sure about clearance on the GX, but the cable-style ride closer to the tires. You would need a full set of four, because of the full time 4WD.

I hear what you say about having to go to work, no matter what. A customer at a previous job lived in Wisconsin. He said his commute in winter was 20 minutes shorter. Turns out that when the big lake near him iced-over, the county would paint stripes on it and turn it into a road.

6080prado - the GX has a 2nd start option. It's a switch down below the steering wheel.

Chip H.

sheikhmax

LOL Frozen Lake.

I will look in to getting those chains may be next winter sounds to be a pretty good idea.

sheikhmax

@6080prado

Looks like my DAC is messed up. Worst part is I am not a handy man at all

But i will search the forum and may be i can find some easy fix.

But surely since i moved up north from South I am making Good use of my GX.

IanB2

I've always thought of chains more for getting through deep snow than driving on slick ice, they reduce the speed you should be travelling with them installed, but I guess you wouldn't have them on if you're able to travel the full speed limit safely anyways. I've never used them personally, we don't have much in the way of hills here.

I'm not sure how much life is left in your tires, but take a look at the Goodyear Duratracs. They are snowflake rated (severe winter), so they suffice when you enter a "chain up area" in the mountains, etc. They serve as my year round tires on both our SUV's, and I've had them on 4 Toyota SUV's to date. We deal with winter conditions as much as 6 months of the year here, and I wouldn't have any other tire on our trucks.

A good tire well suited to the conditions makes a bigger difference than any electronic driving aids could ever hope to. My Land Cruiser doesn't have ABS, and it's never been an issue when things get slick. I run mine at about 32psi in the winter.