Jeep FOur-wheel drive Options

How to Test Whether my Jeep’s 4×4 is Working

Is my Jeep’s 4×4 Working Correctly?

Slippery roads are in the future, and it is important to know whether the four-wheel drive is kicking in when you need it. In the worst road conditions, the last thing you want to be imagining is your vehicle losing control and potentially costing money in repairs. The best way to keep yourself from worry is to make sure your Jeep’s 4×4 is working. We’ll tell you how to test whether your Jeep’s 4×4 is working!

What Does My 4×4 Do?

So you have a car with four-wheel drive? What does that mean? Your four-wheel drive does not mean that your vehicle is driving with four wheels at all times. When your vehicle is driving down the road, your Jeep will use front-wheel drive, until road conditions leave one wheel without traction. The reason that four-wheel drive is so important is because it will use the other wheels to regain traction. Once traction is regained, the vehicle will return power to the front wheels.

All-wheel drive is when your vehicle is using all four wheels to move forward at all times. This can decrease your fuel economy by a lot more than four-wheel drive. Both are great options for those looking to drive with more confidence in the winter.

Read More: The Jeep Renegade vs Car Seats, Who Won?

How do I Know if My Four-Wheel Drive is Working? How do I Test my Four-wheel drive?

The easiest way to test if your 4×4 is working is to come up with a way to remove traction from your wheels and cause them all to spin.

Test 1: Lift Your Jeep

If you have the capability and the tools, lift your Jeep off the ground so that all four tires are off the ground. Then, have a friend watch the tires while you put your foot on the gas. If all the tires are spinning, attempting to find traction, then your four-wheel drive is working just fine!

Test 2: The Tree Method

If you have a tree in your yard, drive your Jeep so that the front end is touching the tree. Next, hop into the car and hit the gas. Have a friend tell you if all wheels start spinning while you drive against the tree. You don’t want to damage your car, so don’t let your Jeep hit the tree very hard. If all your wheels kick in to get your car moving, looks like your four-wheel drive is still working!