Many drivers are unaware of how all wheel drive works on their Chevy Equinox.
When most people think of all wheel drive, they assume that it’s only for off-road use or in very bad weather conditions. However, all wheel drive can provide a number of benefits even when driving on dry pavement.
How Does All Wheel Drive Work On Chevy Equinox? Is The Chevy Equinox AWD? In this post, we’ll help you know more about all wheel drive systems and how they work on the popular Chevy Equinox SUV.
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The AWD system in the Chevrolet Equinox is a “part-time” system. The term “part-time” refers to an AWD system that may be engaged by the driver. The Chevy Equinox is a front-wheel drive crossover with the intention of sending power primarily to the front axle.
The all-wheel-drive system lets the driver switch between four modes to match shifting conditions. The user can choose from three distinct settings for front-wheel traction, rear-wheel traction, and snow or ice grip control (AWD), which are defined by a star symbol in the instrument cluster’s lower section. The AWD function is active on demand to modify traction control by transferring power to the wheels that slip. All-wheel drive is very useful during slippery, muddy, or rough road conditions or during seasonal, wet weather.
The advantage of a part-time system is improved fuel efficiency. When the AWD is switched off, the Equinox drives in front-wheel drive. The EPA determined 25 mpg city and 30 mpg highway energy efficiency rating for the front-wheel-drive Equinox. All-wheel drive Equinox models have decreased fuel efficiency by about 1 MPG, but they can power through low traction situations immediately if required.
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The all wheel drive system is a Chevy Equinox feature that uses a high range transfer case to send power to the rear wheels. You can select it, or it’ll automatically activate when there’s a traction control problem. It comes in handy on snowy days or whenever else you need low-traction support. The rest of the time, though, the car primarily relies on front wheel drive.
When your traction control system on your Equinox recognizes a problem, it can activate the all-wheel drive system to send extra power to the back wheels so that the front ones do not slip and lose as much traction while you’re accelerating hard.
The Chevy Equinox comes with L4 and L2 driving modes. ‘L4’ means ‘low-speed 4-wheel drive.’ On the other hand, ‘L2’ refers to ‘low-speed 2-wheel drive.’ You would only engage these gears under non regular driving circumstances; however, as surface conditions change, you can use either L4 or L2 to gain better traction. With slippery surfaces like mud or gravel, low speeds are necessary so that all four wheels have constant power supply regardless of whether you’re going uphill on a steep incline.
If you’re using low-speed 4WD on an all-wheel-drive Equinox, you should know that the AWD function will be disabled. The L4 gear will drive all four wheels. If the AWD is switched back on, FWD will resume when L4 is disconnected. Low-speed gears are intended for use in poor weather or on slippery surfaces and must be used at low speeds.
The AWD button is located on the center stack, in front of the shifter. It has a picture of a car with two arrows, one pointing to the front and one pointing to the back.
Pressing this button will engage all-wheel drive; pressing it again will cancel all-wheel drive and return the car to front-wheel drive mode. A light on the driver’s display will show when all-wheel drive is engaged.
The process to switch your car to all-wheel drive is quite simple–all you need to do is press the AWD button, located in front of the shifter. Once it has been engaged, a notification light will appear on the driver’s information display as confirmation that all-wheel drive is now active.
To cancel all-wheel drive, simply press the AWD button again. When all-wheel drive is turned on, a light will show on the driver’s display; this light will then turn off when the system is disabled.
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The Equinox is a FWD car, but there’s an “all wheel drive” option that drivers can use when the roads are bad or hazardous. Keep in mind though that fuel economy will take a small hit because the engine has to work harder to power all four wheels.
If you’re wondering what all-wheel drive (AWD) means, the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox LS, LT, and Premier trims have it. The only model without all-wheel drive on the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox L is the L trim.
The Chevrolet Equinox is one of the best small SUVs for snow driving, which is fortunate for you since it’s one of our top picks. The Equinox’s good ground clearance adds to its snow driving capabilities. The distance between your vehicle’s underside and the road reduces the chance of its wheels getting trapped in snow.
According to Chevrolet, the Equinox’s engines can last 150,000 to 200,000 miles if properly maintained and repaired. Based on the national average of miles driven each year (15,000 miles), a Chevrolet Equinox may survive 10 to 13 years in typical usage.
The Equinox’s 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque in the 2022 model. All-wheel drive is standard, and a six-speed automatic gearbox and front wheels are available.
The majority of current all-wheel-drive cars do not allow the driver to switch off all-wheel drive and will instead send power to every wheel under any driving conditions. You can cut the electrical wire that leads to the system that sends power to the front wheels in the Ford Explorer.
Because front-wheel drive cars are lighter, they typically have better fuel economy than all-wheel drive vehicles. However, front-wheel drive does have better traction when it comes to climbing hills since the weight of the engine is distributed evenly over those wheels.
The All-Wheel Drive Off warning may display in the driver information center (DIC). When this notice appears in the DIC, it indicates that the rear drive system has overheated and the all-wheel drive (AWD) function has been disabled.
All wheel drive is a great feature to have on your Chevy Equinox, but it’s important to understand how it works in order to make the most of this system. Amortips.com‘s team hope our explanation has helped you better understand all wheel drive and its benefits. If you’re looking for a reliable vehicle with all wheel drive, the Chevrolet Equinox is a great choice. Thanks for reading!
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