Honestly, I am thankful my 4WD isn't controlled by a computer. Driving around in the heavy snow today, I saw people getting stuck, and naturally being the nice person I am, I stopped to help a few people out.
Someone I came across was driving a GMC Envoy. Cute girl, so I figured, why not stop and help her. So she is slipping and sliding on the ice and snow, trying go get up a hill. I ask her if she has engaged 4WD or not. She wasn't stupid (thank god ) and told me yes. But the damn thing kept spinning one tire more than the other, thinking it needed more traction to that tire...Funny enough, the tire that needed traction, did not get any...

Maybe it is just me, but I am so thankful I have to
1) Jump out and lock my hubs...
2) Shift a transfer case and not push a button
and 3) Tow these rigs with "advanced" 4WD out of sticky situations, just to show off my Toyota

 

Good story (maybe). However, if I read that all correctly, points 1, 2 and 3 are irrelevent and have nothing to do with the story.

If she did, in fact, have 4WD engaged, then you would not have done any better in the same position providing you still have the wonderful stock open diffs. In fact, I would go so far as to say she would have done better than you if those things come with any type of traction control system. I think you left out all the necessary details.

 

I think he meant that with the electronic ones, you have to roll forward a little bit to engage it, but if you're stuck, you can't roll. But the non-electric ones can engage sitting still, so getting stuck is less of a problem.

 

It kinda sounds like the envoy has a center diff if only 1 tire was spinning resulting in being stuck. If so, then the part time 4wd would have been better.

Anyways, where's the pics?

 

That could be, and I still may have misread it. Just to clarify, I can engage 4WD when stopped quite often. If it's hesitant, it will always engage by shifting into 4 low. So that argument won't always hold true.

 

Well...if number three was any clue...it was a chance to show off my "imported" truck, instead of domestic. And yes, with the Envoy, you must be rolling to engage 4WD.