The vehicle is 2003 Baja with automatic transmission. Twice in the last month, in snow on my 9% uphill driveway, I have gotten stuck going uphill. Today, on the hardpack frozen sleet from Friday's storm, I slowly made it nearly to the street, when the rt front wheel began to spin, the forward momentum stopped, the car started sliding backward, wheel still spinning. After about 3 or 4 ft of slide, the rear wheels started to spin. What in the world is going on? I thought when one spun, the others were supposed to take over.
Prior time, was in 2 - 3" of loose snow, but same spinning, with no engagement of other wheels. Didn't slide backwards, but wheels spun and we had to go back to level ground and get a runnning start.
I'd appreciate feedback about how the trans/AWD is supposed to work, and what you think mine might be doing.
Thanks.
'03 automatic, spinning front wheel, sliding backward; what?
Moderator: bajabob
Wow, got me on this one. I have had some spin in REALLY slick stuff. We had some slick crap out here about 2 weeks ago. When I got to work, the lot was not plowed, was up to 18+ inches of wet, heavy crap where we had to park. I tried to pull into a parking spot, and got hung up. This is on the level in the parking lot. The guys that were watchin me said the tailgate looked like a snow plow there was so much snow piled up, that it went almost to the top of the tailgate. Anyways, I had to pull back out to get further in. I was hung up and stuck. By flooring the gas, and risking blowin the trans, and violently crankin the wheel hard left and right, I was able to get out. I had both of my rear wheels spinnin, and the right front spinnin hard. I might add that the Baja was not on the pavement at all, it was up on the snow. The right front may spin, thats the same as in a FWD car. The way the front diff is, its an open diff, so it will spin if its really slick. There is not a limited slip like on the rear of the Baja. Most of the time you shouldn't have a problem though. But in real nasty stuff, you may get it to happen. Its not the Baja's fault, just the conditions that it is in. Mike
Even though I work on Dodges, I don't own one.