Would not have bought a Toyota for the spouse if I knew this.

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Originally Posted by JHZR2
Originally Posted by Astro14
AWD doesn't do much for keeping them safe anyway. Most crashes in slippery conditions are due to an inability to stop. Or turn. For that you need true winter tires. Not just good tires. Anyway, if the light is off, your system is good, right?
+1 regarding control of the vehicle. Are you sure that GM or others dont do exactly the same thing? And none of it helps you stop or control better on ice.
Have you seen Turner and Hooch? grin2 My Envoy and the Tahoe my buddy had will stay in 4WD even if the vehicle is limping on 3 cylinders...clawing for life..lol. I know, this isn't AWD but 4WD, even though it has Auto 4WD....it always works. I generally have Blizzaks on our vehicles and these tires work very, very well on hard packed snow and ice. Ice is still ice, but they have a little bite on the ice. The whole point of this, is to make aware that the condition exists.
 
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Buying a Toyota for AWD was your first mistake
We bought the Toyota for what it was, the AWD was the topping on the cake. Actually the AWD system works quite well, similiar in feel to the MDX. I wasnt aware the AWD system was disabled over a CEL for an emissions device.
 
Originally Posted by i6pwr
Maybe I'm late to the game, but after driving GM vehicles for many years and a few Toyota's...this is something that would have made a big decision in my vehicle purchase. We picked up a lightly used 2014 Highlander XLE AWD last summer and all has been great. I bought this for my wife to haul the kids and have a reasonable level of safety features to aid her in most driving situations. A good part of my decision was that if she was caught in some bad weather....i.e...snow, that with good tires and AWD, her commute would pose less of a risk of being stranded. What really caught my attention to all of this, was if there is...say.....an oxygen sensor issue, or basically an emissions related issue, that the vehicle DISABLES THE AWD SYSTEM! Are you freaking kidding me?! If I'm still able to drive the vehicle, why does the AWD system and stability control need to be disabled? I can understand a transfer case or differential issue, but this is not acceptable. I've been around vehicles a long time, I can see one arguement that the system may not function up to it's full capacity..maybe, but if I can drive it with no other restrictions, why does the AWD and traction control have to be disabled. I'm very seriously re-thinking this purchase and sell the vehicle. I DID NOT buy this to help keep my wife and kids safe, to have this possible situation lurking beneath. Just some info for anyone that may have the same concerns.
It probably disabled it to prevent damage. Sensors are consumables, like brakes pads, unfortunately and have to be replaced periodically though most wait until they fail. Even with AWD one must know how to drive in snow & handle the vehicle, sometimes AWD give a false sense of security.
 
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Originally Posted by Astro14
To trade it now will cost you. The only limitation is IF the light comes on again. As long as she understands that the car is degraded if that happens, I think I would keep it. Shocking design flaw, yes, but the remainder of the reasons that you bought this are still true.
Winter is about over here, not going to sweat it right now....but if something comes along I will surely consider a change.
 
My 2016 Toyota owners manual doesn't say anything about this, by the way...so, I am left wondering if this is true on my Toyota...or not...
 
if I were taking bests as to "why" AWD is disabled when an emissions fault is detected is probably because what ever monitors the system is probably somehow connected to the same module or a driver in the emissions system, or visa versa. That is the only logical explination.
 
While this could be considered somewhat of a PITA if you chose to look at it that way, it is drawing a pretty faint line to connect any of it to being, "dangerous". That's pushing it. I lived and commuted for 22 years in the snow belt of the Midwest. And never once did I ever get stuck, or have an accident in snowy weather. And I never owned a 4 WD vehicle in my life. In many cases, especially today, 4 WD gives a false sense of security to many drivers. They think it gives them the ability to go anywhere regardless of conditions. As was said, most bad weather collisions involving driving on snow, occur due to people driving too fast for said conditions, causing them not to be able to stop in time. 4 WD isn't going to mean a thing in those driving conditions. I wouldn't be that concerned over it. If you have something happen regarding this, simply get it fixed, (which you would do anyway), and motor on.
 
After thinking about this a while I think it may not be such a bad thing. Engine performance issues can case shifting and transmission performance issues and may strain the transfer case parts. I suspect it does this with a CEL for any reason, just a thought.
 
Windows 10 will disable network or functionality until a reboot to annoy you. It is the digital age. Software needs every 1 and 0 in the right place or it pukes on itself. Sounds like Toyota accomplished the same goal. I'm in the camp of traction control on motorcycles good, cars not so much. That's the first button I hit when snow flies, turning off traction control. These are all advertising or selling points for those, say, less experienced at driving. We got along very well for a long time without nanny intervention.
 
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Buying a Toyota was your first mistake
Fixed. I would sell the vehicle, that is ridiculous. I wonder what other things it disables when an emissions problem occurs? Funny how many here defend the all perfect Toyota and say buy snow tires. You shouldn't be required to buy snow tires in case the thing decides it wants to be FWD during a snowstorm. I agree that safety is more dependent on braking and driving for the conditions, but going from AWD to FWD will certainly change how the vehicle handles in bad weather, and how the driver will need to predict throttle inputs. For an unskilled driver (the frequent buyers of such appliances) they may not know that the car has switched from being AWD like they are used to driving into FWD. Pretty stupid engineering IMO. Goes along with the diesel pickups that put the vehicle into 10 mph limp mode if the DEF tank sensor has an issue.
 
Originally Posted by SubieRubyRoo
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
Buying a Toyota for AWD was your first mistake
Yep, there's Subaru AWD and then there's... all the "non-AWD AWDs"
And then there is Hilux wink
 
I have a 2000 Lexus es300 and it has a cel for evap leak. This also disabled the traction control so Toyota has been doing this for at least 19 years.
 
We had a Mercedes that we got stranded in far from home. It went into a limp mode where it was stuck in first gear only. $3000 later the dealer advised it was a glitch in the computer. They had to order the vin specific parts from Germany. Ouch is all I had to say. Then I knew why they are so cheap used after the warranty expires. So disengaging awd is not so terrible, and there is a reason for it, it's not capricious.
 
Originally Posted by i6pwr
Going around a turn and the car gets loose, the stability control works instantly and works remarkably well..almost too good to believe. But the whole point of something like this to disable the AWD, Trac control , etc is not acceptable.
That's what you get when software runs your car.
 
All in all, yes, it's more of a PITA than anything. Just something I didn't want to think about. We've managed for many years during inclement weather, made it from point A to point B. We went with the highlander after 225K miles on the Sienna, she wanted another Toyota but we considered the Tahoe as well. Well....until we tried the 3rd row seat..lol...what a joke. The Suburban has a lower floor for your feet, not the Tahoe. I wouldn't have bought a Subaru if the same conditions existed...that's the problem...I didn't know....lesson learned. Yes, I agree the computers rule the roost for the most part...just the name of the game. The GM vehicles I've been in have encoder motors to engage the 4WD so when engaged, it's working....never had an issue. It's not the end of the world that this happened just annoying for the most part. I forgot a previous incident last year when we were at Norfolk for the weekend. We were headed back and the CEL popped up, AWD disabled, no ABS, etc...I pulled into Autozone and it was a cam position sensor. About 30 miles later it turned off and all was good. I had many other things on my mind at the time and forgot about it.
 
Originally Posted by zorobabel
Originally Posted by i6pwr
Going around a turn and the car gets loose, the stability control works instantly and works remarkably well..almost too good to believe. But the whole point of something like this to disable the AWD, Trac control , etc is not acceptable.
That's what you get when software runs your car.
Yessir....used to be a little bit of opposite steer, stab the gas, get straight....roll on...lol
 
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