# Driving in 4 wheel drive low **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270 "2009-03-25T00:48:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jasimmonds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f4b2a3/32.png) [@jasimmonds](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jasimmonds)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/1 "2009-03-25T00:48:16Z")
I recently (accidentally thanks to a two year old that got hold of dials) drove my husband’s 2005 F150 about 200 miles in 4 wheel drive low. I didn’t notice the engine making any strain or different revving while driving this vehicle, but it was a rather windy day. Did I ruin his truck? Needless to say, my husband is giving me a lot of grief about this. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/2 "2009-03-25T00:50:32Z")
What were the road conditions? ---
**Author:** ![jasimmonds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f4b2a3/32.png) [@jasimmonds](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jasimmonds)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/3 "2009-03-25T00:58:22Z")
normal (dry), windy gusts. driving between 65-75 mph on highway. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/4 "2009-03-25T01:05:41Z")
Damage might occur if you made a lot of sharp turns on dry roads, not from over-revving the engine. Are you sure you were in 4WD low, and not just 4WD high? 75 mph in low is pretty hard to do. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/5 "2009-03-25T01:05:57Z")
I don’t think it’s possible to go 65-75 mph in 4WD Low. The engine would be screaming. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/6 "2009-03-25T02:05:44Z")
You weren’t in 4WD low. In order to engage it, you have to be in neutral before the low range will engage. You were likely in 4WD Hi though. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/7 "2009-03-25T05:51:10Z")
You would be lucky to hit 40 in low range. You would have noticed it. You would have ran out of fuel too. You still might have caused damage. ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 1:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/8 "2009-03-25T13:25:17Z")
Depending upon the speed the two year old turned the dials, you may never have gone into 4 wd for most of the trip. It won’t engage, even 4 wd high if speeds are too great. If it were turned directly to 4 wd low…and you had to be stopped (like mine) for it to even engage itself, you may be in good shape and remained in 2 wd. If hubby isn’t even aware of this, he should be the one given a hard time, not you. You’d know immediately if you were in 4 low…wind or not. It would be a good idea to always operate your truck in every mode (esp 4 low) so you know what to expect. I constantly remind my family members of ours and it’s function, even though they seldom have a use for it (4 low). Another ding for your husband,you’re now ahead 2-0. ---
**Author:** ![jasimmonds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f4b2a3/32.png) [@jasimmonds](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jasimmonds)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/9 "2009-03-25T15:57:37Z")
Thanks everyone for the info! My son turned the knob while the truck was off, so after your answers and researching the manual, seems that it won’t engage the 4 wheel drive low. Will have to give my husband a hard time!! ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/10 "2009-03-25T16:13:17Z")
The truck would not go 75 in low range. If it was in 4-hi, you might have worn the tires a little, nothing to worry about. Take the truck out on a dirt surface and see if the 4-WD system engages and operates normally. If it does, no damage has been done. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/11 "2009-03-25T16:27:48Z")
This is the kind of ending we all like. No damage done and some of us (like me) learned a little more about a car. ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2009, 1:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/driving-in-4-wheel-drive-low/28270/12 "2009-03-29T01:35:15Z")
75 in low is IMPOSSIBLE in most vehicles!!!