I am shopping around for a 2005+ pathfinder and I am drawn to the LE model b/c of the full time awd drive mode. Problem is that there are few LE's around that are nearby. I like the idea of set it and forget it for the auto mode, so that I don't have to worry about it when it rains etc.


Is it a worthwhile to wait it out and find an LE ? What are the restrictions with the standard 4wd modes on the 4h and 4l modes ( top speeds, dry pavement ? , how to get into the mode , etc )

This care more then likely will never go off road it will be a family hauler driven by myself and the wife when the baby arrives

kev1n wrote:I am shopping around for a 2005+ pathfinder and I am drawn to the LE model b/c of the full time awd drive mode. Problem is that there are few LE's around that are nearby. I like the idea of set it and forget it for the auto mode, so that I don't have to worry about it when it rains etc.


Is it a worthwhile to wait it out and find an LE ? What are the restrictions with the standard 4wd modes on the 4h and 4l modes ( top speeds, dry pavement ? , how to get into the mode , etc )

This care more then likely will never go off road it will be a family hauler driven by myself and the wife when the baby arrives

First welcome to the site.

All R51 2005-present are great SUV's, the 4x4 option between Auto/Manual is basicly the same operation. When in Auto setting your PF is in 2WD, when you loose traction on loose dirt/snow/rain the front axle enguages (4X4). When traction is gained back it goes back to 2WD auto. The only problem with this is at time of enguagement when power is being delivered it can keep it from enguaging or its delayed. I had Auto and Manual 4x4's and my fav is manual. Any PF you get will be a nice choice.

I never use the auto option on mine either.
I figure you know when your gunna need 4wheel. And you can save the gas while its in 2 wheel drive.
Also I’m not sure how you drive, but lets say I often have my “slip” light blink at me and its not because I need to use 4wd

Captain Caveman & The_David,

Thanks for the responses!

I still am inclined to get an LE, but I guess an SE w/4x4 would be acceptable.

I've been through a lot recently and the utmost safety is the key for me, so I think I will still try to hold out for an LE, unless I get a good deal on an SE.

Price ranges for a 2006-2008 are about 19-22k with about <50k miles. I am thinking to go with a 2006 as its not the first year and probably can be had for a good deal.

Kevin

It really depends on the AWD system, type of vehicle, etc

In reality, if the driver does something screwy, AWD or 4x4 is not going to help...

I've had AWD vehicles and manual switch 4x4 vehicles (cars and trucks). Rain, ice, snow, mud, beach: I rarely use 4x4. If you're buying a SUV or truck, you're not going to be looking at AWD for corner tearing, pavement sticking, Bavarian supersport circuit driving, it'll be for crappy weather.

Here's another funny thing but incredibly valid, at least with snow/ice and AWD/4x4... your chances of gaining back control if you loose it while in a AWD/4x4 mode are much much less than with the drive train in 2wd.

Now, some of this gets all mish-mashed when you toss in things like traction control and stability control, and so on.

For myself, I'd stick with a selectable 2wd/4wd option than a full time awd, hehe, and save tires and gas to boot.

i to was looking at the LE but i found more then enough 06 SE with 4WD options for around 15,999 all with miles in the range of 40-50k so i just went with the SE because most were asking way to much for the LE with more miles just because it had leather. which for me was not a make or break for the sale.

does anyone know the logic of this 4wd mode in the pathy? from what I read the system brakes the spinning wheel and the differential transfers power to the other wheel and backwards. I was driving in sand recently and on couple of occasions the power was not transfereed from the spinning wheel and I dug myself in with two wheels spinning. it seemed that the system did not work as it was supposed to.
another thing is that I was trying to climb one dune and at the end of the climb the VDC seemed to kill all the power to decrease wheel spin and that it why I lost momentum and got stuck. I floored it at the time. below's the video of that. I tried to climb that sand dune 3 times with the same result- got stuck couple of feet before the top the same day on a much steeper dune I had no problem with that power killing by VDC (no video of that unforunately). very weird.

another video of the descent. for some reason the descent doesn't seems that steep is it was in reality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfm6HAIvcSQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1q3EhIWtNc

From what Ive read you wanna turn you VDC off when playing period, and the ABLS only works at low mph, that way it gives the vehicle time to brake the spinning tire. But from my experience if you already dug yourself in, the ABLS isn't gonna help, especially with loose sand. I know first hand.

vdc was off. on my climb the problem was not 4wd system but VDC. I also dug myslef in in a diffrent spot when I had to stop on an almost flat slope and then was trying to start climbing further. The system did not us ethe other (not spinning) wheel at all.

later on during the ride I found a very flat spot like you have on picture and turned VDC off, put it in 1st gear and floored it. All 4 wheels dug themselves in immediately. I drove myself out in low range in first gear.

overal it was a very intresting experience, my first sand ride. I will go there again soon to try out other options.

another question. do you have a front towing hook on your pathy. mine had no hook when arrived and the dealer doesn't know the part number to order it. I checked other shops that sell nissan parts and none of them have one. is it possible for you to make a closer picture of that hook? Perhaps I can manufacture one in the one of the machine shops around here.

bigmankz wrote:vdc was off. on my climb the problem was not 4wd system but VDC. I also dug myslef in in a diffrent spot when I had to stop on an almost flat slope and then was trying to start climbing further. The system did not us ethe other (not spinning) wheel at all.

later on during the ride I found a very flat spot like you have on picture and turned VDC off, put it in 1st gear and floored it. All 4 wheels dug themselves in immediately. I drove myself out in low range in first gear.

overal it was a very intresting experience, my first sand ride. I will go there again soon to try out other options.

another question. do you have a front towing hook on your pathy. mine had no hook when arrived and the dealer doesn't know the part number to order it. I checked other shops that sell nissan parts and none of them have one. is it possible for you to make a closer picture of that hook? Perhaps I can manufacture one in the one of the machine shops around here.

In my truck, VDC is automatically turned off in 4LO.

I have had similar experiences on light snow/ice. A little incline had the ABLS going crazy, and me going nowhere. I think there may be some value to being able to turn off the ABLS.

Also, the PN for the tow hook is 51110P, you can find under Frame on Courtesyparts.com. Maybe with that PN you can get it from your dealer (listed at $40 US on the website). You would need the bolts too I guess, which is 081B72452A BOLT FLANG.

My concern with the AWD vs manual 4wd is the engagement time. It can take 10 seconds for the 4wd to engage on my truck when its cold, and it has to be done at a stop to really work properly. Also would be concerned about wear and tear on the transfer case if I couldn't control the engagement/disengagement. Unless its a fundamentally different system than what we have on the manual.

thanks for the rpely on the hook assembly. I will try to find it here. if not will try to order it from some US store.

All pathys should come standard with a front tow hook as well as a rear one..It should be on the front right hand side if i can remember correctly and one on the rear passenger side..

Also when ever driving on sand, reduce your tire pressure to at least 18psi minimum but if u gonna just do some beach driving then just floor the thing

well, mine didn't have that front hook. I also thought it was weird for an SUV to come without a hook. I contacted one compnay that mention above regrading the hook, they said they won't ship it to Kazakhstan. can anyone help me and order it and send it to me. I can send you money if you have paypal.

I have an '06 SE ... No auto AWD feature .... We get a bunch of rain here and I have been impressed with the Traction control in 2wd... yea its a little evasive ... comes in hard and drops power ... but its smooth and really makes you able to keep the pedal down and not worry about the thing spinning the tires or going sideways to hard .... IMO If I had the Full time AWD I probably would never use it other than in Ice / Snow ... but with Ice / Snow I just run it in real 4wd ...

The only advantage I can see with full time AWD would be better acceleration from a start in the rain ... since you wont get the wheel spin and traction control would not be needed ....

There is no front tow hook on my 05 XE either. I think it is one of the bonuses for paying more for a higher content package.