Winter Switch ?

[xtreme-designs]

Can anyone explain what the Winter Switch, located in the center console,
does ?

[etlsport]

it starts the transmission in a higher gear to prevent wheel spin.. only works when you are in D... while stopped in D press it, light will turn on.. your rpms will rise very slowly and you wont get much acceleration (like if youve driven a manual and forgotten to put it back into first after a quick stop) then once you hit 20-25 mph it will turn itself off and your transmission will act normal again.... it will not turn itself back on automatically

[MSHardeman]

etlsport is exactly right. It's funny that you should ask this question today, becasue I JUST used the winter switch. The roads here in Colorado are really snowy and icy today, and I decided to play with the winter switch taking off from a stop sign. I know what the switch does, but the VX is so good at throwing power to the front wheels when it needs it, that I never really needed to use the switch. With the switch on, the VX took off from the stop sign like a champ, with no wheel slip whatsoever. The big monster Expedition behind me tried to do the same and had all four wheels spinning like crazy. I LOVE this truck!

[dkmiller68]

I thought it was supposed to lower the outside temperature and cause it to start snowing...so, maybe mines not broken after all.

[gunpackingpoet]

Not much snow where I'm from (Tip of South Texas), but thanks for the info on the winter button.

I do have a question on the power button. I ended up selling my VX to my brother and now I'm buying it back. Yesterday I noticed he had the Power Button option ON; I don't know if he drove it around like that or not, but would having it on all the time cause some damage?

[driver3]

Not much snow where I'm from (Tip of South Texas), but thanks for the info on the winter button.

I do have a question on the power button. I ended up selling my VX to my brother and now I'm buying it back. Yesterday I noticed he had the Power Button option ON; I don't know if he drove it around like that or not, but would having it on all the time cause some damage?

I drive mine with power on all the time.. it just makes you shift down earlier when pressing on the gas and stay in each gear longer if you're giving it gas...

[Techy-D]

Not much snow where I'm from (Tip of South Texas), but thanks for the info on the winter button.

I do have a question on the power button. I ended up selling my VX to my brother and now I'm buying it back. Yesterday I noticed he had the Power Button option ON; I don't know if he drove it around like that or not, but would having it on all the time cause some damage?
You never know what damage too much POWER can do! :p

As for leaving it on all the time, I read that some people do leave it on all the time. I've been watching my milage and have tried it with it on and now with it off. I haven't seen any difference that I can discern, but when It's in the Power mode, it does change the shifting points and feels more like I would normally shift (winds a little higher, holds in a bit longer,...).

[etlsport]

nope, there are quite a few VXs bought new that have only ever been driven in power mode, all it does is allow you to rev a little higher before the transmission will shift, shouldnt cause any damage unless he was constantly redlining.. in which case power mode is the least of your worries..

personally i use power mode when ill be doing highway driving, but for around town i dont like having it on, makes my transmission feel sorta loose at low speeds
heres a discussion about it..
http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=10023

[Tobert]

From what I know about automatic transmissions, using the power button is actually _better_ than not having it on.

Take, for instance, a Cadillac with all the extras. The transmission in those cars intentionally slip a lot when going between gears to smooth out the transition. This can cause additional wear on the clutches, which is probably compensated for with better materials, synthetic fluids/additives, and better cooling, but it's still clutch-riding.

The power mode increases the pressure constants and RPM thresholds in the PCM, which is usually a good thing all around. The actual "punch" between gears is healthier for the transmission than having a smooth shift.

The power button is one of the things I really loved to see on the VX, once I learned what it was. On one of my past vehicles, I had to do all kinds of mods to the inside of the transmission to replicate the effect (boring out holes in the valve body, upgraded servos, upgraded pump, etc.). If I must tolerate an automatic transmission, it should jump, not slide between gears.

[deermagnet]

http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/mag/imag/button.jpg
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/image/image4/wdmode1.png
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/image/image4/wdmode2.png
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/image/image4/pwmode1.png
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/image/image4/normode1.png
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/image/image4/pwmode3.png
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/image/image4/pwmode2.png
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/image/image4/normode3.png
http://www.wtv-zone.com/markg/image/image4/normode2.png

[VehiGAZ]

Thank you Deermagnet for the DEFINITIVE guide to Winter and Power modes!!!