YUKON 2022. Driving on AUTO Mode

[BigdawgR6]

I'm glad I read this thread because mine has ALWAYS been on Auto from the first day of purchase. If I leave it on 2WD, will it stay there permanently until I change it again?

 

[PG01]

I'm glad I read this thread because mine has ALWAYS been on Auto from the first day of purchase. If I leave it on 2WD, will it stay there permanently until I change it again?

Yes it will.

 

[ASUFAN12]

Just bought a used ‘22 GMC Yukon Denali. When using AUTO and at full turn from stopped say in a cul-d-sac, noticeable vibration is felt in the car. Wondering if this is cause for concern. In 2^ car drives like a champ but don’t want this to be a concern for identifiable issues now that could become big ones down the road. What is that reverberation telling me? Dealer says it’s normal but I test drove another GMC to compare and that was not happening as noticeably whatsoever. Why the vibration/shutter?

 

[ChrisYukon]

I leave it in auto all the time. Had about 55,000 miles when it was hit by a drunk driver while parked and 6,000 on my ‘23. I’ve got a bit of a lead foot, and it helps when cornering. I spun the 17 once and hit a curb when hitting the gas too hard in a right turn - the car had just returned from service and was left in 2wd, and didn’t behave the way I thought it would.

No vibration at all - I only had that with the old truck when doing parking lot maneuvers in 4 hi.

I spent a couple of months in 2wd rentals, and it’s no fun when the rear end steps out unexpectedly in a 6,000 pound suv.

As has been stated before, repairing axles/differentials isn’t that expensive. I’ll enjoy the benefits, and repair it if I need to.

 

[Antonm]

My company provides me with a lease vehicle, the last two have been Silverados with the same auto 4x4 button.

Since they’re lease vehicles I’ve left both in auto literally from day 1 picking them up at the dealer. The first one (a 2018 model) had a little over 70k miles when they took it back, the current one (a 2021 mode) has a little over 45k miles on it now, neither have experienced any negative issues that I can tell.

So when we bought the 23 Tahoe to be my wife’s daily driver, I put it in auto 4x4 in the dealership parking lot when we took delivery and it’s been there ever since. I’d rather pay the bills for slightly less fuel economy and more tire wear for the added safety of not sliding around as much when my wife is driving our kids around.
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[PG01]

My company provides me with a lease vehicle, the last two have been Silverados with the same auto 4x4 button.

Since they’re lease vehicles I’ve left both in auto literally from day 1 picking them up at the dealer. The first one (a 2018 model) had a little over 70k miles when they took it back, the current one (a 2021 mode) has a little over 45k miles on it now, neither have experienced any negative issues that I can tell.

So when we bought the 23 Tahoe to be my wife’s daily driver, I put it in auto 4x4 in the dealership parking lot when we took delivery and it’s been there ever since. I’d rather pay the bills for slightly less fuel economy and more tire wear for the added safety of not sliding around as much when my wife is driving our kids around.
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You do you but these are 2wd suvs with optional 4wd and not a full time AWD. Its more than gas and tire wear. It pretty much strains the front diff unnecessarily. I have had an auto 4wd system in my trucks since 2001, i live in the northeast and i only use 4hi when necessary and only occasionally auto. If you’re familiar with older vehicles, trucks esp, what you are essentially doing is locking the hubs and making everything in the frontend spin until the computer detects a wheel slip then it engages 4wd as you would in an older vehicle locking in hubs then pulling a lever when you needed 4wd. It does state in the manual that for normal driving 2wd is all thats needed and im sure your dealer would agree.

To each their own but if i wanted awd i would have bought awd. For what it’s worth i romp on my stuff and unless im really getting my foot in it I can maybe manage a squeal from the rear end, rain is a different story but then theres traction control which negates the entire tire slippage thing in short order.

My wife and daughter drive two of my trucks 99% of the time (whilst im stuck in the 150.4324 hp 4cyl accord) and they both have the need for speed and not once have they complained about the ass end of either truck slipping out, even in rain or light snow. Traction control at its finest? Good tires? Not being an *******, turning off traction control and putting their foot through the firewall to race their buddies light to light? Perhaps that helps but the world may never know…..

Again, you guys do you but im saving my front diff until its needed…. Exercise it every couple of months and when needed it will be there for you.

My 2cents, take it or leave it.

 

[Antonm]

Have you tried driving around in auto at all???

The 03 Silverado I used to own ( bought new in November 02 I think), was absolutely terrible in auto 4x4, hated it and never used it. Turns out the electronics have gotten a lot better in the last two decades.

As for driving a 4x4 with the front hubs locked all the time, ever heard a small company called Dodge or another one called Jeep??? They’ve made hundreds of thousands of 4x4 trucks / SUVs over the years that have no ability to disconnect the front end at all. And they use the same chain driven transfer cases made by new process, yet somehow these dodge Cummins trucks manage to get 500k miles on them somehow.

So your argument of it causing damage is invalid , slightly more wear and slightly less fuel economy perhaps as you’re turning a few bearings and rotating some mass that you otherwise wouldn’t be, but no damage.

Heck I recently tore apart the front axle of a mall crawler jeep jk I bought used for my teenage son to do a re-gear ( putting a lift and larger tires on it, it needed more gear). Jeep had over 200k miles, and like most jeeps, had no physical way to disconnect the front axle, so that axle had turned every instant of those 200k miles. Ball joints were shot but everything inside the axle was in great condition, probably could’ve reused the bearings, didn’t because the gear kit came with new bearings but you get the idea.
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[Stbentoak]

There is no real point in driving around in auto if you don't need it. You can do it, but in three years of use and 30,000 miles mine has probably been in auto 100 miles and in 4 high probably 10 miles. It's easier on the drivetrain, it saves a limited amount of fuel, and it's just logical. The only time I even think about using auto is in a driving rain storm. The stock tires on these vehicles are absolute crap in rain and you need any advantage you can get then. I ditched those tires about a month ago for some high-end Pirelli's and it improved the vehicle dramatically.
The only reason I even bought a 4 wheel drive is that my dealer said that two wheel drives have terrible resale value as everybody assumes and expects this vehicle to be 4 wheel drive in the used market.