4x4 help

220

Asked by Chevy15003528 Jan 21, 2015 at 10:06 PM about the 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT Double Cab 4WD

Question type: General

I recently bought a 4x4 Silverado 1500 2015 Rally 2 Edition and it's my first truck with 4x4. I'm used to the AWD Subaru STI and have left the 4wd selector in Auto because the salesman never told me about the knob. Now what conditions should i have the truck in 2 wheel drive and in what conditions should i put it in auto 4x4 4x4 high or 4x4 low, and is auto 4x4 not good to run the truck in unless there is snow, etc? i'm a little confused as i thought auto would decide whether or not 4x4 is needed, but after driving it for not even a few hours i started to hear a very high pitch chirp and the mechanic there said they couldn't duplicate the noise or hear it, got my truck back it was in 2 wheel drive and they did tell me not to have it in auto mode 24/7. Any help on the differences would be great as well as what that high pitch chirp/squeal could be, it wasn't constant and only happened when shifting to drive reverse or park or releasing the gas or break or starting off from a stop.

33 Answers

220

Could it be that it's just brand new with 50 miles on it and that it's "warming up" and thats why it's making the noise cause it was rarely used? is that a thing ?Lol Thanks for your first answer.

8 people found this helpful.
100

Howdy Chevy, I just bought my Silverado a few days ago, I actually read the entire owners manual, and found out some things for the 500 mile break in period. I do know tennisshoes is spot on. Leave it in 2w, and don't use 4 low unless you really need to. Read the book on the procedures for putting it in 4 low. I don't know about the noise, hope it didn't hurt anything by driving in Auto for a while. Good luck and enjoy the new vehicle.

9 people found this helpful.
130

Torharley, I use mine in auto when it rains out so I don't slip on the road and 2wd when it's perfect out. I can go roughly 400mp tank in 2wd and 300+mp tank in auto if it's shitty outside. I also have a set of pipes, so I get on it a little more than if I had it stock.

13 people found this helpful.
120

The high pitch noise is what seems like a sensor when it is in auto to determine whether it needs 4wd engaged of not. Turn off your radio and you can hear it going down the road too when you accelerate or let off.

12 people found this helpful.
180

I have a question is it normal to feel as if the front wheel are sticking while my 2014 chevy is in 4wheel drive hi

11 people found this helpful.
180

I bought it new. It does great in auto. But when I start out in 4x4 hi or low it just feel different. Feel like the front tires don't need more help to go

4 people found this helpful.
50

Had the same issue, driving in auto chewed up the drive shaft and barrings. It made an aweful noise

5 people found this helpful.
50

Just took my Avalanche in because of the high pitched squeal and then a burnt oil smell. My differential is shot because I was driving in Aurora on dry pavement. It was in that position when I bought it from Burtness Chevrolet in Wisconsin. 29 days ago so I never changed it. Now I'm screwed.

4 people found this helpful.

If you run it in auto it should only engage 4WD when there is tire slippage. Clearly something else is wrong.

9 people found this helpful.
20

if you run it in auto and have a bad abs sensor wouldnt it just stay in 4wd like detecting a slippage/

2 people found this helpful.
40

Good morning, This Ibn from chicago. Since yesterday I hear a noise from the non-driver side especially when I turn the steering wheel to the right. Is it normal or should I make a setting?

4 people found this helpful.
150

Y'all are killing me!' That 'stuck' feeling is you 4x4 system binding up, because it is not a cv joint so to speak but a drive shaft When you submit the vehicle to a turn, it is freaking out because it cannot slip!! The chirp is prolly limited slip somewhere saying 'hey unlock something here' Learn it before you drive it!! I learned these as a pimple face reading 4x4 magazines in the 80's Don't use 'auto' unless it is wet or slick You will tear stuff up!!!

15 people found this helpful.
30

Actually, My 2017 Silverado is also having the sticky feeling in 4x4 and has had the popping that sounds like it is coming from the front passanger side. The popping is actually from the leaf springs and will stop if they grease them up. The truck is in the shop for the sticky feeling right now. At 3000 RPMS it will barely move and they are saying there is an issue in the transfer case.

3 people found this helpful.
40

The chirp occurs when the engine changes from v4 to v8. On your dash you can see when it changes, and it chirps every time for me. Try letting your vehicle coast for a bit, then give it some gas. It will go from v4 to v8 then chirp.

4 people found this helpful.
40

My 2016 Siliverado Crew Cab 4x4 does not chirp when going from v4 to v8 or from v8 to v4. I do have the problem of a couple of others here, when I put it in 4H on icy roads, when I turn the corner it sounds and feels like the truck is trying to rip itself apart. I even tried it in my backyard (7 acres) and it was less in 4H but still there on grass. In 4L, it sounds like it is trying to rip apart on road or on grass. It really makes me wonder if there is a problem in the transfer case as suspected above. Paul

3 people found this helpful.
10

Can you switch from 2w to auto or 4w on the move or do you to be stopped to do this?

1 people found this helpful.
40

Guru5TD5T 2wd-Auto on the fly. 4wH if going under 30mph, completely stopped and in neutral for 4wL Going straight is not a problem in any setting, but in 4wH, even if the road are wet/slick from a stop sign and turning left or right, it starts popping and groaning, and it takes a lot of gas pedal to even move. 4wL is even worse. I wonder if it is similar to Ashley's post above and ma be a problem with leaf springs or the transfer case? My first thought would be the transfer case, but? Paul

1 people found this helpful.
30

Hey guys.. I had the same problem on our 2014 gmc sierra, when in auto during acceleration a noise would come from the truck, it got louder and louder and we took it in to be looked at.. they tuned it somehow and the noise went away.. now two years later it is starting again. I told my wife not to use the system but when you spend $50000 on a truck it should work... I live in Alberta so roads are snow and ice, no dry pavement.. The dealer just called and said they don't hear it but let me know that my A/C compressor is gone and on top of the $600 transmission coolant lines being replaced today it would be $1200 To fix..

3 people found this helpful.
160

You DON'T HAVE LEAF SPRINGS IN THE FRONT unless your truck is 30 years old!! None of you should even be allowed to own a four-wheel drive if the surface is not slippery enough your front end will bind up when turning. We are talking about four wheel drive! Not all wheel drive.

16 people found this helpful.
330

I know this post is old, but it is timeless. About 3 people on here that has any sense at all, the rest of you makes me wonder how you tie your own shoes, maybe you only wear slip on shoes? Now since you have a big bad four wheel drive, you need to buy a gun and a chainsaw. Should take care of a couple of the idiots. My favorite is greasing the leaf springs. Wow, and another person thought that was a great idea. I was waiting on someone complaining about their truck making funny noises in 4 low running 80 mph! Please do the world a favor, before you breed, go to the doctor and rid yourself of all reproductive organs. They breed, they vote, they reproduce! Would love to see these idiots in a manual shift, manual transfer case, with manual hubs. Lol. But thank you idiots for the laugh. I am headed to the parts store for some blinker fluid, and leaf spring grease! AThink I will make the 50 mile trip in 4 low. When I get to a parking lot, I will turn lock to lock and see if my truck has a sticky feeling. If it starts raining, I will run in 4 hi so I don't hydroplane. When I get home, I may do me some serious off roading in my whole 7 acre back yard.

33 people found this helpful.
110

I just bought a brand new Silverado 1500 4x4 that I can't afford, and the reason is so I don't get a used pickup from most of the people commenting here! Auto 4wd is meant to be used only when there are changing traction conditions, like occasional drifting snow on the road or ice on a bridge or overpass. If you use it all the time, it will wear out because there are times like when accelerating quickly from a stop it could detect wheelspin and engage the 4wd on dry pavement. 4wd is not needed on wet pavement unless water is literally flooding the road. Heading out now to grease the leaf springs on the front of my new pickup. Thanks for the tip!

7 people found this helpful.

Back pressure control valve in the rear end of the exhaust. When it opens and closes it chirps it varies on different weather conditions. Just had my exhaust replace for the same reason. The easiest way to diagnose if that's the issue is the stick a cotter pin in the spring mechanism when its open, you will find on the back end of the exhaust between the two mufflers. it's covered under warranty they'll replace it with the exhaust system that's currently on a 2018

10

Can you drive a 2004 Silverado with the transfer case in neutral?

1 people found this helpful.
20

Can someone tell me if I have a problem or is it normal when I have my 2010 Chev Silverado in 4x4(Auto) & accelerate from a stop my Traction control light flashes & it's like my ABS detects.clicks around & slows me down then all a sudden it grabs n takes off

2 people found this helpful.
20

^^^^^When I drive my girlfriends GMC in same 4x4(Auto),it takes off rite away rite from the start & doesn't slow down & click around,it just goes,hers is 2008 GMC 1500 4x4,mines 2010 Chevrolet 1500 4x4

Similar happened to me. I drive my Chevy Silverado 2007 in 2H. I must have bumped the knob when cleaning interior and didn't notice it turned to Auto. After a while my truck stayed making a noise. I had my friend, retired army mechanic take a look at it.. he noticed it wassef in Auto and put it back to 2H. It stopped making the noise. Happened again much later... I put it back in 2H and mouse stopped again. Hope that helps.

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