Gripe NO 4X4 Indicator light on dash!, put your vote in here

nadrojcote · June 24, 2015

The light moves, but its so tiny and if you don't get in the habit of looking at it every time you get in your truck you would never know. I couldn't tell I was driving in 4x4, but it could be because my tires rub so I never turn my wheel all the way.

OmniGLH · June 24, 2015

I thought everyone 2015+ had this screen. I might have been wrong on that.

It's entirely possible that I have that screen disabled? I'll have to play around with the truck when I get home tonight - drove the other car to work today.

Not that I'd ever really have a need for that screen in the first place. But I like gadgets and gadgety stuff and it's just something else that's totally stupid that will entertain me.

Habs · June 24, 2015

I knew about the off-road screen and was confused when I test drove my truck and couldn't see it, after all, I have a 4x4 Z71. Asked the salesman who was riding with me and he never heard of it before... wow. I knew more about the truck he was trying to sell me than he did! WTF!

I went into settings on the DIC and found the pages menu, and you can select which pages to have or to hide. It's at the bottom I believe. All I did was check it off and it shows on the Info with the fuel economy, digital speedometer, trip, etc.

I believe ONLY 2015 4x4s have it, and maybe only the Z71s at that.

Silverado Steve · June 24, 2015

You must be cleaning your truck rather vigorously to switch into 4WD haha. Personally I think the light on the shift knob is good enough. What's the difference between a light on your instrument cluster, or a light 6" away on the shift knob?

I've moved the knob wiping down that portion of the dash, it doesn't take that much effort to turn the knob a click. Same goes with the light switch.

Silverado Steve · June 24, 2015

You must be cleaning your truck rather vigorously to switch into 4WD haha. Personally I think the light on the shift knob is good enough. What's the difference between a light on your instrument cluster, or a light 6" away on the shift knob?

Personally I have no real issue with the system as is, but playing devils advocate there is a bid difference between a "4wd" display on the DIC and a light the size of a pin-head on the knob....let's not pretend they are the same thing. It's easier to see a display on the DIC than a light on a knob.

Bvonscott · June 24, 2015

I knew about the off-road screen and was confused when I test drove my truck and couldn't see it, after all, I have a 4x4 Z71. Asked the salesman who was riding with me and he never heard of it before... wow. I knew more about the truck he was trying to sell me than he did! WTF!

I went into settings on the DIC and found the pages menu, and you can select which pages to have or to hide. It's at the bottom I believe. All I did was check it off and it shows on the Info with the fuel economy, digital speedometer, trip, etc.

I believe ONLY 2015 4x4s have it, and maybe only the Z71s at that.

For everyone's info, ALL 2015's with the 4.2" DIC screen have the off road screen. Regardless of 4x4 or not. Go to "info pages" under the "settings" menu of the DIC to turn it on and off.

Also when you shift the 4x4 knob in any autotrac equipped truck, not only do you get the little light on the knob to indicate what gear you are in, but the DIC pops up a message telling you what is happening. So with the off road screen, that is 3 ways of telling you what mode you are in, I don't see what more would be necessary.

ember1205 · June 24, 2015

I'm more irritated that all you get is "4WD Shift in Progress" in the DIC when you roll the dial like:

2WD -> AUTO

AUTO -> 4HI

4HI -> 2WD

AUTO -> 2WD

Sorry, but sitting still on dry pavement when it's 80 plus degress should NOT warrant that message when I'm changing from 2WD to AUTO. There should be a couple of different, more INTELLIGENT, messages that it displays showing what it's ACTUALLY doing.

MikeNH · June 24, 2015

So you want it to say "shifting to xxx"?

Seems a bit much honestly.

ember1205 · June 24, 2015

So you want it to say "shifting to xxx"?

Seems a bit much honestly.

How about 2WD Mode, Auto Mode, 4 High, 4 Low?

Doesn't seem like much to me at all. When you're switching from 2WD to Auto while in Park, there is no "shifting" going on. So why the false message saying there is?

MikeNH · June 25, 2015

It is shifting even in auto mode.

It applies some preload to the clutch in the t case so when slip occurs power delivery is faster.

I can get the desire to have a dash icon, especially since it's already there for lower trim models but what you're asking for is borderline absurd. No 4x4 does that. Most get by with 4 auto/high/low blinking till it engages.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · June 25, 2015

Some people think it's too many messages that pop up on the DIC while others think it's not enough. They don't bother me anyways since they only pop up for a couple seconds and can easily dismiss them right away with the push of 1 button. Maybe some people want a message to tell them each step, like how to put it in Drive or Park.

bass mechanic · June 25, 2015

I think the vast majority of naysayers here are downplaying the need for the 4x4 light because they live in an area where it never snows.

They never use the 4x4 unless they are actually going off road. It's easy to remember to f your in 2 or 4 in cases like this. But people who live where it snows understand the problem. I once drove 350 miles in 4x4 auto not realizing it on dry pavement because 3 days before it was snowing and I left it engaged. An indicator light on the dash is a must have option. I don't care if you have a manual shift or auto I don't see anything wrong with a little green light to let me know If my front axel in engaged!

Simple as that!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ShotgunZ71 · June 25, 2015

Maybe some people need the navigation lady to say, "Hey, Ray Charles, your truck is in 4WD now."

ember1205 · June 25, 2015

It is shifting even in auto mode.

It applies some preload to the clutch in the t case so when slip occurs power delivery is faster.

I can get the desire to have a dash icon, especially since it's already there for lower trim models but what you're asking for is borderline absurd. No 4x4 does that. Most get by with 4 auto/high/low blinking till it engages.

If I'm going to be subjected to all these !@#$ messages, they should at least be meaningful. It isn't absurd at all to get USEFUL data shown to me. Personally, I'd prefer the dash light and NO messages, but GM is obviously way smarter than I am and knows what I need my truck better than I do. So, the messages are here to stay.

ember1205 · June 25, 2015

I think the vast majority of naysayers here are downplaying the need for the 4x4 light because they live in an area where it never snows.

They never use the 4x4 unless they are actually going off road. It's easy to remember to f your in 2 or 4 in cases like this. But people who live where it snows understand the problem. I once drove 350 miles in 4x4 auto not realizing it on dry pavement because 3 days before it was snowing and I left it engaged. An indicator light on the dash is a must have option. I don't care if you have a manual shift or auto I don't see anything wrong with a little green light to let me know If my front axel in engaged!

Simple as that!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Driving around in Auto is actually what you WANT in the inclement weather season. When there's slip detected, you get the 4WD. No slip, no 4WD. Once the weather warmed up to where there was routinely no risk of snow or ice in the mornings, I rolled the dial from Auto to 2WD and it's been there ever since. Auto doesn't mean your 4WD system is engaged.