I have a 2005, Dodge Durango with the Multi-displacement Hemi and antislip braking system to transfer power from one wheel to the other on the rear end. I do not have a limited slip differential.

Here is the deal, we are driving 30 mph on ice and snow and start to go up a small incline. The rear end all of suddenrapidly swings to the right and almost swaps ends with the front. I counter steer and it snaps back to the other side which I also counter steer. It tries to swing back to the right again but I catch it. Also when this started I let off the gas. I have driven 4WD, limited slip and standard rear wheel differentials for over 35 years. Never have I had a vehicle that swapped to the right, left and back right so fast.

What I think happened is that the mult-displacement system switched back from 4 cylinders to 8 cylinders increasing the torque on one rear wheel, then the antislip tried to brake that wheel and applied to the power to the other causing it to spin. This would have left me with one wheel locked by brake system (antislip)and the other wheel spinning driven by the motor.

Has anyone seen this before .I need good technical telephone number if you have one. Dodge customer servicewas not very informative other than read owners book.

Regards, Mike

 

I think you just hit a bad patch of ice. Weird stuff happens sometimes on ice. I remember back in 99 when I was stationed in Minot, ND (and I am not a rookie to snow and ice)I was driving my Chrysler Cirrus (long gone now) and hit a patch at about 40 and the rear end slipped out and I was in a FWD going straight.

 

I thought I made it clear that I was on ice and snow. Actually I was driving on it for over 4 hours at 20-40 mph. The point I am trying to make is that this only occurred as the road started to incline. Once past the event and on the incline I had no problem. So I believe that there was also and interaction form the multi-displacement.

Anyway, I have experimented with the traction control off by hitting the switch on the dash and when I apply power on it the right wheel spins on the ice while the left rear wheel just rolls.So that again suggests and interaction.

It would be great to knowatwhat speed the systemdeactivates (according to the book it only works atcity driving speed) and secondly to know if there is a way to have theengine to 8C mode so that power does not surge. Dodge rep would/could not answer either of these questions.

Regards, Mike

 

Just check the Dodge website and car and driver, MDS was not available in the Durango until the 2006 model. Therefore I cannot conclude switching from 4 cylindars to 8 was part of the problem.

4 wheel drive is not for driving on snow and ice. Ask anybody that lives in that type of climate. 4 wheel drive is meant for getting unstuck. 2 wheel drive and a little extra weight of sand over the rear axles will prove in most cases to be enough. If it isn't no one really has any business being on the roads.

Going up an incline you simply broke traction. Moving up an incline will cause your transmission to down shift thus increasing torque, regardless of whether MDS was engaged or not.

Best advice is the tried and true. Go slow and keep plenty of distance between vehicles. Better yet, in that type ofweather stay home and drink coffee.

 

That is correct


I would partially agree with you on this. 4wd will not help you on ice as your wheels are slidding no matter if you are rwd, fwd, awd, or 4wd. On snow 4wd or awd is ideal. I have lived in that climate and nobody stops driving for snow and ice. Hell the buses for schools still ran in 6in of snow.



Iagree here aswell.

 

I live in Sheridan, Wyoming and we do get our fair share of snow also. I've learned the hard way of pushing too far in snow with 4wd. At least with going in 2wd drive and getting stuck you still have the option to retreat in 4wd. I've had to chain up and dig out as a result of being too zealous trying to drive down the back roads getting to work when the interstates have been shut down.

You would have to agree in the winter up here you don't want to go far without a shovel and sand!

 

Gee, I must have a 2006 but I bought it January 2005 because two would be experts do not believe that the MDS was available on the 5.7 hemi Durango Limited in 2005. Well it is a 2005 and I can post the dealer sheet if necessary.

Bottom line, I have numerous years driving experience in all types weather and conditions on 2wd, 4wd (with and without lockers) and have also raced in SCCA in my younger days. I do not need instructions on how to drive.

I submitted this request for information on an event that I considered abnormal to anything I have ever experienced in hopes of finding out if anyone had seen this happen and a possible warning to others that this may occur. It is quite possible that the traction control is not fully functioning even though you can feel it working and see the light when it does ( on wet or drypavement with the hemi hammered).

So if you have information as to what speed the traction control disables (according to the manual) or have a tech number that does not go to customer service which have not been able to answer my questions, please respond.

Thanks and regards, Mike

 

Well it seems to me that the traction control was getting confused. No mater how much you put the gas down it is going to control the RPM's to try and get the best traction. I don't have the traction control in my D but I do in my Grand Caravan. I always turn it off in the snow and ice cause I get better results when I flutter the throttle on my own.

 

I double checked to see if I may have missed something. Here is the results, 3 different Durango websites, www.allpar.com, and I contacted my buddy who is the Service Manager at a Dodge dealership and the MDS for the Durango is only available on the 2006 and up models. Somebody got you or you bought a 2006. Usually you get a 2006 in 2005 but not in January of 2005 more like Sept. of 2005. My buddy Kelly suggested getting your Vin ran by a different service department and let them tell you what options you have.

 

well first off, i thought the mds was suppose to kick in after a certian speed. there is no need for the mds to kick it at 30 mpr. anything over 50 would be ideal. and who would use this around town. and the antislip braking is not for wheels spinning its for when the wheels lock up. when you jamm on the brakes and start to skid they contour react. its like in the old days of rear wheel drive cars. going anywhere on ice/snow combined is a chore. one slip off the beatin path and your spinning and sliding everywhere