ndx

Hi Guys,

There the switch in the middle console with mountains and hwy.
When I try to switch to hwy nothing lights up no messages.

When I go to mountain I get info about differential lock.

My cayenne is S no off road package or air suspension.

Thank you

steve_Cayenne

http://www.porscheownersmanuals.com/...ferential-lock

push forwards for off road
push forwards again for centre diff lock
push forwards again for rear diff lock (only if equipped with PTV)
pull back to undo

If I am not mistaken, diesel and hybrid does not have any diff lock.

danit

The diesel and hybrids have automatic center locking diff and not manual. They have no rear locking diff for some reason. Since the turbo has more torque it isn't that. I'd think the off-road capability would be less than the S with the manual locking center and rear diffs.

Bill P.

As an aside, do you guys raise and lower the Cayenne while moving? I have been doing it routinely but the instruction video says to make sure the engine is off:

http://www.porscheownersmanuals.com/...ght-Adjustment

danit

Hey Steve thanks for the write up you did a year ago on the different model drive systems it was great. I'm trying to decide on a diesel or not too. One conclusion that I reached was the diesel and hybrid models use a full time awd system is that it probably gives better mpg. How I don't know, but that is one main reason folks buy those models. Otherwise it would be just too easy to have all the models use the same drive system.

steve_Cayenne

Glad you liked my write up!

I do not know for a fact, but my guess would be the opposite ... from Porsche propaganda:

The interaction of power distribution and chassis control is managed by Porsche Traction Management (PTM) with active all-wheel drive and an air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). Active PTM drives the rear axle directly. If rear-wheel traction is compromised, a multi-plate clutch controlled by an electric motor rapidly distributes just enough power to the front axle to maintain acceleration. Once rear-wheel traction is regained, PTM routes all power again to the rear axle. By favoring rear-wheel drive, the system combines maximum driving pleasure with excellent traction.

I should think effectively decoupling the front axle of the four wheel drive (when not engaging diff lock, or slipping) would also decouple the additional driveline losses due to friction vs the fixed split version on the diesel and hybrid.

My conspiracy theory is back when they originally designed the new Cayenne, they specced the "more driving dynamics" drivetrain on all 3 Cayennes, then for technical or budgetary reasons they put the fix-split driveline in the Hybrid and Diesel that came out later, and could not go back on the V6.

This active all-wheel-drive system is featured on the particularly sporting and dynamic versions of the Porsche Cayenne because, with its wide range of power and torque distribution, hangon all-wheel drive offers benefits in terms of driving dynamics, agility and traction control, thus highlighting the performance of the specific models concerned.

Although I love mine, I hardly think the V6 is considered a "particularly sporting" model

P.S. The European V8 diesel (also a fuel miser, but also a speed demon) uses the multi-plate clutch version as well, so not necessarily split along lines of efficiency.

Pavegeno928

Last time I drove in snow was the mid 90s in North Dakota. Drove in it for four winters with a front wheel drive compact car and it was great! Only got stuck briefly two times - both on the way to the hospital for my daughters to be born!

Looking at a potential move to Germany and trying to decide if I should bring my RWD 2002 GMC Yukon with traction control or leave it and buy a Cayenne.

I really like the Diesel model, but for someone with zero 4WD/AWD experience, does the difference in the drive systems for the Diesel vice the other models discussed in the previous post have any real implication for driving in the snow? My assumption is that I won't notice it at all, but looking for some thoughts from folks with more knowledge. If I don't but the Diesel, we are looking at the manual transmission Cayenne.

Thanks!

DWPC

I believe all Cayennes have the locking center diff, which when selected provides for rotation of F&R "axles" to be mechanically locked together so spinning of one won't reduce torque delivered to the other. Without a center locker, it's just garden variety AWD and easily confused if both axles have poor traction. The rear locking diff locked the L/R rear wheel rotation together, and isn't of much use with limited-slip diff and electronic brake-directed traction control unless your into hardcore offroad driving. For Cayenne, it was part of the "Advanced Offroad Package" that (I think) ended with the Transsyberia Model.

grohgreg

If you stay faithful to that decision, you're limiting yourself to the base Cayenne (3.6l V6 that requires premium gasoline). All other 958 Cayenne models offer automatic transmission only

//greg//

Slow Guy

Is that also true in Germany?

Personally I wouldn't even consider taking a Yukon to Germany, too many narrow roads in Europe plus the gas mileage is poor. How difficult would it be to get service/parts for it in Germany.

Searcher356

My 2015 Diesel will get stuck, in off-road mode, if one wheel gets lifted free of the ground.
No brakes are applied to the spinning wheel, and the center differential certainly does not lock.
Any ideas for the 2015 Diesel?

grohgreg

The Cayenne has not had a center differential since MY2012. It's a full time 60/40 AWD with slip detection. If one corner slips, the computer brakes that wheel to force torque to the opposite wheel. If both on one axle are slipping, the other axle assumes that % of the drive. You do however have a button option on the center console to turn OFF this feature. From that point it's a simple matter of Mother Nature versus driver competence. In a vehicle this sophisticated, the owner manual is your friend.

//greg//

bweSteve

Bill P, you can definitely raise & lower your Cayenne while moving. We all do it all the time. And if you listen to that online instruction, it actually says to make sure the "engine is turned ON" (7-8 seconds in).
The air compressors don't work if the engine is not running. All the doors have to be shut when raising & lowering too. You can push the lever while your driver door is open, get out, shut the door, & watch it rise/lower.

Searcher356

Diesels and Hybrids don't have the features you mention. The Off-road switch only has one position, and according to the manual, it does not lock any diffs. The manual broadly (meaning for all models) states that PSM applies brakes to a spinning wheel, but in my case, that does not happen.

Disabling PSM, according to the manuals, does not completely turn it off - it only "mutes" it. But my Diesel seems not to have any PSM when off-road.

Literature suggests that Diesels have an "automatic locking differential," but the owners manual doesn't support this. Nor does my experience off road.

No matter there - I find that a locked center diff is less effective than an open or limited slip-type differential in most low traction events.

Brake intervention, on the other hand, is exceptionally effective in almost every situation.
THAT's what my Diesel lacks.
Is it broken?

Trying to find if this is normal, in opposition to what the manuals "imply."

Avec

My '08 GTS goes immediately into low range when I push the differential selector one click forward. The indicator also shows locked. One more click and it shows front locked.

Is there a way to lock the center without going into low range?