New panda 4x4 owner - Anyone help?

[tdv8man]

Hi everyone. I'm new to Fiats, been driving Land Rovers for the last 15 years. Just bought a 2013 Panda 4x4 as a little run around.

Wondering if anyone could help explain how the 4x4 system is meant to work? Mine isn't working unfortunately!

It comes up with 4x4 unavailable on the dash and there is no drive to the rear wheels at all. The ELD button lights up green when I press it and 'ELD connected' scrolls across the dash, but no light appears on the clocks to says it's working. Had a look underneath, the prop is still there. With the car off, I've jacked both rear wheels up and turned them, they don't turn the propshaft. Is this right or is the rear diff faulty? Is runs sweet with no nasty noises.

Any help or advice much appreciated. I would really like to get it working! Thanks in advance.

 

[porta]

The only time I’ve ever had “4x4 unavailable” was wehn the missus drove over a branch and managed to rip the wires out of the ABS. Technically speaking the 4x4 was still working, as it’s a permanent system, it’s just the ‘lock/brake’ system that is affected…However, if someone hasn’t put the specific oil in the gearbox and diff then it’s not transmitting power as effectively as it should
As an aside to this, we’ve had three LRs and a RR and the panda is a far better more reliable car, it may lack towing power (for which I’ve an old Cherokee XJ) but the only time it ever got stuck was wehn I deliberately ran it into a snowdrift!
And ‘we’ are farmers, so we really do use it offroad (albeit with some nice grippy tyres on)

 

[The Panda Nut]

The system is electronically controlled and does use ABS system to detect wheel slipping. The ECU then engages the rear drive. There is a clutch type mechanism and wires attached to a solenoid type thing on the diff. This has been reported to fail. If there are wires and electrics there will be fuses and connections that could be involved. I should check the wires are connected on the diff. If they are I woud l suspect the solenoid. Have a good poke around the search facility on here someone did report something similar a year of so back and it was resolved if I remember rightly. It may also apy to make sure you actually have a rear prop shaft.

4wd not engaging | FIAT Panda (2012+)

Hi I'm looking for some advice if possible. I bought a 4wd Panda (13 reg) in the summer and was looking forward to testing it out in the winter months. When the snow came a couple of weeks ago the rear wheels wouldn't enagage and it came up on the dash that "4wd unavailable". It had summer tyres...

www.fiatforum.com

 

[tdv8man]

Thanks for the replies. The ABS is working ok and I can feel it braking the front wheels when they were slipping in the snow today. I've checked out the wiring to the diff solenoid. The connector is connected and seems clean and tight but haven't tested to see if its getting power or not, more investigation required. Never thought about fuses, I'll have a look at them too. Haven't checked diff oil yet either. So am I right in understanding that it should run in 2wd until the front wheel slips and then the rear diff is engaged via the electric solenoid on the rear diff itself.

 

[porta]

This thread may help on how it works

Fiat Panda 4x4 system, "How does it work" ? | FIAT Panda (2012+)

I can't find any information on how the system is working. Is it 4x4 all the time, or only if you turn the nob on the centre console. ? Does it get automatically 4x4 with certain slip of the front wheels. ? Some info how it works would be great. ;)

www.fiatforum.com