Explained: What Does Snow/Wet Mode Do On Ford F-150?

You bought a new car, and now you’re checking out all these modes, and now you need to figure out what the snow/wet mode does?

Having this feature on your Ford F-150 can be highly beneficial when you find yourself in snowy situations or live in areas with a lot of ice and snow.

In this article, find out what the snow/wet mode does and if your F-150 is good on snow.

What Is A Snow/Wet Mode In Ford F-150?

Ford outfits its cars with cutting-edge stability control systems that let the driver choose multiple driving settings to accommodate the road’s circumstances at the time.

The snow/wet mode on the F-150 enhances driver input and makes minute adjustments for slushy, wet, and slippery road conditions.

The stability system uses wheel sensors to identify snow/wet mode traction losses.

The device takes remedial action to recover traction when it detects wheel slippage.

Modifying the driver’s input for steering, braking, and throttle pressure is frequently one of these remedial measures. Yet, most drivers won’t notice them because they are often undetectable.

Is Ford F-150 Good For Snow?

In the snow, the F-150 has many advantages and disadvantages as other pickup trucks, but it also boasts several crucial characteristics that many other cars lack.

Let’s take a closer look at the attributes the F-150 provides to comprehend why it is a superb vehicle for driving in the snow.

Let’s first review what makes the F-150 a good vehicle for the snow.

Ground Clearance

Additional ground clearance may be incredibly beneficial when driving through really heavy snow. There are two key advantages to more ground clearance.

First off, your tire wells will get less caked with snow. Huge frozen chunks of slush accumulating around your wheels can severely hinder turning and other aspects of vehicle control.

Second, the vehicle’s body might need to be pushed through the snow in cars with little ground clearance. As a result of the increased resistance, your engine must work much harder to propel your vehicle through the snow. In a sense, you are plowing with the front of your car.

You won’t need to worry about these problems with the F-150’s 9.4 inches of ground clearance.

Wheelbase

Another element that influences handling in snowy situations is the wheelbase. 

The distance between a vehicle’s front and rear wheels is known as its wheelbase. Spins and slides are launched more slowly and are simpler to recover from in cars with longer wheelbases than in shorter ones.

The wheelbase of the F-150 can vary from 122.4 inches to 163.7 inches, depending on the body design. By comparison, the Ford Escape and Explorer wheelbases are 106.7 inches and 119.1 inches, respectively.

FWD (Four Wheel Drive) 

The majority of pickup trucks have rear-wheel drive by design. However, Ford can convert any of its F-150 models to four-wheel drive. 

As a result, your F-150 will significantly benefit from having a four-wheel drive in winter driving conditions.

If you don’t choose the full-time four-wheel drive option, the four-wheel drive won’t constantly be in use. However, it may be activated whenever you need it.

Comprehensive Stability Control System

Ford’s various driving modes significantly impact the F-150’s ability to go through even the worst snowy conditions.

As you drive, these stability control systems automatically modify your steering, braking, and power distribution. By doing this, your car can frequently stop slides, spins, and other collisions resulting from a lack of traction before you even realize what’s happening.

Ford takes this technique further by allowing the driver to pick a mode best suited for a particular situation, like snowy or slick roads.

Frequently Asked Questions

This section will provide you with the answers to some of the most asked questions that are related to this topic. 

Let’s get right into it!

What F-150 Driving Mode Is Ideal For Snow?

When you need greater traction, go with the 4-high mode. You should switch to this mode if you’re traveling off-road or during slick winter conditions.

The 4-low mode gives you the extra strength to climb hills, navigate deep sand, or climb rocks.

What Does The Ford F-150’s Slippery Mode Do?

The throttle response is slowed, and shifting is optimized in the slippery mode.

In slippery mode, the rear differential lock option is accessible.

Is Driving With Traction On Or Off Preferable?

If you encounter dangerous driving circumstances (such as slippery roads), it is better to have your traction control on.

And even if things don’t appear hazardous, we still advise leaving it on out of caution, save for the very few occasions when you really must turn it off.