This is taken out of the Outlander service manual

"As the vehicle is intended for on-road use, long-time driving on a sandy or slushy road must be avoided. When the vehicle is driven on a sandy or slushy road for a long time, the fail-safe function of the electronic control 4WD system tends to enter the protective control mode which switches the control from 4WD to 2WD gradually in order to protect the drive system, and the indicators ("4WD" and "LOCK") tends to illuminate"

If you are looking for an offroad vehicle you might be better served by something else.

 

just for the transmission, transfer case and rr differential; $7,500.00 then you would need everything else inbetween.

finding a good donor car would make this project doable.

 

Thanks chenarm, I guess that settles it for me.

 

Thank's for the information mitsupartsman, but really, is better to me to wait that 4WD version arrives to Mexico, before that to try to make the 'update'. . .

 

Are there any ill effects of using 4WD and/or 4WD lock on dry pavement, especially while turning like traditional locking differential 4X4's have?

 

AFAIK, the manual discourages using 4WD Lock mode on dry pavement, saying something about premature tire wear and also added wear to the 4WD system. I just leave it on to 4WD Auto most of the time, and I switch to 2WD when making long freeway trips with the cruise control on.

 

No it will not do damage like a locking differential 4wd system would. The Outlander's is electronic, and the Auto and Lock mode act more like a All-Wheel-Drive system. The system will even shut down or reduce power to the rear if it is overheating.

This has been talked m-a-n-y times though...

 

That's what I thought, but if the search worked on here again I could find that info. Where's Sebba? He's been quiet since the search broke.

 

The reason I said this is that 4WD Lock on dry pavement will definitely ruin your tires prematurely, increase your fuel consumption, and create more noise. Now, common sense will dictate that if the wheels are creating more wear to the tire, the 4WD system that rotates the wheels is put under greater stress.

 

And notable too that "tight corner braking" phenomenon is only observe in 4WD Lock mode and not in 4WD Auto or 2WD.