Hyundai Santa Fe Maintenance and Repair (2006 and earlier)

alan84

Dizzygrinch......Thanks for reply, hope we don't have lemon too. My dealer customer service rep. said he hadn't heard of it before. I have 700 miles on mine and its happened twice. How often for you? I'm thinking its trans related too because it NEVER does it at driving speeds like it was an ignition problem. I've read other "bump" postings and some sound severe but mine is very slight and vanishes very quickly. If it doesn't get worse I'll still be happy with it but its irritating for a new vehicle. Keep me posted on how yours is doing .

dizzygrinch

Hi, well, the first 2004 santy did it just at 400 miles. At first, it only "bumped" occasionly. Then, it would do it, several times a day, depending on how many stores I would go to. It was during the xmas season, so I was in and out of stores all day. I would describe it as the truck feeling like we just ran over a speed bump. We were able to drive the service manager in it, so he was able to feel it first hand. The dealer ship ran checks, called Hyundai, and no-one could find anything. We were able to trade it straight across for another 2004 Santy, but, again, at close to 400 miles, it does it again. This one, though, not as often, maybe once or twice a week. We called the service dept. back,yesterday, and they claimed it must be our driving! he said Hyundai has never heard of this problem. So, now Im not sure what to do. I have noticed, that on this truck, a couple of times, when you put it in reverse, or drive, the engine will surge. I am really getting worried. For a brand, spanking new vehicle, I shouldnt have to have these problems! If you find out anything more, please post. We are going to call Hyundai next week ourselves. good luck with your truck!

jlitterer

What engine/trans combination does this occur with? 2.7/4speed auto or 3.5/5speed auto? Also, do you people have front wheel drive or 4 wheel/all wheel drive?

dizzygrinch

Hi, mine is a 2.7 v6, 4 speed automatic. front wheel drive....

alan84

I have the 4 cyl. front wheel drive.

dizzygrinch

Well, we got a call from the dealer, asked us to bring our 2004 in, he said they have another costumer with a 2004 Santy showing the same problems. Now, I wonder if he is going to accuse that person of how they drive. Anyhow, we drove the Santy with the mechanic, and was able to duplicate the problem. Just like our first one, after you drive it a while, then turn off motor, wait a couple of minutes, then when you put it into drive or reverse, the truck makes a "bump", best I can describe it, is that if feels like you drove over speed bumps. Well, the mechanic said he will look at the throttle positioning sensor, but he said we should just drive it like it is, that it shouldnt end up leaving us stranded. Well, they have the truck, Ill pick it up Monday, and let you know what they say....

amberlove

I thought I loved my 01 Santa Fe more than any car I've ever had -- until last week. First I broke down one of the busiest interstates in NJ during rush hour. Roadside Assistance wouldn't tow the car to the dealership closest to my house, instead I had to go one that would be an hour away. The car needed a complete tune up (I bought the car from a dealership used with 65,500 miles on it) which is should have had done at 60K miles. The repairs cost over $1,300 and for that I was treated very rudely by the Service Manager. I get the car home after one wasted trip when Service had not set it outside for me to pick up, only to then discover that my rear tail lights are not working. So in the NJ snowy weather, I'm driving with no turn signals; luckily the brake light appears to be working in the rear window.

When turning the blinker lever on in either direction, the green arrow on the panel illuminates but does not blink as it should.

Does this sound like a burned out fuse? I'd hate to have to go back any of the 3 NJ dealerships I've dealt with in the 6 months I have owned this car - I have been treated badly at each one (typical woman buying/repairing a car). Where is it indicated what the fuse amperage is so I don't buy the wrong kind if it is the problem?

Thanks for any advice!

harry31

The "FUSE AND RELAY INFORMATION SCHEMATICS" are available on www.hyundaiusa.com (you'll need to use MSIE). The lamp relays and fuses are in a small compartment, aft of the battery, in the engine compartment. All fuses are labeled - and sizes are given.

Strange about the Roadside Assistance thingy. When I needed them, they arrived when they said and the driver ASKED me where did I want the car taken!

amberlove

I don't think is going to be as simple as I thought. The yellow lights in the front and back (for blinkers and hazards) go on but don't blink. I checked the fuses anyway but they're fine. So I'm guessing it has to do with the "flasher unit". Locating it is one thing - what do I do when I find it?

skuuter

This may help...if you consider yourself handy with circuit testing. Otherwise, have someone at AutoZone or someplace you trust do this test for you, since you seem adverse to going to the dealers.

Remove the headlamp relay from the relay box in the engine compartment.

Check for continuity between terminals on the relay.

 
 
FLASHER UNIT
Remove the flasher unit from the relay box.

Connect the positive (+) lead from the battery to terminal 2 and the negative (-) lead to terminal 3.

 
Connect the two turn signal lamps in parallel to terminals 2 and 3. Check that the bulbs turn on and off.

NOTE
The turn signal lamps should flash 60 to 120 times per minute. If one of the front or rear turn signal lamps has an open circuit, the number of flashes will be more than 120 per minute. If operation is not as specified, replace the flasher unit.

amberlove

Actually, I went to Meineke this morning which was one of the only places in NJ open today because of the snow. The guy opened my dash and found the flasher unit within 15 minutes (Pep Boys said they didn't know how long it would take just to locate it). Good news, Meineke found it; Bad news - it's a Hyundai only part and his auto parts supplier couldn't provide it. I had to drive to the dealership from hell and get the $38 part. Then with help from a coworker who got my dash apart, I put it in myself and it worked! Woohoo!!

dizzygrinch

Hi, went to dealership today. They pretty much said since they cant duplicate the problem, that it must be our driving habits. To recap, I had two 2004 santa fe's, the 2.7 6cyl., and they will have a intermittent "bump" if you drive for a while, turn off the truck, and restart it to drive. We were able to take the service manager for ride in my truck, he felt it, and said they would take a look at it. well, that was the first one. Of course, no codes could come up, and they werent able to make it happen. Basically, today we picked up the second one, and he again said that Hyundai has NEVER heard of this kind of problem, and it must be our fault. Well, we are going to meet with the Hyundai district rep. on Wendsday, but I find it hard to believe its our driving habits. Its brand new, and we were told, by the mechanic, that we need to "floor it, and drive it hard". Im not going to run my brand new truck into the ground. I also have a point, if its because of the adaptive learning computer, then why havent they heard of this before? I mean, there are Hyundai rental cars, we just borrowed one for a week, and its a 2004. so, if all vehicles with the adaptive learning computers do that, because of peoples driving habits, then surely they would have known about it, because people rent the cars, then turn it in, then someone else rents that same car, the car would have to "learn" that persons driving habits, then that person would have to put up with the "bumping", and Im sure someone would have complained by now. Is it just me? please, anyone else have any clue, please post, so I can let the Hyunai rep. know on wendsday, the fourth. thanks

jboz29

I believe that is only trained once, not everytime someone drives it. When I bought mine new, it would do it at about 45 miles per hour. So i retrained it myself to my driving habits. I just unhooked the positive terminal for 5 minutes, hooked it back up and did as the book or someone said how to do it. Havent heard t since, been about 4 months.

dizzygrinch

well, know I am really confused, because the service manager said that the computer learns all the time, in fact, thats why he said that if my husband drives the truck for a while, then if I do, then maybe if my husband drives, then the computer is "always learning". Thats why I thought of the rental car scenario. but, when the first truck was doing it, my husband was the only one driving it, and it started doing it around the 400 miles on the truck. The mechanics did disconnect the cables, to clear the computer, and it didnt help. well, Ill keep you posted on what the Hyundai rep says... thanks

skuuter

Honestly, Dizzy, I think you're expecting perfection in an automobile at this price range. True, the transmission can sometimes act confused, but I've experienced the occasional "bump" and attribute it more to a driving idiosyncrasy on my part than the tranny being defective. There are many imperfect automatics out there in different models from different makes. None of which are necessarily defective. If this had only occurred on one vehicle I'd be inclined to think there might be a problem, but at this point, I'm afraid I'm siding with your dealer.

dizzygrinch

Skuuter, I appreciate your opinion. Maybe I am expecting to much for a brand new car, I paid $23000 for. I guess the sudden "lurches" and acceleration problems these vehicles have, no one should worry about either, even if it may cause an accident, seeing how it is to be expected for a new vehicle. Perhaps, the Lexus, since its much more money, shouldnt have these problems. I wonder, why there are several people that have had to have the trannys replaced, in these vehicles, some at 4 times! somehow, they should be informed its all in their driving, because they bought an affordable vehicle. They shouldnt expect it to be perfect! I will notify the Hyundai rep, that their vehicles, since they are considered affordable, are expected to have these recurrent problems. If anyone reads these prior posts, I am not the only one with this problem. It use to happen in the 3.5, but, I have read from other posts, the 2.7's have this problem too. I would hope we can find out why these vehicles have these problems, perhaps it is tied in with why they "lurch" and have acceleration problems, loss of power probles, etc. oh, I forgot, its the "driving habits"....

skuuter

Is just that. No need to take offense Dizzy!

I am aware that a very few people have had transmission problems, but hardly enough to make this a safety issue, from what I've read. Owners, as well as some reviewers have mentioned the tendency of the 3.5 liter with 5 speed auto in both the Santa Fe and XG350 to "lurch" when the accelerator is pressed. This is certainly not what I'd consider acceptable behavior, and would expect it will be resolved by Hyundai shortly. In the meantime, since you are aware of this tendency, you have to anticipate and compensate for it in your driving.

The "loss of power" issue, to my knowledge, is more like a brief hitch or hesitation, and has not caused any engine to shut down or caused any accidents like a stall would.

If you are experiencing this problem over several models of the same vehicle, it could be a problem with a particular assembly run. It just seems very atypical for one person to have so many similar issues across different samples.

Good luck in getting satisfaction. At least your dealer seems to be bending over backward, currently, to accomodate you.

rooster2003

I am still experiencing problems with my 3.5l sf, that I would not expect from a $3500.00 (three five hundred) vehicle. The vehicle always - ALWAYS - hesitates whenever the accelerator is depressed when driving so as to speed up a bit. After 2-4 seconds it then lunghes noticeably as it responds to the input. If enough accelerator pressure is given when at any speed so as to cause a downshift to accelerate (passing) it downshifts too far and wham - you are near redline in the wrong gear and not accelerating at all. The required response is to let off the gas before she blows! this is completely unsatisfactory.

Now, the scary part. Afetr driving, stopping at a stop sign then pulling into traffic and wanting to acclerate it is almost guaranteed to not respond to accelerator input for 5-7 seconds while the traffic you are trying to merge with is slamming on brakes to avoid hitting you in the Hyundai.
This is a SAFETY issue and Hyundai needs to respond immediately. My dealer has blown me off 4 times - once with a purported adjustment to the accelerator module or some nonsense which did abosolutely nothing.
 
One more shot for my dealer then I cry foul.
I have left three messages for Hyundai CS with my incident # and never heard back from them.
 
I guess profits are now up so CS goes away!
 
Do not by one of the unsupported vehicles. Mine is unsafe and Hyundai doesn't care. Johnny Cochran, I need you man. Jackie Chiles? Are you there?

suvshopper4

I'm curious -
Does the Santa Fe have an electronic "drive by wire" throttle (no accelerator cable)?

dizzygrinch

What year is your Santy? wow, too bad the dealer isnt helping. We actually met with a Hyundai rep, he was very nice. We were able to duplicate the problem, and, made us feel better because the service manager and the Hyundai rep said it is NOT our driving habits, more likely computer related. They have to check with the engineer, and go from there. I am very thankful that they were willing to meet us, and they are trying to resolve this problem. I would call the Hyudai corp again, and you dont have to take your Santy to the same dealer you bought it from. You might want to try taking it to another Hyundai shop, you might have better costumer service relations. I will keep all posted when they come up with a fix.

skuuter

Rooster,

I gotta say, that if you're experiencing that long a delay, then, YES, you have a serious problem. I'd be jailed before my dealer could blow me off on that kind of problem!

If I were you, I'd take someone with you for a drive, and document this problem using a video camera. Have the person filming ride in the back seat on the passenger side so they can film your actions as well. Have you contacted NHTSA?

Dizzy,

I'm glad to hear you are finding a sympathetic ear at your dealer. Hopefully they can resolve your issues.

SuvShopper4,

To my knowledge, no Hyundai has the drive by wire feature yet.

rooster2003

I have a little bit of faith in my dealer now - and always a lot in my salesperson.
 
I called the sales guy and left a message and he called me back this morning. He spoke with the service manager a short while later and I received a call from the SM. I am taking the SF in Monday and i'll get a loaner. I think the SM was (and is) sincere but then I am pretty gullible most of the time.
 
There is now a new "feature" being exhibited by my Santy. I live in the Tampa Bay area so I doubt this could be a cold related thing - so here goes.
 
Every morning for about two weeks, when I back out
of the driveway into the street then stop, move the gear selector from "R" to "D", I get a noticable couple thunks and slight jerk as it finds drive.
 
I am not touching the accelerator when this occurs and idle speed is not audibly high. It only happens the one time every morning.
 
Can anyone relate to this?

thanks,
Rooster

skuuter

Rooster,

Are you waiting for the RPMs to drop before engaging Drive? It sounds like the idle revs are a bit high when you shift to drive, hence the thunking only in the morning. Wait until the RPMs begin to drop below 1000 rpm before moving, is what I suggest. It only requires 20-30 seconds to wait for this.

rooster2003

Skuuter, I dropped the SF off at my dealer this morning and signed out a loaner car.
 
The service manager vagely remembered talking to me Friday but eventually things seemed just fine.
 
He had a mechanic/technician ride with me. Not all my concerns were duplicated but the tech seemed to have a real grasp on the nuances of the 3.5l SF. He told me how there is more electronics involved in the throllt mechanism than in the 2.7. He did acknoledge the concerns I have and conveyed them to tth eservice manager. The thunk (R->D) did not occur this morning. I will ensure the rpm has stabilized below 1000 before moving the vehicle and see how that goes.
 
If the Santa Fe would drive/shift as smooth as the xg-350 loaner, I'd be a really happy camper!!!
 
Rooster

dizzygrinch

Hi, what your describing sounds a lot like what my Santa Fe is doing. The only time is when you put it into drive, either from park, or reverse, like when backing out of a parking spot, it will make a bumping feeling. I was able to take the Hyunda rep with us for a test drive, so he was able to observe exactly what the santa fe is doing. This is my second 2004 santy that does this. Well, this Hyundai rep. is for the western region, so I dont know, but maybe you could call your Hyundai dealer, and let them know. The hyundai rep, is going to get in touch with an engineer, because he has no idea what it could be. He did say, it could be some sort of computer flaw in these 2004's, anyway, give it a shot. The Hyundai rep said if more people catch it, then the easier it is to fix. One thing he pointed out, was most people, will just drive to one place, like work, shut the car off, then by the time they leave, the car never does it. He thinks the reason why we were able to have this problem is because I am constantly on the go, in and out of places, so there are times the truck is fine, then times it does this bumping thing. Well, if Hyundai gets back with me about it, I will post and let people know.

rooster2003

I picked up the Santa Fe yesterday. There were two modules adjusted and the transaxle fluid was replaced. The tech who did the work had ridden with me the day I dropped it off and did seem to have a handle on the problems I was experiencing and the cure.
 
It is a lot, LOT better. I have not re-encountered any of the major shift/hesitation situations that were killing me!
 
There is a slight hesitation when speeding up just a little, but the xg-350 loaner experienced a similar hesitation. I think they should get that ironed out with a WebTech bulletin of some category. That xg-350 was nice. The xg-350 nor the SF are as smooth riding (or quiet) over bumbs/irregular road surface as an American cruiser, but both are truly fine on a smooth roadway.

If anything changes, I will post it here. I will get the name of the sensors/modules that were adjusted if anyone needs this info.

Rooster

rooster2003

Here's what the service form states:

Caused by SCAN - P0123 - P1192 - P1171 MFI Control System Adjustment

Work performed by xxxxxxx
Adjust TPS Sensor - ACDCEL Position Sensor

Rooster

skuuter

Rooster,

Glad to see you got that problem handled! From your invoice, it appears that the Throttle Position Sensor and the Acceleration/Deceleration sensors are what they adjusted. I was aware we had the former, but was unaware of the A/D sensor.

Thanks for the update!

computer_coder

I'm not sure if this question belongs on this discussion board, but I'll ask it anyways. I recently purchased a used Santa fe from Jim Rathmann Chevrolet in Melbourne Florida. When I went to have it insured, my agent checked the VIN number and informed me the dealership had put the wrong number on all of the paperwork (the vehicle was not financed). I contacted the dealership several times over two days before someone finally responded back (the salesman said it wasn't his responsibility, I'd have to contact financing etc.) When I finally managed to get someone to help me I was told that they (the dealership) just changed the VIN on their paperwork and sent the corrected version to DMV. My question is this: All of my paperwork has the wrong VIN number on it. Should I be concerned about this? Is this legal? Any help would be appreciated.

skuuter

I understand your concern. However, I'd assume that the DMV will send your registration and title with the correct VIN. I don't think you need to worry about anything else other than verifying that the numbers on the DMV paperwork match the VIN on your vehicle.

computer_coder

thanks Skuuter. I'll be sure to confirm the VIN when I get the registration and title.

horst1

I am not sure if you can remember my problem with the ABS light on after the SantaFe has warmed up by driving on the hi way for about 15 minutes. The dealer was frustrated and out of ideas what it could be. He received some information from Hyundai as what the problem may be. However the service manager and his crew of mechanics never really gave up on it. After some time the service manager called me and said that he thinks what the problem is. Indeed he found it. It was very hard to diagnose an intermittent problem to start with. As you know the truck has speed sensors on all four wheels. The right front half shaft on the end has a wheel sensor build in and is part of the assembly. It had approx. 4mm play and this was the problem. Normally there is no play. But no computer code has ever shown this. So Mr. Hyundai my question is when are you rectifying this diagnostic problem on your system, so the technicians in the shop dont have to pull they hair out before they find it. Never the less it is a beautiful truck. Good luck to all of you.

bowspritman

I have a 2004 LX Santa Fe, that I bought in Dec.
this year..The gas milage is terrible..I get about 11.5 mpg..Everything else about the car is
beautiful, but I never expected such a low gas
milage, and I have about 500 miles on it..Is this
normal for a "break-in" period. Has anybody else
have this problem. I know with AWD you have a
little less milage but should it be this low

andrelaplume

Which engine configuration do you have? I have been considering this vehicle...eben posted some questions earlier. I understand there are 3 engines...a 4 cylinder which I'd likely not be able to get since I want the AWD. Then there is a 2.7 that is couple with full time 4 WD. Then there is is 3.5 FWD where AWD kicks in as needed. This sound like the Honda CRV. Am I confused? Which is best?

bowspritman

The engine that I have is a 3.5 Liter V6 Elec.Fuel Inject Auto 5-spd. trans,w/shiftronic function. The tag says the actual mileage will vary with options but it should be between l4 and20 in the city and l7 and 25 mpg on the highway. My 500 miles so far has been in the city. Why I get 11.5 mpg I really don't know. Any input will be greatly appreciated .

rooster2003

That sounds very low unless the city you are in is LA or some other hyper-metro area where a lot of driving is stop & go, heavy traffic stuff.
 
I get 18mpg city/suburbs in the Tampa area with my 2003 3.5l SF 2wd. It's certainly not highway driving but not dense, metro traffic.

I have A/C on almost all the time - even in the balmy winters we have here!

horst1

To get something straight. First of all the cost of the vehicle verses the problems is not in the picture. You sell me a brand new vehicle for whatever price I expect that the vehicle performs to my satisfaction and to the company it was made by. Dont tell me its Ok because you only payed so much. (We are not all pushovers). I am sure Hyundai will look after this problem. By the way my son drives a 2001 SantaFe GLS 2.7Lt. with all the bells and whistles and he had some problems, but the dealer always accommodated him. He loves his truck. My advice is be persistent not unreasonable and Hyundai will look after you. Good luck.

pbmac

I purchased a 2003 Santa Fe in August of 2003. it is a 3.5 engine with the awd. I have started to notice a problem that when I come to a stop the truck , with my foot on the brake, will jerk forward. The first time that this happened I thought that someone had hit me from behind.. I dismissed it the first time I thought maybe my foot came off the brake pedal, but it is happening more regularly and it has occured when my husband has driven the vehicle. along with this problem I have also had the truck back to the dealer twice now for the tires to be balanced. this last time they told me that they turned the rotors both sides. I asked if this was unusal since the vehicle has 6748 miles on it. The mechanic just seemed to shrug it off. but did tell me that there have been numerous complaints regarding the jerk motion. he said that it has something to do with the vicous coupling and that Hyundai is working on trying to fix the problem. Need to know if anyone else out there is having any similar issues. please feel free to email me at bdmac1@comcast.net.

harry31

pbmac:
 You don't say if yours is 4WD but there is a new TSB listed for the 3.5L Tranny Bump issue on the 3.5L 4WD. The TSB# is 04-40-003 in case you want your service department to look it up.
 The TSB is for some Santa Fe 3.5L 4WD Vehicles produced through December 15, 2003. However, other owners with SFs produced outside the date, have reported a similar problem!

tidester

please feel free to email me at bdmac1@comcast.net.

Please feel free to check back in here frequently - an invitation to reply by email discourages people from sharing information and defeats the purpose of a message board.

tidester, host

bmcadoo

I have an 2003 LX and the gear shift makes a noise that I can't get rid of. I believe the chrome surrounding the Shifttronic is rubbing on the plastic casing around the whole thing. Sometimes the humidity affects if it is worse that normal.

Basically, any turn or bump I make, it makes a squeaking noise. It is annoying.

Anyone else have this problem and if so, were you able to fix it??
Thanks

nickimom

We have a 1996 subaru outback legacy which we love - great capacity for stuff . We just moved into a house, and we have two kids. lousy mileage however. the car is used, bought in May w/ 155K on it and it now has 176K. We need a newer one. I am into capacity for stuff - groceries, household stuff, etc. and mileage. I have driven a few rental cars lately while other car being fixed - Focus had great mileage and no amenities. I love the styling on my Subaru. hubby loves price on santa fe. any suggestions? Thanks

amberlove

I was reading about engines somewhere on the net and have a question about cylinders. Am I correct in understanding that not all engines would be called "V#" because the V implies a certain arrangement of the components? And is that arrangment of the valves or cylinders?

Amber

amberlove

Honestly you can't beat the Santa Fe for price. I bought mine used and I'll warn you that the 100K mile warranty DOES NOT carry over to second owners. So if you're considering it, go new. Plus for $20K you can get the top of the line Santa Fe which is still less than a newer Subaru.

One problem I have as far as cargo is that my back seats had never been put down so trying to do so is a tremendous task. I was only able to get one down.

jason86

Amber: The V refers to the shape of the engine. V 6 means there are 3 cyl on each arm of the V. There are I4 and I5's and slant 6's, as well as v 8, 10,12. It just describes the shape of the cyls. Valves are in the cyls, normally 4 valves per cyl, so a 4 cyl will have 16 valves, and a 6 will have 24. The more valves per cyl, the better control of oxygen and fuel you can push into the combustion chamber.

amberlove

Jason,

Thanks!

Amber

redsantafe

I'm on my second Santa Fe ('01 and '03) and love it. Folding down the seats in the '01 model was a pain because it had an odd pull-tab configuration. The '03 model is much improved... just fold up the seat and flip a switch. I haul guitar amps, drum kits and lots of lumber from HD without a problem. I have the 3.5L V6 FWD. Love the price and warranty... not one service related issue in the first 22k miles.

bigkahunafl

What kind of mpg are you getting with the 3.5?

shelley

Well, after MUCH ado involving research on vehicles, I'm down to a couple of questions if anyone can help. I was told by a dealer that the GLS 3.5 was a better vehicle- I want awd, and his explanation was that with the 2.7, the vehicle is in awd all the time, thus not "giving" into turns and such when it isn't needed, ( the 3.5 does this for me making it easier on the engine/ axles). Being a woman, I have no choice but to be leary of salesmen, but I need the truth here. How long has this 'passive' awd been avail.? Long enough to get the bugs worked out? or is it something that has just come out in 2004? Any help would be greatly appreciated - shelley

skuuter

Shelley,

By "passive", I assume you're talking about the 2.7 setup. This is a viscuous type of mechanical AWD that has been around for quite a while and is proven technology. Simple, but very effective and reliable. The power split is always 60% front wheels and 40% rear wheels.

On the 3.5, Hyundai went with an electronically controlled system that can distribute the power directly to the wheels that have the most grip. It's a bit more complicated and that implies less reliable, but I haven't heard of any real issues.

In any case, where your salesman is in error concerns his statement about "give" in the turns with the purely mechanical setup in the 2.7 drivetrain. That's what the limited slip differential and viscuous coupling are for, to handle the varying forces on paved road travel.

Personally, I'm quite happy with the performance of the older style AWD, but I believe the 3.5 needed a change in order to keep the gas mileage reasonable. Normally, the only wheels being driven are the front ones. It's more of an engine/transmission choice for you, I think.