2-wheel Drive Light Indicator

[George Selby]

At 08:48 AM 1/8/2006, you wrote:
>I inherited the same generation Legacy with the 4EAT auto tranny. On
>taking off in slippery conditions, it acted like a slow Haldex, the fronts
>would slip, then the rears kicked in, usually right when you decided that
>you DIDN'T want to enter the busy intersection.

Sorry this is turning into a Subie AWD discussion here, but I believe the 
AT of that vintage has a electronically controlled clutch pack, whereas the 
MT has the viscous coupling (there was a fuse mentioned in the owners 
manual that AT owners could pull to facilitate towing with only the front 
wheels off the ground.)  Quite interesting launching the sucker:  Drop the 
clutch, the fronts start spinning madly, then the rear slowly kick in and 
the fronts gradually slow down and you start moving.  Mine had the smallest 
size stock tires (195/70's I think, it's been awhile since I sold it,) so 
it should have had enough weight on them to keep the front end planted, but 
it didn't.  It did do fairly well on fresh snow (the one time here I got to 
drive on it here eastern NC where I live) but on wet or icy roads 
(conditions I encountered more often) it was just as bad (and perhaps 
worse) as any other FWD car.

Minimal Audi content: I liked my 86 4kcsq much better, AWD wise, until some 
sucker totalled it.  But hey, I walked away from being rear ended when I 
was going 5 mph and the other vehicle was going 55.


George Selby