Do you use these modes? I still just use normal and let my foot or choose a gearing to optimize my situation. I tried snow mode and did not like it. I prefer the truck reacting the same way every time I push on the pedal. If I want 4x4 or low range I'll turn it on. Same for traction control, if I need it off I'll turn it off.

 

I tried snow mode once this past winter. Was not a fan. Like you, I prefer to be in control of my truck.

 

Some info you may not know about the Snow/Wet mode.
In that mode, and 4wd, and open rear, entered, the system uses the ABS brake functions to control the rear wheel spin.
Once one wheel begins to break loose the ABS applies rear braking to that wheel just enough to stop the spin.
This transfers torque to the other side for continued traction through the differential action in the center section.
It happens so fast you don't notice it.
Along with the front wheel locked, it works very well.
.
I did not believe it until tried it in 13" of snow out a 100' drive way to the road on MS half worn tires.
The mode is not offered as a poor after thought. It actually works if you understand and give it a chance.
The front wheel handing should work the same.
.
A parallel to this kind of action is some farm tractors offer left and right brake pedals to help the driver turn a tight circle and help in poor traction conditions when he uses the brake pedals as a help.
The truck mode just applies this under electronic controls.
If you lock the rear, both wheels spin, truck may move sidewise and you still lose traction with no possible advantage of single wheel traction back and forth under electronic control.
Think it over a bit.
Good luck.

 

That is interesting, but doesn't normal traction control already do this? Maybe snow mode is more sensitive.

 

Interesting, I did not know ABS was being used in that mode, too.

When I first got my truck, I was driving up a steep snowy dirt road, just in 4x4 Hi and normal mode (or maybe snow/wet?), and started going over braking bumps and it was like the truck started losing power. It freaked me out as it was definitely a very bad place to get stuck or have a mechanical- not to mention I thought my new truck was crapping the bed on me. I then noticed the traction control light was on. After pulling off and stopping at the only place available I figured out that the system was cutting the power because of the wheel spin from the braking bumps in its attempt to regain traction. I disabled traction control and it was back to normal. The truck would have probably made it up the hill, but with the conditions and grade, losing momentum on that section can equal sliding into the ditch and being really bad stuck.

If I'm in deep snow and inclement conditions, or just encountering braking/stutter bumps, on a steep dirt road using 4x4, I disable traction control, leave it in normal drive mode and correct with steering/gas pedal input. I found eco mode lugs down and delays shifts a bit much, and sport mode breaks traction too much between shifts in those situations. Depending on snow conditions and grade, I'll sometimes take it a step further by keeping the transmission in manual and using the + - shifters to keep it in a specific gear to match the grade and traction limits- at that point fuel efficiency or anything else is of no concern because all that matters is not getting stuck. As good as all the different functions are, they can't anticpate how the grade, snow depth and conditions will change like I can.

On the flip, when not pushing the traction limits, as in on-highway snowy/icey roads or in heavy rain storms, I do use the snow/wet mode and will leave traction control enabled. In these conditions it seems to work pretty well, but when you need momentum to get up or through something not so much.

It's really neat how there's some many modes that can make the truck perform optimally in different conditions. It's really taken me a while to learn the strong and weak points of the different modes compared to my old tacoma with a 5sp manual transmission.

 

Not a Snow/Wet Mode fan.
To prevent wheel spin/slip, it makes the transmission stay in a higher gear causing a severe loss of power. On fair condition winter hills, it makes you think there is an engine or transmission problem. Makes the truck GUTLESS.
I’ll only use it in high snow or on unplowed roads, maybe soft wet soil & mud.