All of the drive modes are described in the owners manual. Go to below link for online copy. It describes what each mode is intended to be used for and what it changes regarding the shift points and pedal responsiveness, at least generically. Once you have accessed the manual go to section labeled “Drive Mode Control”. Be sure you’re in the proper sections: whether you have Raptor vs non-Raptor, whether you have a 4x4 vs 4x2, and whether you have Torque on Demand 4 wheel drive (vehicle with 4A) or ESOF (4 wheel drive vehicles without 4A). Finally if you have an E-locker that can affect things too. Our vehicles have different options in various combinations so what someone posts online can cause confusion. Read about your specific combos…

https://www.ford.com/support/owner-manuals/

 

I do not have 4a. I only have 4L and 4H. Thats what I dont understand though. If putting in "slippery" mode puts it into 4wd then what would be the difference between 4wd and "slippery" mode if they both do the same thing.

 

I have looked at the manual, but still, why even have a slippery mode when it does the same thing as 4wd?

 

It depends…see online owners manual comment above.

Slippery if you have the TOD defaults to 4A and 2H is not available.

Slippery if you have ESOF defaults to 4H and all 4 wheel drive modes are accessible.

 

It adjusts the following too, which simply selecting 4H on its own doesn’t do.

This is from the 2024 owners manual for the ESOF 4x4…

SLIPPERY - 4X4, VEHICLES WITH: ELECTRONIC SHIFT-ON-THE-FLY

This mode lowers accelerator pedal responsiveness, adjusts transmission shift points, and optimizes traction and stability controls to help mitigate wheel spin and maintain vehicle control in slick driving conditions.

 

Ok so to my understanding there is a small difference then,

 

Yes, with slippery, in addition to having 4H (in your case with ESOF), your gas pedal will be a bit less responsive so it will be less likely to spin the tires, the transmission will change shift points a bit to help keep the tires from spinning, the stability and traction control will likely engage a bit sooner to do the same. Now how perceptible any of this is to you is debatable.

 

Thanks for the clarification guys. My truck is a 2020 ESOF, so I'm missing a few things you guys have. In this "olde" truck, there is no switching to 4H when going to slippery/wet mode.
Still seems odd to me Ford would set it up this way, but, it's what it is.

 

I recall my 2019 Lariat was the same and I actually prefer it that way rather than the truck automatically selecting a 4WD. I figure I'm smart enough to know when I need 4WD and when I don't, so I'd prefer to select it myself.

 

It would be interesting how many don't know this, and end up running in 4H, then wonder why the truck feels like it does on a curve, corner, etc.. That's why I wanted clarification, just didn't think that Ford would do something like that.
All that is assuming new owners NOT reading the manual, sure there's more of them than ones that do.