Gotta love the STS4

[knelson]

The town hadn't plowed yet when I left this a.m. Stopped on a nice un-plowed straight away and punched it...nothing. I couldn't make the car break traction. What a comfortable sensation knowing you're in your Caddy sedan and all the weather can do is sit and watch.

[Caroutisine]

The STS that I have now will be my last RWD car.

[AllWheelEric]

Well, my experience this winter has been quite different. My father doesn't really believe I have AWD because I got stuck in an inch of snow in his driveway. The rear tires spun furiously but I couldn't move the car an inch. I was trying to back up, up a hill. Granted, my tires have seen better days with over 30,000 miles on OEM MXM4s, and were probably never good in snow even when new.

I also did some wild donuts in an unplowed lot to get a better feel for the car. It gets wild when the rear end gets some rotational momentum!

[freshchops]

Not so good traction on my '05 STS. I have a little loose gravel at the end of my street. Every time I go to pull out into the highway, I spin around in the gravel for a couple seconds. I quickly get the "activated traction" notice but can't say I notice a difference. Maybe it's me, but I haven't felt any benefits to the active traction control.

It be interesting to see how well other cars handle the icy road you're on too. Bet it's all the same?!?!

[bigdog9586]

Mine drives as good as my 4 wheel drive truck. It is my impression that the STS4 is a 4 wheel drive, not all wheel drive. The difference as explained to me by a Caddy mechinac is all wheel drives go in front wheel drive or rear and when those wheels start slipping the other 2 kick in. The STS has 60% power on the rears and 40% on the fronts 100% of the time. In a straight line from a light mine takes right off the same as my 4 X 4 truck. Freshchops, yours sounds more like a 2 wheel drive STS since I don't think those had the 4 after the STS on the rear trunk as they do in 07/08. I wonder the same with AllWheelERic. The fronts should have moved you without a hitch in that 1" of snow. So are you possitive it has 4 wheel drive?

[tomm]

I have seen shady dealers put the little number 4 next to the STS to make it seem like an AWD... If you bought yours new there should be no doubt what you have. Mine has never had an issue.. I was in a layer of snow this morning and hit it hard to see if it would slip and no issue at all.

[AllWheelEric]

I am certain I have AWD. I really pushed the car beyond reasonable expectations at my father's house. It is quite a steep incline, and the car's nose was pointing downhill, shifting weight off the rear. Though there wasn't much snow, it was fine powder on well-frozen concrete (10 degrees F). And the tires are way past their prime. For the record, traction control does activate in reverse gear, but just served to make a lot of noise.

Here's how I know I have AWD:
1. Yes, it's marked STS4
2. I can't spin the tires on dry or wet pavement.
3. The lump in the passenger footwell annoys the hell out of my wife. She recalls the other STS's we drove had room for her purse by her feet.
4. I have studied the build codes on the sticker in my car and on the GM computer system.
5. NJ inspection station doubted me and wanted to put it on a one-axle dynamometer for emission testing. They could only be convinced by looking at the mechanical equipment from undeneath.

[dkozloski]

Originally Posted by tomm

I have seen shady dealers put the little number 4 next to the STS to make it seem like an AWD... If you bought yours new there should be no doubt what you have. Mine has never had an issue.. I was in a layer of snow this morning and hit it hard to see if it would slip and no issue at all.

My '06 STS is AWD. There's no 4 on the back by the STS but there's drive axles and CV joints in the front and rear both.

[urbanski]

Originally Posted by dkozloski

but there's drive axles and CV joints in the front and rear both.

nope, those are plastic clip-ons

[dkozloski]

Originally Posted by urbanski

nope, those are plastic clip-ons

Shucks! Hecky-Dern!!

[Galvatron808]

I love the 4. Glad I waited for one, it kicks ass here in Michigan, I get of the line faster than 4 wheel drive trucks.

[eightshb]

My STS4 05 will fish tail at the start on snow and ice until the AWD kicks in this is even with Blizzacks My dad's 08 STS4 with stocks starts out in a straight line in the same weather drives completely different than the 05 whats up with that?

[dkozloski]

The '05 has an open center differential, the '08 has an controlled slip center differential.

[TSS]

Originally Posted by Galvatron808

it kicks ass here in Michigan, I get of the line faster than 4 wheel drive trucks.

You are on! Tell me where and when. My 07 Lade blows away my (sold) 06 SRX-4 in the snow. It always slipped out in the rear on take off in slippery conditions. To the point that I took it back to Capital Cadillac to make them prove to me it was an AWD. I have also driven an STS4 in the snow. Same experience.



p.s. Seriously, I really like the STS V8 AWD. It will very likely replace my wife's SLS. It, however, is not on par in serious weather with the other Full size GM trucks. Maybe you were pulled up at the line next to a Ford?

[TSS]

Originally Posted by dkozloski

The '05 has an open center differential, the '08 has an controlled slip center differential.

That is good news, I think, based on my and other posts regarding rear end slippage.