We loaned our blazer to a friend to go to jury duty. It was a cold foggy morning. She got about 15 miles down the freeway and it started smoking and lurching. She pulled it over and we had to call a tow truck to bring it home. We checked it out and found that instead of hitting the button to turn off the rear window defroster, she hit the low 4 wheel drive button. So she was driving it at 65 mph in low 4 wheel drive. I am suprised it would go that fast in low. It looks like the tranny fluid came out the overflow under the hood and the smoke may have been from it burning off the engine. The dipstick smells a little burned, not bad Anyway, what do you think? Is it ruined???? She feels really bad, we think she should have known better. It certainly would have felt different and handled different in 4 wheel drive. Any advice would be much appreciated. thanks

 

I find it VERY hard to believe that it would do 65mph in low. If it did, the engine is probably gone and I can't believe the driver was thick enough to not know that there was a problem when the engine was redlining while she's driving down the road. Not to mention that it won't shift into 4lo while the vehicle is in motion. She'd have to stop and allow it to shift into 4lo, then it would litterally lurch away from the stop sign. Another indication that something isn't right, that accompanied by the EXTREMELY LOUD fan noise due to the engine hitting rpms that it was never designed for.

I hate to be blunt like that, but I can't stand it when people just get in and drive. It's like any common sense they may have had flies out the window when they turn the key. Things like this just reaffirm why I am VERY selective in who I let drive my vehicles. Driving a vehicle isn't just keeping it between the lines and stopping at stop signs.*/rant*

 

Can ya smell the burnt oil after you drive it? I'm sure the transmission fluid and t case fluid is cooked too. Get the Transmission, engine oil, and t case drained and flushed.

She must have been in park or neutral to engage 4low. Ask her if she thought the screaming motor was ok and going to correct itself. This incident took a few miles of life out of it.

Sh*t Happens.