Effectively it sounds like it is treated (button wise) like a traction control in a standard engine car. The button USUALLY locks the traction control OFF, not on. There are times when not having traction control on is beneficial, but usually you want it on.

In your case its traction control + AWD that the button controls... I don't have your manual (the 06 doesn't have some of the traction control features of the newer ones). The button I would think is to turn off your traction control... AWD is just turned off as a consequence of turning off the traction control, but its not an AWD off button per se.

 

We got our '05 FEH 4WD last march. Two days later, we got about 14 inches of snow!

I wanted to play! So me and the wife went to an large unplowed parking lot and had some fun.. well tried to have some fun. I couldn't even do donuts! I could cut the wheel full left and NAIL the gas, and right when I felt the rear wheels start to kick around, it would straighten out and just GO! And the '05 doesn't even have traction control!!!

I even found a large pile of snow that had been plowed onto the side of the road.. probably 25-30 inches deep.. and pulled the FEH right into it. Then I just floored it. The car simply climbed over it and kept going... didn't even spin the tires!

And this is with the junky stock Continental tires with maybe 30% tread!

I have to say, this is BY FAR the most impressive vehicle I've ever driven in the snow.. it just want to go go go no matter when is thrown at it!

Unfortunately, we didn't get any more snow that season.. but winter is just around the corner. We had just a little bit of ice yesterday morning, and it didn't seem to be an issue (but then again the roads weren't all that bad either).. I'm almost giddy!

 

I drive the western states, the rocky mountain states, and the northern states all the time.

I have a 2005 FEH.
I have the original tires on the car, with 69,000 miles and still have tread.
I have been in countless snow storms, and this IS the most stable and safe feeling car I've ever owned.

Once, on I80 in Wyoming in a blizzard last year, the wind pushed me sideways off the icy road and onto the snow coverd grassy shoulder.
I was only going about 25 MPH. I felt safe, but I figured on the soft shoulder, with snow and ice, I'd be stuck for sure.
Nope. The FEH pulled me right out and back onto the interstate.
Oh... I have Front Wheel Drive only and traverse the Rocky Mountains regularly as I'm an avid skier.

Other than MPG going down, and less EV time, which is understandable, this has been a great winter car.

Once, I was stranded ( due to road closeure ) and had to sleep in the car, in a church parking lot. I kept the car in run, since it was 28 degrees and snowing. The car would run the engine for 5 minutes, then off for 10, on for 5, off for 10. I slept for 5 hours in warmth, and used about half a gallon of gas in 5 hours.

GREAT CAR! LOVE IT!
-John

 

Wow, that's cool.

I had to renew my DL today so drove about 15 minutes there, then off for 20 minutes, then drove back. No EV mode on the way there and not more than 5 minutes on the way back. I had trouble staying in EV mode much on the way back. (Gas pedal seemed much more sensitive and kicked it out of EV.)

FWIW, outside temp was about 10 F and vehicle was garaged.

 

Rick, are you using the plug-in block heater?
If you bought your car way up north, it should have come with one.
It really helps to run it for 4 hours prior to driving in winter.
Mine didn't come with it, but I added it on later, and I'm glad I did.
If you're nice about it, you can usually plug it in for free at work & at hotels.
Then you are really getting something for nothing!
-John

 

If one has the climate control switch on the defroster, going EV becomes difficult if not impossible.

 

Yes, I have the block heater and when I was at the auto parts store today (to get a creeper), there was something else I wanted, but couldn't remember. It was a timer for the block heater. I wanted to have it turn on 2 hours before leaving for work.

Nope, haven't used it yet (haven't even looked for the cord), but it's on my radar. I suspect the grill cover will help when that comes (was on b/o). Haven't needed to use the defroster yet. I've got it set to economy and set to just the floor.

When I was running errands today, the engine shut off at a stop sign twice, but no EV mode. It worked fine until this cold weather started. Temp was +6 degrees today with wind chill about -10.

 

It is likely your hybrid battery was "cold" and hindering your ability to utilize it.

 

It get driven every day, but less than 2 miles most days.

Tomorrow will be a couple hours tho.

 

I took my 2009 out on Saturday with the couple inches that we got. I wasn't able to purposely lose control any time I tried. Even we I tried to power myself into a skid the traction control kicked in and started braking individual wheels. Didn't have issues driving too fast on a snow covered road. Even took a roundabout a little too quickly and had a slight slide that corrected itself immediately. The other thing that I noticed was if you try to stay in EV from a stop you will not have any issues with traction because of how slow the acceleration is. Hopefully we will have some really bad storms like last year and I can test things out, but so far I am really impressed. (And a little disappointed because I can't have any fun in the snow )