How to Determine if Your Car Is Front or Rear Wheel Drive

How to Determine if Your Car Is Front or Rear Wheel Drive. Cars can be front-wheel drive (FWD), rear-wheel drive (RWD), or four-wheel/all-wheel drive (4WD/AWD). Knowing your car’s drivetrain helps you understand its handling, towing capacity, and performance in different conditions. Follow these steps to determine whether your vehicle is front- or rear-wheel drive.

Steps to Identify Your Car’s Drivetrain

Step 1: Locate the Engine

• Front-Engine Cars:
  • Most vehicles have the engine in the front.
  • These can be front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive.
• Rear-Engine Cars:
  • If the engine is at the back (e.g., Volkswagen Beetle), the car is always rear-wheel drive.

Step 2: Examine the Engine Mounting

• Transverse Engine (Sideways Mounting):
  • If the belts are facing one side of the car, the engine is mounted sideways.
  • This is typical of front-wheel drive cars.
• Longitudinal Engine (Front-to-Back Mounting):
  • If the belts face the front grille, the engine is mounted front-to-back.
  • This is common in rear-wheel drive cars.

Step 3: Check for a Differential

• Rear-Wheel Drive:
  • Look for a large, pumpkin-shaped housing (differential) on the rear axle.
  • This transfers power from the driveshaft to the rear wheels.
• Front-Wheel Drive:
  • The differential is integrated with the transmission in a unit called a transaxle.
  • The driveshaft connects to the wheels via constant velocity (CV) joints.

Additional Notes

• 4WD/AWD Vehicles:
  • Some cars have power distributed to all four wheels.
  • To check, look for “4WD” or “AWD” badges on the vehicle, consult the owner’s manual, or search online using the car’s make, model, and year.

Tips

• Skid Recovery:
  • In icy conditions, FWD cars tend to keep traveling straight during skids, while RWD cars are more prone to fishtailing. Ease off the accelerator in either case.
• Traction Assistance:
  • If your wheels are spinning on ice, throw sand or gravel under the drive wheels to gain traction.
• Towing:
  • RWD cars are generally better for towing heavy loads due to their greater capacity compared to FWD vehicles.

Knowing your drivetrain helps you handle your car better in different weather and terrain conditions, maximizing safety and performance.