I know my 2012 F-250 has traction control...but does it only work on the rear wheels? Obviously in 2WD that would be the case...but with 4WD engaged do the front wheels 'gain' traction control as well?

I'm assuming it only works on the rear wheels, even when in 4x4.

 

Well, if you're in 4wd and your rear wheels are spinning, so are you fronts (well, 1 is at least), so by proxy, it does work in 4wd.

 

Yeah, I realize the traction control would still be braking a spinning rear wheel even when 4x4 was engaged...my question is whether or not the wheels on the front axle would be individually braked if they were spinning. Clearly, the locking rear diff would negate (and indeed cancels) rear traction control. However, there is nothing on the front to control side-side traction loss, unless the front indeed has traction control. But, I doubt it.

 

Do you mean sliding laterally or truly just spinning the tires (as if stuck on ice/mud)? Twice since I've had my truck I've had the advancetrac save my hide hitting corners full of black ice. I don't know what's involved with the truck correcting itself but it sure felt like it was hitting the brakes individually as well as cutting the fuel as the truck was sliding across the road and doing things I don't care to experience too often...

Whether or not the specific function of the traction control system exists in the front axle, I'm not sure, but there's definitely individual braking occurring.

I believe the trailer sway mechanism states this as well, it'll brake the truck on all 4 corners to keep it in check.

 

You are correct on the Advancetrac / Stability Control...that works on all four wheels all the time to correct over / under steer conditions that could lead to a spin out or rollover...and has been nicely adapted to include trailer sway control. However, that system is all about cutting the power and applying the brakes. Traction control is about forcing torque from a spinning wheel across an open differential to a wheel which presumably has traction and is not spinning.

I'm glad stability control worked for you on ice. Last year I was driving a 2010 Jetta back from NY and conditions were icy and slick. The ESP light would occasionally flash and you could feel the car get pulled back into line. I thought it was incredible how effective the system was. Then, about 10 miles from home, I came upon a slight corner in which unfortunately the entire road had iced over...the car simply went straight off the road into trees before flipping down a 40-foot embankment. Car was totaled but I was thankfully unhurt...although I was not driving fast the lesson learned was that ESP / AdvanceTrac / whatever stability control is called will not help you on all ice.