Drive Modes
Presented here are a number of special low-speed Drive Mode Dashboard Indicators available on some 4-wheel drive vehicles. In truth, they appear to be near useless without context, and all would be better presented simply as text symbols, but are not. Note that all of these indicators are the result of having chosen a drive mode, intentionally or otherwise, and when seen in the information display, they are shown in black and white or gray scale.
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The first three shown above are Mud, Ruts Mode, Slippery Mode and Deep Snow Mode Indicators, left to right, made available by one manufacturer. The Mud, Ruts Mode Indicator is shown as a nonsensical combination of a tree, a wavy line, and four straight lines in yellow/amber/orange. The Slippery Mode Indicator is seen as a bewildering array of wavy lines, what may be rain drops, and a star or snowflake also in yellow/amber/orange. Similarly, the Deep Snow Mode indicator combines wavy lines and snow flakes.
So, if you are surprised to see one of these, its likely that the mode has been set accidentally. Again, they would frankly be better represented as text symbols simply stating the mode.
More Drive Modes
This next group comes from another manufacturer and would seem to make choosing the right one next to impossible. Left to right they are Mud and Sand Mode, Mogul Mode, Rock Mode, Loose and Rock Mode, and finally Rock and Dirt Mode Indicators.
And it didn’t end there. Only a few years later, left to right, they introduced a change to the Dirt Mode Indicator image, added a separate Mud Mode Indicator, a Deep Snow Indicator, and a Trail Mode Indicator in black and white. Again, why so many modes are needed is difficult to understand, and the differences in drive train responses are likely very, very subtle.
In any case, they are represented by shown as a drawings of a vehicle, tipped or vertical, riding a curved lines or hills and mounds and dots meant to be dirt all in green. The first adds a cactus, likely to represent sand, but one could be on a beach!
Yet More Drive Modes
As we noted with the first group, these could all be better represented by text symbols stating the mode, which some manufacturers actually do. Mud & Sand Mode or Rock & Dirt Mode or the more generic Trail Mode are simply spelled out for the driver. Another set goes only by Sand, Snow, or Mud with a vehicle shown above.
In all cases, if you are surprised to see one of these, its likely the mode has been selected accidently. It can then be turned off.
And the final surprise is that the same vehicles that use the image symbols offer an AUTO setting, Multi-terrain Select control or MTS AUTO, that will simply choose exactly the mode that is needed.
And Even More Drive Modes
These are Snow/Dirt and Snow/Mud Mode Indicators, respectively. These modes provide automatic control of wheel slippage in snow or dirt or deeper snow and mud. The vehicles Traction Control is turned off to accommodate the automated system.
When one the previous modes is chosen, this manufacturer allows for Grip Control, which is its indicator to the left. Grip Control allows for five speed choices, 2 through 6 miles per hour. The system is automatically turned off when the vehicle is braked to a stop.
Here we have three more indicators from Subaru and their X-MODE system. It is the integrated control system of the engine, AWD and Vehicle Dynamics Control system, etc. for driving with bad road conditions. X-MODE helps maintain control in slippery conditions, including uphill and downhill.
The first indicator is found in vehicles that have a single option. The second can be found in vehicle with two options and is for deep snow and mud. The third is the second option and is for snow and dirt.
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
These are All-wheel Drive (AWD) On Indicator 
This pair of symbols are simpler, indicating that the system is in all wheel or two wheel drive. The text inside the stick figures states this clearly. And change in color will, however, indicate a system problem that will require a qualified service shop.
These are the All Wheel Drive (
Of course, if the vehicle is electric (EV), it gets its own indicators. The only reason to do this is that the All-Wheel Drive system is actually electric. In 
The symbol to the left also includes a stick figure image meant to look like four wheels with the front wheels turned to the right. All these lights incorporate the AWD acronym and may include an exclamation point. Malfunctions may be indicated by the system before a real problem is obvious, but don’t waste time. Have the system checked out as soon as possible.
Some older vehicles use this red 
The picture symbols shown to the right are very much related.