On four-wheel-drive vehicles, the transfer case contains gears that connect a second drive shaft to send power to all four wheels instead of just the front or rear ones. The transfer case on some vehicles, particularly those intended for off-road use, are engaged by a separate gear lever or electric buttons or a rotary switch on the dashboard. Most off-road 4WD vehicles have transfer-case positions for rear-wheel drive; 4WD High, for on-road operation; and 4WD Low, for off-road and demanding on-road use. All-wheel-drive vehicles often don’t have a transfer case lever or switch; instead, AWD engages or disengages automatically based on driving conditions. Some transfer cases have the ability to send all the power to either the front or rear when needed.
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