I personally have always read the manual on stuff (even when I was young & dumb), but times have changed & honestly no one takes the time to read manuals. They look to youtube & google & we can thank the smart phone for that.

I never thought I’d be old fashioned like my dad, but yep it’s happened lol. I do use a smart phone, but the difference is if I can’t find it online I go get a book/manual vs not finding it online & giving up lol.

 

To be honest, I read the manuals as well but, forget half the stuff. As an instance, I either forgot or didn't understand the manual button when in low range. I also didn't know about the AC testing nor super lock.

 

i'm also inclined to believe it's an honest mistake, albeit a pretty naive one.

anything that i've ever seen or driven that switches between different ratios or traction modes will have some indication of what those modes are. that is, it would say "2wd" or something along those lines, not "n" or "neutral," if it shifted the vehicle into a 2wd mode. the label right beside the t-case shifter does tell you pictographically that you have to put it in either low or high to drive it.
it also doesn't take much searching on any forum anywhere to learn that the disco is permanent 4wd. (i don't think a disco is true awd unless the t-case is locked and/or it has been fitted with limited-slip differentials.)

and finally, that little label by the shifter also tells you to REFER TO THE MANUAL.

 

Because I was curious, I looked this up:

 

hmmm, okay. i always thought that 4wd/4x4 meant that power distribution to all 4 wheels was possible but it was not distributed in a managed fashion, whereas awd meant that power could go to any wheel but it was managed such that power to slipping wheels was reduced. the latter aligns with the definition above, to some extent.
since a disco without a locked t-case may be in the situation where slipping wheels just keep on slipping, it's not really a managed power distribution.

i guess that in a strict sense, a slipping wheel is being driven, even if it's not propelling the vehicle...

 

Always google before you buy. I found it out before and was a bit disappointed that you cannot switch off 4WD. Nevertheless I got one and now I see it as a status symbol.