I've been looking through owners manual. I've discovered that there are some related features to turn off and on for seat memory. Does anyone know what the defaults are? I test drove the vehicle today and knew nothing of these settings at the time. I did set the seat button 1 for my positions. I was surprised that the seat did not retract when I turned the vehicle off and opened door. Button 2 was apparently programmed for way back though.
But from what I've read if you turn it on for the remote to handle it, it moves the seat, etc. to the programmed position before you ever get in. That is stupid in my book. And having to hold the seat programmed button is also stupid. My prior GM seat memory only needed button pushed momentarily and as I was buckling up, starting vehicle, etc. the seat came into position.
For those who have the new module, what has changed? I'm hoping the seat memory button is made momentary and that the remove function will not move seat forward until I'm in at least. Maybe via start button.
For those who bought "Touring Package". The package description tells you which wheel, the special suspension with selectivity, and the tire. The tire specifically says, "P245/40R19 all-season, blackwall tires". The 2011 book listing all options available shows the same info.
Buying the "Touring Package", would you expect anything less than an all-seson blackwall touring tire?
Nearly all of the Buick cars I've looked at in the past 10 months had Michelin. I think one of the Lucernne had Continentals. I don't recall any of the Lacrosse having Good Year. And why would they even think of putting such a poorly rated tire with the touring package, Eagle RSA. It does not even rise to the level of "touring tire" and only rated as "passenger". Of 20 tires in this category, rating at tirerack puts it 15th. Other Eagle models rate far better.
The other cars on the lot, Lucernne, Regal, & Lacrosse w/o Touring Package all had Michelin MXM4 in the appropriate size which is an all-season Grand Touring tire and rated by owners far superior to Eagles.
If both you and wife carry remote and enter vehicle via the unlatch on door handle, are you forced to use seat button to achieve the memorized position? I'm trying to figure out this seat issue to make sure all is working as wanted before signing papers Thursday 7th.
I test drove today and vehicle seems to be pretty nice. A bit more torque steer than I expected. In sport mode the ride became a little harsh at highway speed. And a little more road noise than I expected, but maybe because the rest of the car is so quiet I noticed it easily. This was before I became aware that Eagle RSA were on it and believe that explains harshness and noise.
It hit me about the remote and seat memory issue. All I can say is DUH! Several had written about the seat moving forward with the remote when using it to unlock. I still think that is dumb. But now knowing you can unlock the door by pushing button in handle, you could get in and then push remote to adjust seat, so it seems.
That's not it. My problem occurs whether I use the remote to unlock, or whether I just open the door using the passive entry. Wish it were as simple as that.
Yes. Then, according to the manual, the car memorizes which remote was used to access and start the vehicle, and assigns (temporarily, at least) the seat setting to that remote. It can change every time though.
Bigger problem is the randomness with which this seems to work. If you've seen my earlier post, I am the only driver of my vehicle. I do not use the "easy exit" option, which means there is no reason for the driver's seat to ever move - yet it does, about a third of the time.
Dealer has order the seat module to try replacing it - I'll re-post when it's been installed to advise whether it has solved my problem (which, I know, doesn't do you much good in trying to resolve this before you sign the papers tomorrow - I can say, however, that except for this one small problem, I absolutely love the car).
As many have suggested there is a flaw in the magnetic asssist in the vehicle. Aside from one post that I have read about a fix by relocating something there has been no fixes published by GM/Buick. A recent call to the dealer has gotten nowhere with a fix. Is anyone interested in carring this a step further? I have had the car for almost 1 year and nothing from GM yet. Getting tired of it!
"I've been told by my dealer that RIM phones also are having issues"
Every dealer has his own excuse. The last one I talked to (Service Manager) said that phone issues go to the Salesman. They won't do anything in the Service Shop. I am now 95% certain that the Bluetooth protocol which allows contacts (files) to be pushed to the car was disabled by VERIZON. Its not a RIM issue. I have the same issue with a non RIM phone and the internet is full of evidence. They were even sued over this but lost on how they advertised BT functionality. Did they stop criplling their phones? No, just changed the ad language.
With 2,000 miles on the odometer my 2011 CXS is as sweet as ever but the gas mileage stinks. I am getting 17.5 mpg in mostly city driving. By comparison I got 24 mpg on a Cadillac CTS AWD driving the same route.
Hmm, something does not seem right. In the CTS I drove aggressively and used regular 87 octane gas but in the CXS I drive sedately and use the mid-grade 89 octane gas and still get such poor mileage. I switch from 87 to 89 octane because I was getting about 16 mpg so I'm between a rock and a hard place paying 10 cents a gallon more but without an appreciable improvement in gas mileage.
Nonetheless, I'm still in love with my Lacrosse and every mile that I drive it gives me undiluted pleasure.
That would be bad if the actual difference is verified. Are you going by what the DIC indicated in each vehicle? Or have you actually calculated it yourself. DIC in Malibu is off for most people and indicates less than what is actually occurring. For me it has been about 1 MPG less than what is actually occurring. Mileage verified, it would seem something is wrong. Verify that it is going through all the shifts properly and that the TCC is engaging. One eye on tachometer might be helpful, but do this safely. In another forum one poster said he was reading the instantaneous mileage which might be helpful in learning a more economical way to drive. The '10's I test drove did not show "instantaneous". It may have changed for 11, or maybe there is a way to get it to display such as settings. Might you have a brake or brakes dragging? It could be something in electronics causing one or more to be slightly applied. An improper assembly. Or tightness of new system. I had a caliper stick just past 1K, but only one time that I'm aware of. With it being city driving, presumably you are applying brake often. The newness might be so tight that the brakes are draggin just a little for a lengthy time after each application. To get best mileage on the highway it is suggested that you do a lane change after each braking. The very tiny play tolerances allow the rotors to nudge the brake pads a bit extra allowing less drag. Do you have touring package and with which brand and model of tire? And maybe your driving style was a better match for the Cadillac drivetrain. Whether vehicle has problem or not, by modifying your style you could easily see improvement. Try to coast as much as possible. Agressive driving will hurt mileage. Ahead of time, adjust speed so you flow smoothly with traffic and even avoid coming to full stop at traffic lights. Let us know what you learn.
Rider: Another poster suggested the following to get the instant gas mileage from the Lacrosse DIC center since there is no instant available in the program IMO. Access the mileage readout and then clear the reading, leave the system on the mileage readout and in a few seconds the "instant" reading displays. Our 2010 CXL is predictably speed sensitive and this method shows mileage at whatever speed you are trying to diagnose. We get 29 mpg at 70-75 and low 30's at 65-70. Jacking up to 80-85 knocks MPG down to 27.6 or so. Great mileage for a 4400 # car! Intown is hard to read due to variability. Per prior posts, some Lacrosse models shipped with other than our 2.77 final gear ratio and that seems to make a bigger difference than speed or engine IMO. Ours also "likes" Shell midgrade for some reason. Still experimenting but truly an outstanding car in all respects so far.
I have a 2010 CXS with 7000 miles. I find in my daily driving which averages about 28 MPH according to the system and I get about 19 MPG rather constantly. I do note the system will usually be about 1MPG lower than actual calculated. I use mostly 87 octane with an ocassional use of high octane. I notice no difference in MPG or in the operation of the car. If there is a difference it might be 1MPG better. Of course if you reset everything while driving you will get a entirely different readings because no stop and go. If everyone would report their average speed according to the system and the MPH according to the system and calculated actual we might get more accurate figures according to the way we drive.
Rider wrote: "Are you going by what the DIC indicated in each vehicle? Or have you actually calculated it yourself?"
Actually I use an Excel spreadsheet with the following columns: miles, gallons purchased, and MPG. I also use other columns for date, price paid and octane level. But as I said earlier I mostly do city and surburban driving.
Do you have touring package and with which brand and model of tire?
Yes I have the touring package with 19" wheels and Goodyear RSA 245/40R/19 94W tires. The Cadillac by comparison had 17" inch tires. On the whole, I am very satisfied with the tires but perhaps would like to try Continental. Road & Track said in the Equus the car is very quiet. Crusing on the interstate there is very little tire or road noise creeping into the cabin.
You raise some good points. The problem will be the dealer's willingness to look into things. As one said to me, "Your engine's running, so your gas mileage is what its supposed to be"!
As for "instantaneous" on a 2010, just reset to zero while at highway speed, observe for about 2 minutes and that is pretty much your instantaneous.
So very true that the AVE MPH is a big indicator. On Malibu, it seems to indicate that it uses nearly as much fuel idling as it does running a steady 55 MPH. Good input.
Thanks for the reply. I'm about to visit dealer, supposed to seal the deal, but let him know those tires will be a deal breaker. And that would be in all categories of user responses. I don't want slighty noisy tires or slightly harsh, even. But the other categories which included wet and wintery are definitely out. Here in Savannah, GA we get quite a bit of rain and many roads have shallow depressions that hold water so you want tires that are very hydroplane resistant and function well on wet road. And an area that isn't included in the categories, hot summer day and/or it has not rained in some time. Then, either a light rain or the first part of a storm combines with road oil to make a greasy slick surface. I'm always careful with such and don't need to be stupid about tires. The catefory grouping, winter conditions. Most of my family lives in WI and I've been caught with snowing conditions in the past. Thankfully I always had tires that accomadated the conditions quite well. That is judging by the number of vehicles that had left the road unvoluntarily.
Your method of calculation should certainly be accurate.
Asking about tires was sort of an aside at the time I wrote it. But maybe there is something related to mileage with the RSA. The Michelin that other LaX are getting is rated a green tire. It would be interesting to compare MPG of responders according to tire, suspension, & model level with such a spreadsheet. I wish I knew how to start such a survey.
Also something that has created an unrelated to you, maybe, question in my mind. There have been very few that complained about torque steer. I'd been shopping so long the I've test driven 09 & 10 Impalas & Lucernnes. 10 & 11 Lacrosses. The 09 Malibu I'm in has only slight torque steer. The 96 Aurora I had previously had no torque steer. The 11 Lacrosse I ordered is at dealer and test drove it 2 days ago. It has some torque steer and seems to be more than the Malibu. What the heck is going on? All of the LaX that I test drove should have had the H-arm which was dropped and then added back to the CSX in the Touring Package. And the new CSX are all supposed to have the hyper-strut which GM claims reduces torque-steer and noise.
So another good survey would be of those experiencing torque steer, which suspension and which tire. Tires can cause torque steer.
Tom: No worry here. The recall was for certain production units in a one-month time frame and were for assembly problem that COULD have damaged the high pressure line resulting in a leak and resulting fire possibility on the SRX models. My older GM cars had the Magnetic or magnasteer system and the new 2010 Lacrosse CXL we got in July has it also. Seems fine so far, but all those petroleum based fluids have fire potential so I guess the recall was an abundance of caution.
My CXS, I've had since January/February, has the Magnetic Steering and has had a problem since I bought it. GM either refuses to fix it, they admit it's a problem, or don't have the parts to do so.
I have talked with them over the phone but to no avail - no commitment. "We have to talk to the dealer".
I'm running very short of patience and I will bet I can make your system sound like !@$#$%^. Back out of your drive. Crank you wheel full over to the right while standing still and see what happens. If it doesn't squeal then they have a fix and don't want to fix the defective ones still out there.
If I remember correctly, two days ago you were supposed to have picked up your new CXS. So what's your verdict: satisfied, blissful or euphoric? Nonetheless, try not to overanalyze, no car is perfect just enjoy the ride. Still, we’re waiting to hear your initial driving impressions and your dealer buying experience.
Was looking at owners manual for 2011 last night and it says the instantaneous is an available setting. I'll have to double check that because I did not see it available in the menu options.
It sounds very much like you don't understand what the magnasteer system does. And from your description of it occurring when you force the steering to a limit it squeals, that sounds like it is related to the hydraulic power steering.
Picked up vehicle yesterday, late afternoon, after a long drawn out process of paperwork and trying to negotiate something on those EAGLE RSA. Nobody wanted the tires with 10 miles on them. I shall try on my own to see what I can do to get these off the vehicle without putting $1400 in the trash can. I also spent most of the previous day at the dealer as well and they were having a fantastic day. My salesman was juggling 3 buyers at the same time. And the sales manager also had to act as finance officer since he was off. Even with external financing you have to go through him to get bill of sale and registration transfers. When I got home I had to get something to eat and take a nap.
It appears we all or near all have issue with the seat memory. I had gone to the vehicle earlier and turned on the easy exit. That seems to have something to do with the seat moving into position as soon as you open the vehicle. Salesman saw it do that and commented, "Well that is dumb."
I'm still waiting for responses about the new part number for module, as to whether this issue gets fixed. I sure hope so.
Looking throught he manual last night, I was surprised on the fuel recommendations. Manual recommends top tier 91 octane. That is a shock. Also this same engine is used in Malibu and it is flex fuel. I don't see anything about being able to use E85 on this one.
I've seen a number of complaints relating to downloading contacts for phone. I'd done the pairing thing in the Malibu so I knew the procedure and took less than a minute. The voice commands are a bit different than on the Malibu and will have to learn them. So I hit the phone button and saw a long list of contacts to my surprise. It apparently automatically retrieved them from phone. I will have to check how well it did it. BTW, it is Verizon. Still lots to learn.
Summing up, three complaints at this point. 1) Crappy tires on high end vehicle. 2) Seat memory that is apparently stupid. 3) Wants premium fuel and apparently not E85 capable.
And a maybe complaint. Someone sat in vehicle with what might have been a greasy rag in back pocket. They thoroughly detailed car and put a coat of wax on it. I don't know what they used to get the stain off the seat, other than it was liquid. This morning I notice the leather is not laying smooth but drawn up a bit with ridges. Maybe it just needs to dry further, but I will certainly keep an eye on it.
I am also a bit surprised at the length of suggested break-in. Not driven over 68MPH for more than a few minutes until 3000 miles. I am sure the longest break-in I've ever seen was 1000 miles.
I will need to get a good look at bottom. I glance up under it and it did not seem like there was much paint on the bottom side, like maybe it could use more rust-proofing.
Please tell me which phone model you are using and if the contacts survive overnight. I heard they must reload each time you pair. I also read that you can't use handfree talking if the phone goes into the mode where it transfers a phone book (contacts) and you must enter the phone menu and go thru a couple of steps to switch back.
As to the Eagles, I have them and don't agree that they are a problem.
Re break-in period. I didn't see or read anything and was simply gentle for 1000 miles. No full throtle starts or even 3/4. No hard panic braking. Top speed first 500 miles was 70, after that 75. Never sustained for more than 5 minutes (as in crusie control mode.)
Rider, thanks for the report, although I was expecting something more upbeat.
Concerning the Eagle RSA, they are not as bad as some say. I am very happy with mines and I have no complaints. It's probably not the tire but the 19" rims which are inherently noisier.
Anyways, what color did you buy? (mine is mocha steel) was it the CXS with all the options or just the basic package. You said the manual recommends 91 octane, I haven't checked it out yet but the car seems to run much better on 89 than the 87 I previously used. Next time I will try the 91 octane since I get a $0.40 discount a gallon with my Stop & Shop card.
Don't know where you live but in the Boston area it is shaping up to be a nice weekend to drive the new car. Next weekend I will be driving up to Burlington, Vermont (900 miles round-trip) so I will have the opportunity to push the car, but not really, since I am still in the break-in cautionary period.
If it was the standard part of the steering why do they post in their service bulletin that by "replacing the whole unit may not fix the issue". Seems like a design flaw somewhere in the whole system. Besides I have not seen a post here where anyone without the mag. steering has the problem. So the rule is that is if you rule out the one common variable the only thing that remains is the magnetic assist. It maybe that when you mate the two then the problem arises.
In any case GM has called and will discuss with them next week what my options are - their phrase. Doesn't look like a solution is near.
I too have the GY tires and they are lousy. Got rid of the GY on the C5 ASAP and the noise went down 10db. The current ones cannot hold the tire pressure at 35 more than 1 week(DIC) - same as on the C5. Got Mich. and hardly ever had a worry.
I also have to agree with your other 2 "complaints", although not a big issue once you get used to the seats. Being my last 2 cars required 93 oct. so that too is not a deal buster. I got an honest 28 mpg on a recent trip over mostly 2 lane South Texas roads at between 70 and (oops) 100 so that I am satisfied with - Chevron or Exxon only.
Basically a good car for the size and price. Some things a a bit goofy but overall, without the squaking steering, a good value.
Concerning the RSA tires, the ranking was from those who own the tires and how they reported. It would have covered all sizes the tire is available in, but weighted toward most in use sizes. So highly unlikely it is the 19" wheel.
It is Red Jewel Tint. I don't know what wax they put on it, but it seems to have shifted the red a little deeper toward Ruby color. With all the metal flake in the paint, it is a real jewel. I was debating a couple of other choices while I was placing the order. The mocha and white diamond tri-coat. White diamond tri-coat is no longer white diamond judging by other vehicles on the lot so I might have been disappointed had I ordered it. I wanted something that might have high visibility for safety. White would not have been good for snow country I decided. Those on the lot that are supposed to be white diamond are very much like the pearl of a few years back. Sales manager agreed with that.
As to octane, the manual said 87 would be OK as long as it was not pinging but to expect what you have found out. It don't run as well basically. But you might want to check the pump where you buy. They stressed top tier as the most important and said to look for a symbol on the pump. Damage by running less, not covered by warranty.
Savannah, GA and a beautiful weekend here as well. Sitting under a nice big high pressure meaning very clear skies and a bit cooler than normal for this time of year. I will be doing a bit break-in driving and learning the vehicle as well. Have to get used to the differences anytime you get in a different vehicle.
Only quick fix I've found on the seat memory is don't unlock door from a distance. Open immediately and hit one of the memory buttons which will cancel movement. Get in and then hit the remote button again.
It is the CXS, all factory options except sunroof, rear video screens, & the tire sealer kit. Even got the rear thorax airbags especially because of grandchildren. Otherwise you only get the side curtain that covers the rear seat side glass areas. These cover from the glass down for side impacts. Really a cheap option for what you get. Brother-in-law had his 06 Ford truck totalled recently. It was very customized and used for towing boat frequently. Side impact at rear axle by someone who ran light. He really wished he had those side airbags. Most of the impact would have been absorbed by spinning his truck around, but still he was hurting for a few weeks.
It has the slate gray interior and I have not been in it after dark, but suspect with the interior blue light it will look great. Thankfully, I don't detect any height mismatch that some complained about where door panels meet the dash. The faux wood, well that is what it is. Certainly not as pretty as the real thing in the Aurora, but then not as nearly expensive. Some had cracked it on the console and that piece of plastic that the wood veneer is glued to and then clear coated was $300.
I checked my tire pressure early this morning and down a couple of pounds, likely seasonal change. I'll have to correct before getting a real sense of touring versus sport suspension.
I'm a little disappointed in the trunk liner. Looks like what you get on base Malibu. Mine had the upgrade that got you nicer floor mats and trunk liner. Liner was like a thick rug which likely helped stopping noise from coming through trunk floor. And noise I detected coming from rear during test drive may have been because the arm-rest and hole behind it were open when I got back to the dealer. Since it was parked in a private area there would have been no reason for anyone accessing that area between the test drive and when I got back.
I love the HUD, but it will take some getting used to. I'll need to learn all the other ways of avoiding taking my eyes off road.
From what I read in the manual, it seems they implemented the ESC differently from the Malibu. It reads that it only accuates one brake to regain control. Maybe the AWD is needed to get full benefit.
The seats are very comfortable and the steering wheel is much nicer than the one on Malibu, both leather covered. I felt absolutely no vibration at steering wheel.
I'll post back as I get a chance to check other items. I was surprised to learn that many people are looking for the 4 cylinder in the Buicks.
What was the whole unit? The pump, the rack and pinion, some other assembly of the steering?
If implemented as on Aurora, you would see all the standard components of a hydraulic power steering. Somewhere in the steering shaft, before it exits the cabin, will be an electro-magnetic device. Magnets attached to shaft and an electric coil surrounding that. At low speeds it should be doing nothing. As speed increases it creates a drag so you need more force to turn steering wheel. You would not want a drastic change in steering at highway speed. And it dampens what the tires are feeling on the road and trying to send back to the steering wheel.
And it could be that there are a number of bad units in the parts supply chain. And they've not found a way to find those units, whatever the part is. Thus they might install a bad unit and not fix the problem. So read carefully and read between the lines. Good Luck.
I believe you are right about the supply chain and have no reason to argue about the mechanics of the system. What I have a problem with is the idea that there is a problem for 10 months, at least, without a resolution. They can make a Volt car and cannot find the probelm with the power steering on this car? They have been making power steering for probably 100 years, give or take, and can't fix this issue.
I'll post whatever the GM guy says. Depending on that conversation I'll have to decide wether or not to keep the car. Trade-ins are good on these cars so I should recover most of the investment.
GM seems to love the Goodyear Eagle tires for many of their models. I have had a few with that tire and while they were OK in terms of handling they were noisy and do not wear well. I would live with them until they wear out (won't be long), then get a set of Michelins.
I bought the trunk liner for my '09 and was at first disappointed to find it came from GM rolled up in a long skinny box and was made of vinyl. Once unrolled and installed I was happy with it though. It is shaped to ft the trunk and has a lip all the way around to contain anything liquid that may get on it, and it has the Buick name and logo imprinted in it. Looks good, a nice upgrade.
If the vehicle has a 2.4L L4 engine (VIN Code C) or the 3.0L V6 engine (VIN Code G), use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87, an audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark knock, might be heard when driving. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. If heavy knocking is heard when using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, the engine needs service.
If the vehicle has the 3.6L V6 engine (VIN Code V), use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 91 or higher. You can also use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but the vehicle's acceleration could be slightly reduced, and a slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark knock, might be heard.
If the octane is less than 87, a heavy knocking noise might be heard when driving. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you could damage the engine. If heavy knocking is heard when using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, the engine needs service.
Gasoline Specifications At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM specification D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB‐3.5 or 3.511 in Canada. Some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend against the use of gasolines containing MMT. See Fuel Additives on page 8‑50 for additional information
I understand your grief, believe me. I thankfully said goodbye to Malibu yesterday because of safety issue. Hopefully the noise is just very unsettling and they will get it fixed, I hope.
As to the Volt, I would not make any bets. It may be like when Bill Gates was on stage to introduce the new OS several years back and as soon as he pushed a key, BSOD, that is the "blue screen of death". At least that crash did not kill anyone despite how aggravating it was. It would be more like 50 years, but still plenty of time to perfect something. The problem is they keep trying to re-invent something with a new batch of engineers that don't have the experience of the prior team which means they are likely to make the previous mistakes. Take the leaking hose recall. They can do it correctly. Did GM put manufacturing of the hose assembly out for bids. A different supplier came up with cheaper bid and bean counter went with that? That second supplier might have found a source for cheaper parts that were not of the quality of the previous supplier, but they met the engineering specification as GM wrote it. GM limited the amount of detail specified because of engineering cost, or the engineer was lazy, or maybe inadequate. As long as the demand is to have a totally new vehicle every few years, they will never be able to correct all the errors. What the GM guy says might be helpful. That is, has he diagnosed it correctly? Maybe a second opinion will help. Have someone listening for the source of the noise with the hood raised while someone turns the steering wheel.
Well, in the Boston area regular gas is $2.59 Vs premium at $2.83. So if this price differential is constant that is an extra $4.32 per each 18-gallon tank of gas. Since I get a $0.40 per gallon discount on my Stop and Shop card trading to premium is almost pain free.
I'll check on that liner simply for liquid protection. Yes, GM has enjoyed a very long relationship with Goodyear, like Ford and Firestone. Live with? or die with? I might be in snow country the end of December, one of the really weak points of this tire. There are quite a few models of Eagle. A common one used on some Malibu and Impala were the LS. They were so horrible that many were replaced by dealer. They replaced with LS2 and I hear it is a poor improvement, maybe just a little better. Uneven wear, out of round, unable to get a good RFB without lots of weight are problems the dealer replaced them for. But the complaints go way beyond the reasons of dealer replacement. These are Eagle RSA.
Tom & Rider: Comments on steering noise when turned stop to stop. We had the same noise in a 2001 Grand Prix. We drove the thing 72000 miles and never fixed it. Older 98 Bonneville never made the noise at stop to stop and both had ABS and traction control with same 225 60 R16 Michelins. The Grand Prix also made a pump noise at startup diagnosed as ABS pump pressurizing that B'ville never made. Point is that both cars had same technical specs but were NOT THE SAME CARS. B'ville was much better car so Grand Prix is gone and B'ville lives in garage with the 2010 Lacrosse CXL. Both cars prefer name brand midgrade gas (mileage and driveability) and both do NOT like ethanol added as much as non-ethanol fuel. Thank you to the pro- big oil politicians for pushing that subsidized rubber eating junk into the market and our very expensive engines - even lawnmowers don't like it. Sorry for the soapbox on a great car forum.
It might not be if it is not "top tier" gasoline. I downloaded the online owners manual which is pdf document. Links in it took me to explanation of why and what top tier is. They say that some gas distributors have cut the amount of detergent nearly in half. Sticking valves being one of the resulting problems. The manual says using less than top tier problems will not be covered by warranty.
I do not know what the dealer put in the tank but absolutely no sound of spark knock.
I too have seen a number of vehicles that make some noise when steered to the limit and held. It can be the sound of the fluid working real hard all the way to something that sounds like the belt trying to slip and squeal. Personally I choose not to hold it at the limit. My reasoning is that the limiting is done at the hub. The system can exert a lot of force and why strain all the parts in between unnecessarily.
I have older engines, lawn mower, chainsaws, etc. Owners manuals on them said 87 octane only. Easier starting. I forget the reason but 2-cycles now must have at least 89 because of the alcohol, even the older engines. (alcohol is an octane booster) One of the requirements to meet top tier is between 8 & 10% alcohol. That means no burning of straight gasoline in this 3.6L
I took my wife for a little drive late yesterday afternoon. Need some break-in miles and getting used to vehicle. Sun was blinding so I had visor down. Traffic rather congested and slow. Big trees partially obscure some traffic lights and close to light I did not see it change. Drove through red at about 2 MPH. I'll have to put that in the memory banks. "Under certain conditions the visor being down could be bad." The navigation database needs updating. Wife wanted a bite to eat and suggested Arby's since we would not get home for some time. It showed one less than 2 miles away. Followed the directions for about 3 miles, no Arby's. Wife got first lesson about leaving purse with her key in vehicle. She likes the anti-lockout. After visiting with family we made the night drive home. Took a little time to figure out dimming of guages and blue. They were blinding bright. She loves heated seat. Side blind zone is great and can really help with this car. Projection head lights were great in a traffic circle. This is where they were most obvious. But with the extra narrow beam at the vehicle there was no scatter to the adjacent area you would use when making a turn. A car of this level should have cornering lamps, especially with the projection headlamps and the very low profile tires. Driving blindly around corner at night could be devastating or expensive.
I have the outside mirrors adjusted as I had them on Malibu. Don't need to see the side of my car, I know where it is. I swung those out far enough to get wider view. The drivers side to the point there was a big blind area alongside my car, but not wide enough for a car to hide in. To make certain when maneuvering I'd shift my head to the left a bit and could see that area clearly. Much the same with passenger side but was able to cover that area immediately alongside with inside rearview. Headrests, etc. did not obstruct viewing out R/S rear window. Not so on Lacrosse. The blind alert will help cover this. The inside rearview does not have the forward looking blindspot created in the Malibu. The HUD allows me to set steering wheel where it is most comfortable and not worry about it blocking guages. Halileujah! The steering wheel is far more comfortable than the Malibu's and has far less nuisance feel of the road. (Even with Eagle tires) This new design of headrests where they are jabbing you in the back of the head is horrible. I turned them around on Malibu. I definitely will try to do something with these, even if I have to have them modified. I like sitting upright, best for back and seat belt, but makes headrests worse. Insurance companies might like it. Death benefit for broken neck far cheaper than costly medical for whiplash. I will have to recheck the positioning of driver side mirror. Lights hitting the outer edge of it did not actuate auto-dimming until after I was near blinded by reflection. I am beginning to think my other solution is better. Move mirror downward so you don't get direct reflection of headlamps. You will know someone is in the area simply by the brightness and if you need a good look, move your head to look. It makes me wonder if the reverse aiming of mirror would double for night time use. The inside mirror autodimming seemed quite good and there is the second level of defense, raising the rear sunscreen.
But on these Eagle tires again. They seem to be the source of inside noise. This vehicle seems to be noisier than the Malibu, a lot noisier. And that is pretty sad. My first perception was just by the level of what seems to be road noise. The second was by what was happening with the auto-volume of radio. The low setting was perfect in the Malibu. The same setting in this vehicle is bad. Pulling up at stops the radio was way too loud.
Did I mention the owners manual shows how to get instantaneous MPG?
No rain yet so I can not check that condition. But it seems this vehicle does not have speed sensitive wipers. The lowly Malibu does even on the base model. They are not perfect, but very useful.
Bring it back. Hopefully just a programming is needed. You can gleen lots of information with its use. If driving in familiar surroundings, you can learn how well your car is running for the conditions. How different fuels effect it. Windy conditions such as a head wind or a tail wind needing more time to stop. If you are caught in the turbulance of another vehicle causing more drag. There could even be more uses that I had not thought of and found viable.
Rider: Re Octane rating; I read once that lower octane ignites sooner than higher octane which may explain easier starting . Higher octane retards ignition to accommodate higher compression ratio engines and prevent pre-ignition prior to computer aided engines that adjust it out . The "top tier: brands also seem to provide a consistent product with most important clean sand free underground tanks and also cleaners such as techron, nitrogen based and other additives to keep very expensive injectors clean. Seems like saving 4c a gallon at the cost of a $90-$300 single injector (x4, 6 or 8) is a foolish consumer decision. Our 3.0L seems to like 87 octane fine but gets midgrade Shell or Chevron also. The more expensive "rice burners" require 91 octane for max HP & performance. Real problem to find premium gas during the last manufactured shortage to get prices up. Enjoy your new Lacrosse- we love ours!
It is an older Samsung. SCHU410MSV Yes the download stayed in place. I have not yet tried the hands free, aka voice. Since the Malibu did not download list, one choice was to program each into the car as individual contacts. Limited number of them. Then the command was simply CALL (name). To do it with the contacts in the phone, BLUETOOTH, __ VOICE, __call (name). Some other commands were available such as dialing a number. Of course the phone is voice activated. And to transfer to phone I just opened it. Unaware of any glitches in that system with this phone. But some use limitations of course. Once you pair your phone you should not have to do anything to reconnect to the vehicle unless you have more than one phone, then maybe. Did it auto pair or did you have to enter the code from the vehicle to the phone? This might be a safety feature to avoid unauthorized use.
I will try to learn the rest of this system and post back if I have troubles. Have you checked the GM bluetooth site for info? When I did a year ago it showed compatible phones and some with limited features. It might not hurt to recheck your phone manual because it is hard for company reps to be fully knowledgeable. But then auto updates are downloaded to the phone which may fix, break, disable, or enable features.
Breakin, always applies to new brakes for about 600 miles. And the rest of vehicle is usually considered around 1000 miles. Sort of an old standard that was not even mentioned for a number of years. So I was shocked at the 3000 recommendation. I really am wondering why. And they used to say to push it hard once during the break-in to ensure seating of the rings. And also a bit surprised at the oil recommendation. That it not only meet the current API specifications but it also must meet a separate GM one. I would be bewildered if the tires are actually quiet on your vehicle. Do you have hyper-struts on 2011? Do you see any evidence of extra sound deadening, such as undercoat or heavy looking paint underneath? Sometimes such things are only applied at certain plants or certain destinations.
And low octane also burns faster with the flame front moving faster with high compression. Thus the burn is essentially complete before the engine has time for the crank to reach a position to take the best advantage of the energy. Part of the old solution was to just retard it all the time. Knock sensors fixed a lot of that. Even though back then most engines were retarded to keep from reaching those high pressure conditions of spark knock because that created polluting nitrous compounds. But that was after EGR valves and convertors that aided in hydrocarbon emissions, which was said to make the nitrous issue worse. What a tangled web. It seemed that those knowledgeable knew back then, nearly 40 years ago, the best answer would have been direct injection, controlling the burn via the amount of fuel being injected across time. That is very much what diesel does. I will definitely double check the pump before I fill.
This morning I decided to stretch my CXS on my private test tract. That is Route 295 on a Sunday morning when it is virtually empty. (Sorry highway troopers I meant no disrespect, this was strictly for research) I put the Lacrosse through its paces and the sweet spot is at 72 MPG and 1700 RPM. I tried other speeds from 62 to 94 but 72 seems optimal. Above 72 RPM rises 2000+ and beyond 80 gas consumption is phenomenal and there is no difference in gas consumption between 62 and 72.
Now the golf story. On my way back I stopped at a golf course and I ruined the game of the Flomax crowd as they gawked at my new Lacrosse. They wanted to touch and take a peek at the interior and the reaction was the same. Wow! What a nice car and who makes it? I wish I had a camera to capture these guys behaving like teenage boys admiring a new car. I think Buick has hit a huge home run and they have a genuine success story on their hands. Even my two grand kids brag to their friends that their granddad is driving a cool car.
Comments
What tire Make and Model came with your Touring Package?
Does anyone know what the defaults are?
I test drove the vehicle today and knew nothing of these settings at the time. I did set the seat button 1 for my positions. I was surprised that the seat did not retract when I turned the vehicle off and opened door. Button 2 was apparently programmed for way back though.
But from what I've read if you turn it on for the remote to handle it, it moves the seat, etc. to the programmed position before you ever get in. That is stupid in my book. And having to hold the seat programmed button is also stupid. My prior GM seat memory only needed button pushed momentarily and as I was buckling up, starting vehicle, etc. the seat came into position.
I'm hoping the seat memory button is made momentary and that the remove function will not move seat forward until I'm in at least. Maybe via start button.
The package description tells you which wheel, the special suspension with selectivity, and the tire. The tire specifically says, "P245/40R19 all-season, blackwall tires". The 2011 book listing all options available shows the same info.
Buying the "Touring Package", would you expect anything less than an all-seson blackwall touring tire?
Nearly all of the Buick cars I've looked at in the past 10 months had Michelin. I think one of the Lucernne had Continentals. I don't recall any of the Lacrosse having Good Year.
And why would they even think of putting such a poorly rated tire with the touring package, Eagle RSA. It does not even rise to the level of "touring tire" and only rated as "passenger". Of 20 tires in this category, rating at tirerack puts it 15th. Other Eagle models rate far better.
The other cars on the lot, Lucernne, Regal, & Lacrosse w/o Touring Package all had Michelin MXM4 in the appropriate size which is an all-season Grand Touring tire and rated by owners far superior to Eagles.
I'm trying to figure out this seat issue to make sure all is working as wanted before signing papers Thursday 7th.
I test drove today and vehicle seems to be pretty nice. A bit more torque steer than I expected. In sport mode the ride became a little harsh at highway speed. And a little more road noise than I expected, but maybe because the rest of the car is so quiet I noticed it easily. This was before I became aware that Eagle RSA were on it and believe that explains harshness and noise.
But now knowing you can unlock the door by pushing button in handle, you could get in and then push remote to adjust seat, so it seems.
Bigger problem is the randomness with which this seems to work. If you've seen my earlier post, I am the only driver of my vehicle. I do not use the "easy exit" option, which means there is no reason for the driver's seat to ever move - yet it does, about a third of the time.
Dealer has order the seat module to try replacing it - I'll re-post when it's been installed to advise whether it has solved my problem (which, I know, doesn't do you much good in trying to resolve this before you sign the papers tomorrow - I can say, however, that except for this one small problem, I absolutely love the car).
A recent call to the dealer has gotten nowhere with a fix.
Is anyone interested in carring this a step further? I have had the car for almost 1 year and nothing from GM yet. Getting tired of it!
:mad: :lemon: ?
Every dealer has his own excuse. The last one I talked to (Service Manager) said that phone issues go to the Salesman. They won't do anything in the Service Shop.
I am now 95% certain that the Bluetooth protocol which allows contacts (files) to be pushed to the car was disabled by VERIZON. Its not a RIM issue. I have the same issue with a non RIM phone and the internet is full of evidence. They were even sued over this but lost on how they advertised BT functionality. Did they stop criplling their phones? No, just changed the ad language.
Hmm, something does not seem right. In the CTS I drove aggressively and used regular 87 octane gas but in the CXS I drive sedately and use the mid-grade 89 octane gas and still get such poor mileage. I switch from 87 to 89 octane because I was getting about 16 mpg so I'm between a rock and a hard place paying 10 cents a gallon more but without an appreciable improvement in gas mileage.
Nonetheless, I'm still in love with my Lacrosse and every mile that I drive it gives me undiluted pleasure.
Are you going by what the DIC indicated in each vehicle? Or have you actually calculated it yourself. DIC in Malibu is off for most people and indicates less than what is actually occurring. For me it has been about 1 MPG less than what is actually occurring.
Mileage verified, it would seem something is wrong.
Verify that it is going through all the shifts properly and that the TCC is engaging. One eye on tachometer might be helpful, but do this safely.
In another forum one poster said he was reading the instantaneous mileage which might be helpful in learning a more economical way to drive. The '10's I test drove did not show "instantaneous". It may have changed for 11, or maybe there is a way to get it to display such as settings.
Might you have a brake or brakes dragging?
It could be something in electronics causing one or more to be slightly applied. An improper assembly. Or tightness of new system. I had a caliper stick just past 1K, but only one time that I'm aware of. With it being city driving, presumably you are applying brake often. The newness might be so tight that the brakes are draggin just a little for a lengthy time after each application.
To get best mileage on the highway it is suggested that you do a lane change after each braking. The very tiny play tolerances allow the rotors to nudge the brake pads a bit extra allowing less drag.
Do you have touring package and with which brand and model of tire?
And maybe your driving style was a better match for the Cadillac drivetrain. Whether vehicle has problem or not, by modifying your style you could easily see improvement. Try to coast as much as possible. Agressive driving will hurt mileage.
Ahead of time, adjust speed so you flow smoothly with traffic and even avoid coming to full stop at traffic lights.
Let us know what you learn.
Access the mileage readout and then clear the reading, leave the system on the mileage readout and in a few seconds the "instant" reading displays. Our 2010 CXL is predictably speed sensitive and this method shows mileage at whatever speed you are trying to diagnose. We get 29 mpg at 70-75 and low 30's at 65-70. Jacking up to 80-85 knocks MPG down to 27.6 or so. Great mileage for a 4400 # car! Intown is hard to read due to variability. Per prior posts, some Lacrosse models shipped with other than our 2.77 final gear ratio and that seems to make a bigger difference than speed or engine IMO. Ours also "likes" Shell midgrade for some reason. Still experimenting but truly an outstanding car in all respects so far.
"Are you going by what the DIC indicated in each vehicle? Or have you actually calculated it yourself?"
Actually I use an Excel spreadsheet with the following columns: miles, gallons purchased, and MPG. I also use other columns for date, price paid and octane level. But as I said earlier I mostly do city and surburban driving.
Do you have touring package and with which brand and model of tire?
Yes I have the touring package with 19" wheels and Goodyear RSA 245/40R/19 94W tires. The Cadillac by comparison had 17" inch tires. On the whole, I am very satisfied with the tires but perhaps would like to try Continental. Road & Track said in the Equus the car is very quiet. Crusing on the interstate there is very little tire or road noise creeping into the cabin.
As for "instantaneous" on a 2010, just reset to zero while at highway speed, observe for about 2 minutes and that is pretty much your instantaneous.
Good input.
And that would be in all categories of user responses. I don't want slighty noisy tires or slightly harsh, even.
But the other categories which included wet and wintery are definitely out. Here in Savannah, GA we get quite a bit of rain and many roads have shallow depressions that hold water so you want tires that are very hydroplane resistant and function well on wet road. And an area that isn't included in the categories, hot summer day and/or it has not rained in some time. Then, either a light rain or the first part of a storm combines with road oil to make a greasy slick surface. I'm always careful with such and don't need to be stupid about tires.
The catefory grouping, winter conditions. Most of my family lives in WI and I've been caught with snowing conditions in the past. Thankfully I always had tires that accomadated the conditions quite well. That is judging by the number of vehicles that had left the road unvoluntarily.
Asking about tires was sort of an aside at the time I wrote it. But maybe there is something related to mileage with the RSA. The Michelin that other LaX are getting is rated a green tire.
It would be interesting to compare MPG of responders according to tire, suspension, & model level with such a spreadsheet. I wish I knew how to start such a survey.
Also something that has created an unrelated to you, maybe, question in my mind. There have been very few that complained about torque steer. I'd been shopping so long the I've test driven 09 & 10 Impalas & Lucernnes. 10 & 11 Lacrosses. The 09 Malibu I'm in has only slight torque steer. The 96 Aurora I had previously had no torque steer.
The 11 Lacrosse I ordered is at dealer and test drove it 2 days ago. It has some torque steer and seems to be more than the Malibu.
What the heck is going on?
All of the LaX that I test drove should have had the H-arm which was dropped and then added back to the CSX in the Touring Package.
And the new CSX are all supposed to have the hyper-strut which GM claims reduces torque-steer and noise.
So another good survey would be of those experiencing torque steer, which suspension and which tire. Tires can cause torque steer.
Got me wondering how long to keep the car!
My older GM cars had the Magnetic or magnasteer system and the new 2010 Lacrosse CXL we got in July has it also. Seems fine so far, but all those petroleum based fluids have fire potential so I guess the recall was an abundance of caution.
I have talked with them over the phone but to no avail - no commitment. "We have to talk to the dealer".
I'm running very short of patience and I will bet I can make your system sound like !@$#$%^. Back out of your drive. Crank you wheel full over to the right while standing still and see what happens. If it doesn't squeal then they have a fix and don't want to fix the defective ones still out there.
Best, and welcome to the growing Lacrosse family.
And from your description of it occurring when you force the steering to a limit it squeals, that sounds like it is related to the hydraulic power steering.
I shall try on my own to see what I can do to get these off the vehicle without putting $1400 in the trash can.
I also spent most of the previous day at the dealer as well and they were having a fantastic day. My salesman was juggling 3 buyers at the same time. And the sales manager also had to act as finance officer since he was off. Even with external financing you have to go through him to get bill of sale and registration transfers.
When I got home I had to get something to eat and take a nap.
It appears we all or near all have issue with the seat memory. I had gone to the vehicle earlier and turned on the easy exit. That seems to have something to do with the seat moving into position as soon as you open the vehicle. Salesman saw it do that and commented, "Well that is dumb."
I'm still waiting for responses about the new part number for module, as to whether this issue gets fixed. I sure hope so.
Looking throught he manual last night, I was surprised on the fuel recommendations. Manual recommends top tier 91 octane. That is a shock. Also this same engine is used in Malibu and it is flex fuel. I don't see anything about being able to use E85 on this one.
I've seen a number of complaints relating to downloading contacts for phone. I'd done the pairing thing in the Malibu so I knew the procedure and took less than a minute. The voice commands are a bit different than on the Malibu and will have to learn them. So I hit the phone button and saw a long list of contacts to my surprise. It apparently automatically retrieved them from phone. I will have to check how well it did it. BTW, it is Verizon.
Still lots to learn.
Summing up, three complaints at this point.
1) Crappy tires on high end vehicle.
2) Seat memory that is apparently stupid.
3) Wants premium fuel and apparently not E85 capable.
And a maybe complaint. Someone sat in vehicle with what might have been a greasy rag in back pocket. They thoroughly detailed car and put a coat of wax on it. I don't know what they used to get the stain off the seat, other than it was liquid.
This morning I notice the leather is not laying smooth but drawn up a bit with ridges. Maybe it just needs to dry further, but I will certainly keep an eye on it.
I am also a bit surprised at the length of suggested break-in. Not driven over 68MPH for more than a few minutes until 3000 miles. I am sure the longest break-in I've ever seen was 1000 miles.
I will need to get a good look at bottom. I glance up under it and it did not seem like there was much paint on the bottom side, like maybe it could use more rust-proofing.
As to the Eagles, I have them and don't agree that they are a problem.
Re break-in period. I didn't see or read anything and was simply gentle for 1000 miles. No full throtle starts or even 3/4. No hard panic braking. Top speed first 500 miles was 70, after that 75. Never sustained for more than 5 minutes (as in crusie control mode.)
Concerning the Eagle RSA, they are not as bad as some say. I am very happy with mines and I have no complaints. It's probably not the tire but the 19" rims which are inherently noisier.
Anyways, what color did you buy? (mine is mocha steel) was it the CXS with all the options or just the basic package. You said the manual recommends 91 octane, I haven't checked it out yet but the car seems to run much better on 89 than the 87 I previously used. Next time I will try the 91 octane since I get a $0.40 discount a gallon with my Stop & Shop card.
Don't know where you live but in the Boston area it is shaping up to be a nice weekend to drive the new car. Next weekend I will be driving up to Burlington, Vermont (900 miles round-trip) so I will have the opportunity to push the car, but not really, since I am still in the break-in cautionary period.
Well, keep your Eagles RSA on and enjoy the ride.
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In any case GM has called and will discuss with them next week what my options are - their phrase. Doesn't look like a solution is near.
I also have to agree with your other 2 "complaints", although not a big issue once you get used to the seats. Being my last 2 cars required 93 oct. so that too is not a deal buster. I got an honest 28 mpg on a recent trip over mostly 2 lane South Texas roads at between 70 and (oops) 100 so that I am satisfied with - Chevron or Exxon only.
Basically a good car for the size and price. Some things a a bit goofy but overall, without the squaking steering, a good value.
It is Red Jewel Tint. I don't know what wax they put on it, but it seems to have shifted the red a little deeper toward Ruby color. With all the metal flake in the paint, it is a real jewel.
I was debating a couple of other choices while I was placing the order. The mocha and white diamond tri-coat. White diamond tri-coat is no longer white diamond judging by other vehicles on the lot so I might have been disappointed had I ordered it. I wanted something that might have high visibility for safety. White would not have been good for snow country I decided. Those on the lot that are supposed to be white diamond are very much like the pearl of a few years back. Sales manager agreed with that.
As to octane, the manual said 87 would be OK as long as it was not pinging but to expect what you have found out. It don't run as well basically. But you might want to check the pump where you buy. They stressed top tier as the most important and said to look for a symbol on the pump. Damage by running less, not covered by warranty.
Savannah, GA and a beautiful weekend here as well. Sitting under a nice big high pressure meaning very clear skies and a bit cooler than normal for this time of year. I will be doing a bit break-in driving and learning the vehicle as well. Have to get used to the differences anytime you get in a different vehicle.
Only quick fix I've found on the seat memory is don't unlock door from a distance. Open immediately and hit one of the memory buttons which will cancel movement. Get in and then hit the remote button again.
It is the CXS, all factory options except sunroof, rear video screens, & the tire sealer kit. Even got the rear thorax airbags especially because of grandchildren. Otherwise you only get the side curtain that covers the rear seat side glass areas. These cover from the glass down for side impacts. Really a cheap option for what you get. Brother-in-law had his 06 Ford truck totalled recently. It was very customized and used for towing boat frequently. Side impact at rear axle by someone who ran light. He really wished he had those side airbags. Most of the impact would have been absorbed by spinning his truck around, but still he was hurting for a few weeks.
It has the slate gray interior and I have not been in it after dark, but suspect with the interior blue light it will look great. Thankfully, I don't detect any height mismatch that some complained about where door panels meet the dash. The faux wood, well that is what it is. Certainly not as pretty as the real thing in the Aurora, but then not as nearly expensive. Some had cracked it on the console and that piece of plastic that the wood veneer is glued to and then clear coated was $300.
I checked my tire pressure early this morning and down a couple of pounds, likely seasonal change. I'll have to correct before getting a real sense of touring versus sport suspension.
I'm a little disappointed in the trunk liner. Looks like what you get on base Malibu. Mine had the upgrade that got you nicer floor mats and trunk liner. Liner was like a thick rug which likely helped stopping noise from coming through trunk floor. And noise I detected coming from rear during test drive may have been because the arm-rest and hole behind it were open when I got back to the dealer. Since it was parked in a private area there would have been no reason for anyone accessing that area between the test drive and when I got back.
I love the HUD, but it will take some getting used to. I'll need to learn all the other ways of avoiding taking my eyes off road.
From what I read in the manual, it seems they implemented the ESC differently from the Malibu. It reads that it only accuates one brake to regain control. Maybe the AWD is needed to get full benefit.
The seats are very comfortable and the steering wheel is much nicer than the one on Malibu, both leather covered. I felt absolutely no vibration at steering wheel.
I'll post back as I get a chance to check other items.
I was surprised to learn that many people are looking for the 4 cylinder in the Buicks.
If implemented as on Aurora, you would see all the standard components of a hydraulic power steering. Somewhere in the steering shaft, before it exits the cabin, will be an electro-magnetic device. Magnets attached to shaft and an electric coil surrounding that. At low speeds it should be doing nothing. As speed increases it creates a drag so you need more force to turn steering wheel. You would not want a drastic change in steering at highway speed. And it dampens what the tires are feeling on the road and trying to send back to the steering wheel.
And it could be that there are a number of bad units in the parts supply chain. And they've not found a way to find those units, whatever the part is. Thus they might install a bad unit and not fix the problem. So read carefully and read between the lines.
Good Luck.
I'll post whatever the GM guy says. Depending on that conversation I'll have to decide wether or not to keep the car. Trade-ins are good on these cars so I should recover most of the investment.
I bought the trunk liner for my '09 and was at first disappointed to find it came from GM rolled up in a long skinny box and was made of vinyl. Once unrolled and installed I was happy with it though. It is shaped to ft the trunk and has a lip all the way around to contain anything liquid that may get on it, and it has the Buick name and logo imprinted in it. Looks good, a nice upgrade.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
If the vehicle has a 2.4L L4 engine (VIN Code C) or the 3.0L V6 engine (VIN Code G), use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87, an audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark knock, might be heard when driving. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. If heavy knocking is heard when using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, the engine needs service.
If the vehicle has the 3.6L V6 engine (VIN Code V), use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 91 or higher. You can also use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but the vehicle's acceleration could be slightly reduced, and a slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark knock, might be heard.
If the octane is less than 87, a heavy knocking noise might be heard when driving. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. Otherwise, you could damage the engine. If heavy knocking is heard when using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, the engine needs service.
Gasoline Specifications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM specification D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB‐3.5 or 3.511 in
Canada. Some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT). We recommend against the use of gasolines containing MMT. See Fuel Additives on page 8‑50 for additional
information
Hopefully the noise is just very unsettling and they will get it fixed, I hope.
As to the Volt, I would not make any bets. It may be like when Bill Gates was on stage to introduce the new OS several years back and as soon as he pushed a key, BSOD, that is the "blue screen of death". At least that crash did not kill anyone despite how aggravating it was.
It would be more like 50 years, but still plenty of time to perfect something. The problem is they keep trying to re-invent something with a new batch of engineers that don't have the experience of the prior team which means they are likely to make the previous mistakes.
Take the leaking hose recall. They can do it correctly. Did GM put manufacturing of the hose assembly out for bids. A different supplier came up with cheaper bid and bean counter went with that? That second supplier might have found a source for cheaper parts that were not of the quality of the previous supplier, but they met the engineering specification as GM wrote it. GM limited the amount of detail specified because of engineering cost, or the engineer was lazy, or maybe inadequate.
As long as the demand is to have a totally new vehicle every few years, they will never be able to correct all the errors.
What the GM guy says might be helpful. That is, has he diagnosed it correctly? Maybe a second opinion will help. Have someone listening for the source of the noise with the hood raised while someone turns the steering wheel.
Yes, GM has enjoyed a very long relationship with Goodyear, like Ford and Firestone.
Live with? or die with?
I might be in snow country the end of December, one of the really weak points of this tire.
There are quite a few models of Eagle. A common one used on some Malibu and Impala were the LS. They were so horrible that many were replaced by dealer. They replaced with LS2 and I hear it is a poor improvement, maybe just a little better. Uneven wear, out of round, unable to get a good RFB without lots of weight are problems the dealer replaced them for. But the complaints go way beyond the reasons of dealer replacement.
These are Eagle RSA.
The Grand Prix also made a pump noise at startup diagnosed as ABS pump pressurizing that B'ville never made. Point is that both cars had same technical specs but were NOT THE SAME CARS. B'ville was much better car so Grand Prix is gone and B'ville lives in garage with the 2010 Lacrosse CXL. Both cars prefer name brand midgrade gas (mileage and driveability) and both do NOT like ethanol added as much as non-ethanol fuel.
Thank you to the pro- big oil politicians for pushing that subsidized rubber eating junk into the market and our very expensive engines - even lawnmowers don't like it. Sorry for the soapbox on a great car forum.
I downloaded the online owners manual which is pdf document. Links in it took me to explanation of why and what top tier is. They say that some gas distributors have cut the amount of detergent nearly in half. Sticking valves being one of the resulting problems. The manual says using less than top tier problems will not be covered by warranty.
I do not know what the dealer put in the tank but absolutely no sound of spark knock.
Personally I choose not to hold it at the limit. My reasoning is that the limiting is done at the hub. The system can exert a lot of force and why strain all the parts in between unnecessarily.
I have older engines, lawn mower, chainsaws, etc. Owners manuals on them said 87 octane only. Easier starting. I forget the reason but 2-cycles now must have at least 89 because of the alcohol, even the older engines. (alcohol is an octane booster)
One of the requirements to meet top tier is between 8 & 10% alcohol. That means no burning of straight gasoline in this 3.6L
I'll have to put that in the memory banks. "Under certain conditions the visor being down could be bad."
The navigation database needs updating. Wife wanted a bite to eat and suggested Arby's since we would not get home for some time. It showed one less than 2 miles away. Followed the directions for about 3 miles, no Arby's.
Wife got first lesson about leaving purse with her key in vehicle. She likes the anti-lockout.
After visiting with family we made the night drive home. Took a little time to figure out dimming of guages and blue. They were blinding bright.
She loves heated seat.
Side blind zone is great and can really help with this car.
Projection head lights were great in a traffic circle. This is where they were most obvious.
But with the extra narrow beam at the vehicle there was no scatter to the adjacent area you would use when making a turn. A car of this level should have cornering lamps, especially with the projection headlamps and the very low profile tires. Driving blindly around corner at night could be devastating or expensive.
I have the outside mirrors adjusted as I had them on Malibu. Don't need to see the side of my car, I know where it is. I swung those out far enough to get wider view. The drivers side to the point there was a big blind area alongside my car, but not wide enough for a car to hide in. To make certain when maneuvering I'd shift my head to the left a bit and could see that area clearly. Much the same with passenger side but was able to cover that area immediately alongside with inside rearview. Headrests, etc. did not obstruct viewing out R/S rear window. Not so on Lacrosse. The blind alert will help cover this.
The inside rearview does not have the forward looking blindspot created in the Malibu.
The HUD allows me to set steering wheel where it is most comfortable and not worry about it blocking guages. Halileujah!
The steering wheel is far more comfortable than the Malibu's and has far less nuisance feel of the road. (Even with Eagle tires)
This new design of headrests where they are jabbing you in the back of the head is horrible. I turned them around on Malibu. I definitely will try to do something with these, even if I have to have them modified. I like sitting upright, best for back and seat belt, but makes headrests worse. Insurance companies might like it. Death benefit for broken neck far cheaper than costly medical for whiplash.
I will have to recheck the positioning of driver side mirror. Lights hitting the outer edge of it did not actuate auto-dimming until after I was near blinded by reflection. I am beginning to think my other solution is better. Move mirror downward so you don't get direct reflection of headlamps. You will know someone is in the area simply by the brightness and if you need a good look, move your head to look. It makes me wonder if the reverse aiming of mirror would double for night time use. The inside mirror autodimming seemed quite good and there is the second level of defense, raising the rear sunscreen.
But on these Eagle tires again. They seem to be the source of inside noise. This vehicle seems to be noisier than the Malibu, a lot noisier. And that is pretty sad.
My first perception was just by the level of what seems to be road noise. The second was by what was happening with the auto-volume of radio. The low setting was perfect in the Malibu. The same setting in this vehicle is bad. Pulling up at stops the radio was way too loud.
Did I mention the owners manual shows how to get instantaneous MPG?
No rain yet so I can not check that condition. But it seems this vehicle does not have speed sensitive wipers. The lowly Malibu does even on the base model. They are not perfect, but very useful.
You can gleen lots of information with its use. If driving in familiar surroundings, you can learn how well your car is running for the conditions. How different fuels effect it. Windy conditions such as a head wind or a tail wind needing more time to stop. If you are caught in the turbulance of another vehicle causing more drag.
There could even be more uses that I had not thought of and found viable.
The "top tier: brands also seem to provide a consistent product with most important clean sand free underground tanks and also cleaners such as techron, nitrogen based and other additives to keep very expensive injectors clean. Seems like saving 4c a gallon at the cost of a $90-$300 single injector (x4, 6 or 8) is a foolish consumer decision.
Our 3.0L seems to like 87 octane fine but gets midgrade Shell or Chevron also. The
more expensive "rice burners" require 91 octane for max HP & performance. Real problem to find premium gas during the last manufactured shortage to get prices up.
Enjoy your new Lacrosse- we love ours!
Yes the download stayed in place.
I have not yet tried the hands free, aka voice.
Since the Malibu did not download list, one choice was to program each into the car as individual contacts. Limited number of them. Then the command was simply CALL (name).
To do it with the contacts in the phone, BLUETOOTH, __ VOICE, __call (name). Some other commands were available such as dialing a number. Of course the phone is voice activated.
And to transfer to phone I just opened it. Unaware of any glitches in that system with this phone. But some use limitations of course.
Once you pair your phone you should not have to do anything to reconnect to the vehicle unless you have more than one phone, then maybe.
Did it auto pair or did you have to enter the code from the vehicle to the phone? This might be a safety feature to avoid unauthorized use.
I will try to learn the rest of this system and post back if I have troubles.
Have you checked the GM bluetooth site for info? When I did a year ago it showed compatible phones and some with limited features.
It might not hurt to recheck your phone manual because it is hard for company reps to be fully knowledgeable. But then auto updates are downloaded to the phone which may fix, break, disable, or enable features.
Breakin, always applies to new brakes for about 600 miles. And the rest of vehicle is usually considered around 1000 miles. Sort of an old standard that was not even mentioned for a number of years. So I was shocked at the 3000 recommendation.
I really am wondering why. And they used to say to push it hard once during the break-in to ensure seating of the rings.
And also a bit surprised at the oil recommendation. That it not only meet the current API specifications but it also must meet a separate GM one. I would be bewildered if the tires are actually quiet on your vehicle. Do you have hyper-struts on 2011?
Do you see any evidence of extra sound deadening, such as undercoat or heavy looking paint underneath? Sometimes such things are only applied at certain plants or certain destinations.
What a tangled web.
It seemed that those knowledgeable knew back then, nearly 40 years ago, the best answer would have been direct injection, controlling the burn via the amount of fuel being injected across time. That is very much what diesel does.
I will definitely double check the pump before I fill.
Now the golf story. On my way back I stopped at a golf course and I ruined the game of the Flomax crowd as they gawked at my new Lacrosse. They wanted to touch and take a peek at the interior and the reaction was the same. Wow! What a nice car and who makes it? I wish I had a camera to capture these guys behaving like teenage boys admiring a new car. I think Buick has hit a huge home run and they have a genuine success story on their hands. Even my two grand kids brag to their friends that their granddad is driving a cool car.
Any similar positive stories? Feed the forum!