Have owned an '04 SRX V8 since new with 36,000 current miles. I have had no real problems until now. 3 months ago I told the local Caddy dealer that the trans seemed to be pulling on some hills. They fixed this by "reprograming" the trans. Since then the milage has gone from 12-13 (not great)in the city to 6-7mpg (unbelievable.) I got 114 miles on the last tank of gas! The dealer says everything checks out fine. They say they can't get rid of the reprogram because GM doesn't give them the software to do that. Does anyone know what is going on and what I can do about it? I told the dealer to keep the car until they find something. I don't think they liked that.

Kick the service manager in the nuts until he can find a solution?


I hate when this happens, they have no fix for the bad fix you got. I worry everytime I take mine in, if I get the Tcase reprogram nuts are going to roll :rant2:

Welcome & BUMMER!
I hope they figure it out.
I thought $50.00 didn't go far at 18MPG.
Geeze, that's terrible.

At what speeds can you sport shift to 5th gear and then go back to drive without the rpms increasing?
I'm suspecting the shift points have been set at a higher speed and therefore staying in lower gears than before.
Even if that's the reason I don't know what you could do other than point it out to a higher authority than your service department folks hoping for a fix.

I think it is absolutely criminal that they can put 15 to 20 MPG on the sales sticker and then plead stupid when your vehicle comes no where close...
Keep trying as others do get the sticker mileage...(do a search)
We went through the same thing (/04SRXloaded) and I had the dealer write on the repair ticket that 12 to 14 MPG is common for these vehicles as I intended to go to court...however, by an off chance I put in a can of Techron and the MPG went up to almost the window sticker rating...
If its not in the computer these people are not allowed to think anymore..
I did get another dealer to re calibrate the transmission as the shifting , shifting,shifting was driving me crazy..
Good luck and keep us posted (I think we should start a class action suit)..
Perk

I know they changed the shift points with the reprogram. I thought that because this had not happened before it was something in the engine. Initially the service manager said they did this instead of a torque converter replacement. What did they think would happen? They should at least ask me. I would have said don't do it. I told then a few weeks later that the engine was making a high pitch winning sound and they said that was the the computer adjusting. Who do I take this to?

Who do I take this to?

A different dealership.

I think it is absolutely criminal that they can put 15 to 20 MPG on the sales sticker and then plead stupid when your vehicle comes no where close...
Good luck and keep us posted (I think we should start a class action suit)..
Perk
Those mileage numbers are just ESTIMATES-not guarantees. The 2008 ESTIMATES for all cars are very accurate. My 2004 SRX gets exactly what the 2008 figures esimate. The 2007 and earlier ESTIMATE for city were were ALL 20% too high: even for my Accord.:stirpot:

6 miles per gallon, as said start with a new dealer, that is way wrong. :(

Have owned an '04 SRX V8 since new with 36,000 current miles. I have had no real problems until now.

OT: I just didn't want this fact to go un-noticed...



Definitely something is wrong with that kind of MPG. Sounds like an 02 sensor maybe, but I would expect a code. Maybe unhook the trailer and recalcualte? Sorry.

6 mpg just plain sux.........!
My votes would be:
1.) A different, competent, Cadillac service center.
2.) Advise you current service manager you want to meet with him and the factory representative next time he comes through town.

BTW: Anyone out there know if the power chip programmers would help "do it one's self" on scanning transmission settings?

The service manager now says that the problem is the trans reprogram and that they have reversed the reprogram. Before he said it was not the problem and they could not reverse it. Go figure. I haven't had a chance to test this yet.

Service Manager? I would hate to see the Techs. I would defintely go to another dealer.

Be sure to come back and tell us what happened when they figure it out.

Hey everyone................how much damage can happen with all that fuel dumping over the O2 sensors, thought the cat's and the rest of the exhaust system?
How can he determine?

Two questions & some comments for this group:
1) Do the "SRX system computers" have the ability to activate rear brakes??
2) I have also been told that "reprogramming" is irreversible, ie once "reprogrammed" original is not recoverable by dealer; is this true??
3) Many months ago, this forum had much to say about the "reprogramming"; and my conclusion was: a) the reprogramming was really an attempt to keep positive torque on the AWD differentials to reduce backlash in the diff gears by slowing the "rise time" of WOT; b) side effect was to increase the 0-60 time by seconds as well as to increase the "fall time" of foot off throttle (my analogy is the "vacuum-mechanical dashpot" used to slow off-throttle on mechanical linkage w/ old auto transmissions), thus now requiring more use of brakes in heavy traffic.
4) My dealer continually wants to reprogram my 2005 N* 320 hp V8 RWD-5 speed auto w/paddle shift; but I resist by not allowing any (sneakey) service that I cannot observe, and I have refused - in writing - to allow any reprogramming unless GM Cad requires me to do so with a formal written notification of impacts to my warranty (so far no notice received). I do not wish to have any "delays in throttle back-off", and typically get service at an independent shop.
My mileage hangs in ~ 12-14 in town and 19-21 freeway (typically LA to Las Vegas at fwy speeds).
5) Wife's 1999 DeVille Concours N* 300hp V8 FWD-4 speed auto ~ 14-16 in town and 21 -24 freeway
6) Always premium fuel; switched brands to get Techron.

Just responding to number 2. It is my understanding that the "re-flash" that affects 0-60 times is not reversible. However, other ECM updates are. Transmission shift reporograms are reversible and I think that is what is being described here. In fact, I program and re-program my Escalade ECM with a handheld unit frequently. If I can do it, rest assured the dealer service dept. can do it. Good for you for staying persistent in refusing the re-flash!