Help! Starting to HATE my new 2006 SRX :-(

[iprncess]

I'm so disappointed. I bought a used SRX 6/10. Drove it from Texas to Louisiana that weekend and on my way home the check engine light comes on. I call the Dealer to tell him I'm bringing it in but it goes off 24 hours later. I take another trip to LA for business a week later, light comes back on. This time doesn't go off for the entire week I'm out of town. I bring it to Auto Zone and they pull 5 codes (P1105, P0068-twice, P0174, P1101). Take it to the dealer and they change the MAF sensor and do some sort of fuel flush. I pick the car up and the light is STILL on but service is gone for the day. I go back the next day and the guys says that they probably forgot to turn the light off so he does. I get to work and 4 hours later when I leave LIGHT COMES BACK ON! I bring it back again and the service guys says he didn't realize that there was a bulletin out about this problem and he just needed to follow the steps(instructions) and the light went right off. He drove the car 30 miles in 10 mile increments and no light. He also printed off a copy of this bulletin to the service men from GM about the SES light and it referenced codes P1101 & P0068. I pick it up and go a full 24 hours before it comes back on again last night. I am really trying to love this car since everyone keeps reminding me that its "A luxury vehicle", but when I started my SUV search I was all set for a Honda Pilot. My fiancee is a salesmen and we know someone at just about every dealer and we found the SRX (06 V8 N* w/ 60K Miles Navi, Third Row, and the DVD system I wanted for my boys) for much less then I was about to spend on the pilot. I feel so silly because I traded in my 07 Honda Accord which I bought brand new so I knew it's full maintenance history and it ran flawlessly! All I needed was more room for myself and 2 boys and now I have a "luxury vehicle" that is constantly in the shop and to top it off, I'm averaging 14.7 MPG as opposed to the 24 MPG I was able to get with my Honda.

I guess I just needed to vent, but I also need some advice. What are the chances that this is just going to keep getting worse? We are friends with the sales manager at the Cadillac dealership and he swears that I shouldn't worry and whatever is wrong they will figure it out, but I'm wondering if this is how the first month of ownership is then I can imagine what happens next! Just tell me that at some point driving my fully loaded luxury vehicle with eventually bring me as much joy as driving my Honda Accord did. Right now I HATE even getting in the car. I really loved it when I got it; Kinda felt like a sexy soccer mom , but with all this I just feel like I'm waiting for something to happen every time I get in. I read a forum about the ultraview sunroof and now I don't even wanna open the darn cover. I can't concentrate on anything else except praying that it doesn't break somewhere leaving me and my boys stranded. I just feel like I made a huge mistake.


Thanks for listening :-)

[Superjim]

The problems will go away as soon as you get a decent mechanic to work on it.
From what you said...it is the same problem reoccurring time after time.

If someone who is COMPETENT will actually FIX it...you will be happy with it.
It is a very nice vehicle.

[iprncess]

Thanks!

We are going to speak with our friend Monday (They closed today and tomorrow for the holiday) and find out if he can have the service manager look at the car instead of the previous guy. Something has to give!

[b4z]

You will never average 24mpg with a Honda Pilot, nor will you get 24mpg on the hwy above 70mph with one either.
My sister has one and it has a lot of frontal area and is not a mileage champ.

[Superjim]

Don't get mad at your fine automobile.
It is doing it's best to tell you what is wrong with it.
A good mechanic will get you fixed right up.

P0068 is Throttle Position Sensor which may be caused by...
Air leak between the MAF sensor and throttle body.
TP sensor not seated properly.
Damaged TP sensor.
Damaged MAF sensor.

P1105 is (I think) a MAP code. Manifold Absolute Pressure is not correct...probably an air leak.

P0174 is fuel trim lean...left bank...there is an air leak SOMEWHERE.

P1101...I can't find this one, but I think it is indicative of an air leak on the intake side of the engine.

In summary...you have an air leak of some type.
It may be a vacuum leak or something leaking in the intake air tubes...maybe a cracked intake hose or a loose or missing clamp somewhere.

When they get it fixed, you will once again love the SRX.

Texas Jim

[iprncess]

Thanks Jim,
I'll print that and bring it with me. I have the print outs from Autozone and so does the dealer, but apparently it isn't helping them.

B4Z,
I got 24mpg in my accord and was positive I wouldn't find an SUV getting that kind of mpg. I was expecting at least 17 mpg which is what the Pilot and Acadia received (2 SUV i seriously considered). I checked out a few of the forums after purchase and don't think I've seen anyone else with an SRX averaging 14.7 mpg. Maybe the notification on the Navi is wrong, but that is what it says. I sell Mary Kay and my Director has one (MK in Pink) that she swears by. I know she puts tons of miles on it everyday, but I haven't ever heard her complain about mileage. Could be because gas is the only thing she has to pay for so it doesn't matter. Needless to say I couldn't ask her about it because she would have just reminded me that I could be driving a brand new "FREE" one. Perhaps the poor mileage has something to do with the mystery leak

Well I'm crossing my fingers that they get it fixed soon so I can really enjoy it. Ignoring the pesky light it is a really slick car.

[USAFRET]

I traded my wifes 2008 Accord EX-L (fully loaded) for a used CPO 2009 RWD V6 SRX.


We couldn't be happier. We hated the Honda. It too was in the shop several times and when I traded it it still had two naggy issues they couldnt' fix. In fact one of the issues dates back to 2000 (dimming headlights or flicker) this is a copy of the TSB Honda is using to tell new Accord owners this is normal


The best Highway MPG I got from my 08 Accord EX-L I4 was 28 MPG. My 06 vette routinely gets better highway mileage. The best highway MPG I've managed with our 09 V6 SRX has been 22+ MPG.

We bought our 09 SRX because we needed more space and a wanted a more "upscale" driving/ownership experience, the SRX delivers that in spades. Plus it's American - which means a lot to this veteran.

As far as your poor fuel mileage is concerned I'd bet it directly related to all the error codes the car is throwing and should be easily fixed.

If the dealer you are using can't sort out your vehicle, I suggest you find a another dealer.

Good luck and report back when the dealer completes their trouble shooting and repairs. So the grass isn't always greener.

[smithb]

With highway diriving, you should get better fuel mileage. I get around 18 at 75 mph. I've found that about every 5 mph I change from there, it goes up about 1 mpg until about 45 mph, where it tops out around 24/25mpg. It definitely sounds like an air leak. I had one when I first got mine as the rubber coupling that connected the MAF to the intake manifold had come off on the bottom so air was leaking in past the MAF, so I was getting a "too lean" code. I am pretty sure I caused it when I was messing around with the air filter. Obviously there is no way of know what your vehicle has really been through, but I bought mine used with 40k miles on it, have put another 40k on it since, and have never had a problem with it. Good luck!

PS. I forgot to mention my wife now drives the SRX and she gets around 14.5mpg in the city. When I drove it, I got around 15.5 in town.

[iprncess]

Again all the feedback is helpful. Sorry to hear about all the Honda issues. Mine didn't have one single problem except that I'm tall, my fiancee is, and both our boys are. We tended to be very cramped. Then you add an extra person here and there for a little league game plus equipment. folding chairs...you get the picture.

I'll be sure to keep you posted since I am looking forward to feeling like I did the first day I got it again. I'll bring up the mileage issue to the mechanic since I haven't as of yet. See if he thinks it's all related. If all else fails we will find another dealer. The only reason we are trying to work with them is because we don't want to end up with another place (that we didn't buy it from) and they start trying to charge us. The light has been from day 2 so I don't feel like this should be our problem.

[carguy2009]

I had two sessions with the "check engine" light in my V6 08. Finally turned out to be some sort of valve in the fuel tank vent system. As Superjim said, a good mechanic will fix it. As for the car I get 15 mpg around town and some hwy and I really like it. Last hwy trip was ~20 mpg. We get ~24 hwy with my wife's Seville, the SRX is higher with a larger frontal area.

I had an V8 Ford Explorer and got 12 mpg around town. The SRX is a much better vehicle.

FYI 2009 Consumer Reports Overall mpg: Honda Pilot 18, Cadillac SRX 16.

[algiorda]

A vacuum leak is also going to wreak havoc with your gas mileage.

I have a 2004 which I purchased new and it has been in the shop quite a bit. Normally, I would have turned the car in and sued GM under the Lemon Law in NY, but my dealer/mechanic is absolutely 5 Star. They have fixed everything; correctly the first time, and a Cadillac loaner car each time it was in for repair. When my Smart Buy was up, I ended up purchasing the car knowing that I maintained the car perfectly and treated it with care. I now have a wonderful car that is giving me excellent service.

Once you get the issues sorted out and choose a great mechanic, you'll really start to appreciate the SRX lke the rest of us do.

Al

[Northern SRX]

I had some O2 sensor problems causing CEL issues on our '04 SRX N* but the dealer took care of it under warranty. The car's worth the grief and, hopefully, yours will settle down soon and this issue will soon be seen as minor.

[TTopJohn]

You've already gotten good advice here - the problem is likely unmetered air entering the system somewhere, aka an air or vacuum leak. Once they track this down, all will be fine. It can also throw off your gas mileage. The SRX doesn't get great mileage compared to a car, but compared to other SUVs of the same size and weight, it's competitive. Particularly if you compare it to SUVs that are as fast as the SRX - basically, Porsche Cayenne V8, Infiniti FX45, things like that.

Don't worry that this problem is somehow indicative of how your complete ownership experience is going to be. You bought a used car, and it happened to have a problem that needed addressing. It probably had this when you bought it, but since the previous owner was selling, it wasn't something they bothered with. This is pretty normal. Every used car needs something. But once you get it fixed, it's fixed. It's not a situation where because this problem happened, it will lead to other problems. Well, if you don't fix it it could, but it sounds like you are on top of it.

So don't blame the SRX, blame the previous owner, be persistent with your mechanic (or find another if they aren't fixing it) and get this taken care of so you can put it behind you and enjoy your badass Northstar SRX.

[iprncess]

TTopJohn...that comment "Badass Northstar SRX" made me smile



Well,
I dropped her off again. Explaining the very disappointed service manager, that I didn't care how long they had to keep it but I wanted it fixed correctly....for good! The first time I brought it they had it ready in 3 hours, the second time it was ready in 2. I told him as long as I had something to drive, the time it took to fix the problem wasn't a concern of mine. I do have to say that SES light or not, I felt very grateful for my car (and a little spoiled) as I drove off in the Buick Lesabre with 102K miles on it that I was given as a loaner :-(
The first time I dropped it off I got a CTS. I guess they're thinking this time may be a bit longer. I'll keep you posted.

[robhersch]

Just a thought - a friend had a similar experience with his Ford SUV with the repair folks not solving, he said that the AutoZone guy suggested a new gas cap - guess what - the problem went away !!
Good luck !!