[Scott]

I've yet to even push the button on my 03 cts, will I notice a differance in power? What about my mileage?

do most of you people use this setting? I think my CTS has a lot of power without using it.

scott

 

[JJhomer83]

I've yet to even push the button on my 03 cts, will I notice a differance in power? What about my mileage?

do most of you people use this setting? I think my CTS has a lot of power without using it.

scott

Don't own a cts don't know that much about them but what i do know is when most cars have a sport button or somehting of that nature it does one or more of the following things.
Stiffens the suspension
Makes the car shift at higher rpms
makes the steering tighter
lowers the car

 

[BUILDINGCTSAMG]

Yeah jjhomer is basically right, it also depends on what cts u own

but ur gas mileage goes down and your shift points change. The cts also stiffens the suspension and and on the luxury sport it may lower it.........basically itll give u a little more umpphhh.....i try not to use it unless im racing or have the need for a speeding ticket

 

[catbert]

Seems like it locks out high gear too. :bouncy:

 

[CTS_04]

It keeps you in lower gears to keep you in the power band... It also changes the engagement of the tranny, you'll notice a lot more engine braking dwon through the gears if you drive agressively.

If you give the throttle a quick tap, it will ususally drop down a gear to give you a good amount of power for passing, etc...

I love sport mode and rarely drive without it...

 

[CTScop]

It keeps you in lower gears to keep you in the power band... It also changes the engagement of the tranny, you'll notice a lot more engine braking dwon through the gears if you drive agressively.

If you give the throttle a quick tap, it will ususally drop down a gear to give you a good amount of power for passing, etc...

I love sport mode and rarely drive without it...

Me too! :burn:

'Course my mpg suffers, but that is another story.....

 

[BreakThrough]

I drive the sport mode full time. 99% of my driving is city. My mileage is about 19 mpg this time of year with the reformulated gas. When i don't drive in the sport mode I am like whats wrong with the car, because with the more agressive shifting and the engine braking I have expected the car to behave this way.

 

[miscreant]

The sport mode only changes engine and trans controls, has nothing to do with the suspension. What you get is more pronounced engine braking in all 5 gears, more agressive shift algorithms, faster shifts, longer gear-hold, higher shift points, etc.

The best thing to do is just use it. So the button's been there this whole time, and you've never pressed it?

 

[Scott]

Old post. I've since took a chance and pushed the button. The car did perform better, but as I thought about the mileage (and to some extent the wear on the transmission), I just don't bother much. And I sure don't tell my wife about it either. :hide:

 

[evo]

you havnt driven your cts unless you've used the S button enjoy but be responsible with it

trying cornering with it, you'll see what it does. it keeps the rpm high so once you get out of the turn, you can pick up speed right away.

 

[M STaR 013]

i personally drive in winter mode most of the time. i love starting in third gear! NAW JUST KIDDING, LOL. the sport mode for me feels like perfect racing manual shifting with the high RPMs and what not. i dont use it that much but maybe i'll remember next time i turn my car on.

 

[BUILDINGCTSAMG]

miscreant u are a wealth of knowledge but i think ur kinda wrong on this one.....i do believe the auto leveling cars will tighten the suspension and lower when on sport mode.....perhaps i am wrong

 

[Justin83NJ]

According to the Cadillac website in 2003, the CTS was the first automatic car ever to have engine braking in all gears.

Sport mode definitely holds gears to higher rpms, gives you engine braking, and firms up the shifts. I don't believe it does anything with the suspension, but I could be wrong.

When you floor it, sport mode will make the car hold each gear til redline, giving you the full potential of the engine and the (great) gearing. The 3.2 CTS will take 4th gear to 120 mph.

 

[miscreant]

miscreant u are a wealth of knowledge but i think ur kinda wrong on this one.....i do believe the auto leveling cars will tighten the suspension and lower when on sport mode.....perhaps i am wrong

He, he. Don't take this the wrong way, but you are wrong :lildevil: jk!

The "self leveling" suspension is mearly rear Nivomat shocks (been used in volvos for quite some time - made by Sachs/Boge). The "self leveling" is rear only. Nivomat shocks are internally load leveling, they do not have any external mechanism or control (like an air pump or relief valve). In essence, they are just regular shocks with valving that adjusts to loads. Kind of misleading considering the "compressor" powered load leveling vehicles that GM makes. But Nivomat shocks are a better choice over air shocks anyday.

The sport mode has no effect on the suspension.

 

[hapyctser]

Ditto on no interaction with suspension. I had a Bonneville SSEI several years ago that had such a set-up but ixnay on the CTS. Strickly a tranny change to build RPMs in each gear before shifting as well as on downshift. Fuel penalty, but why own a CTS if you don't use it for what it was built to do. If you want basic transportation with good economy maybe the new Chevy AVEO will fill the bill. :bouncy:
Also, don't worry about wear and tear on the tranny. You could not possibly abuse it as much as they do in testing. This set up will take whatever you throw at it.