2006 Tahoe MPG gauge question

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Jon R. Pickens - 13 Oct 2006 18:04 GMT

My girlfriend drives an '06 Tahoe. On the dash display, you can flip
through a few different things and eventually it'll show you the
average MPG.

My question is, how is this measured? My 2000 Saab has the same thing,
but I can reset it at will, and then it'll figure MPG from the last
reset. So far, I haven't figured out a way to reset it on the Tahoe.
So from which point it's determining MPG?? Since new? Since the last
startup? Since the last fill up? Since the last reset of the trip
meter?

Overall, I don't really like the computer in that thing. The "driving
range" view is very strange, as it'll drop while you're driving faster
than you can cover the distance. This is at 55mph with the cruise
control set. It'll lose 2-3 miles of range over the course of a mile,
then finally settle down. OR...it'll remain constant and then when you
park, right before shutting it off, it'll drop dramatically.

Kinda wish GM would incorporate some of Saab's stuff into their
Chevy/GMC trucks. The onboard computer leaves much to be desired.

Oh yeah, the cruise control is weird too (compared to the Saab). It's
not smooth. You can feel it "jump" a bit when engaging or disengaging,
and it'll try to "floor it" going uphill, causing high revs and a
downshift. I've had to drive it recently while the Saab is getting
worked on at the dealer...

Thoughts?

~jp

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Whitelightning - 13 Oct 2006 20:51 GMT

> My girlfriend drives an '06 Tahoe. On the dash display, you can flip
> through a few different things and eventually it'll show you the
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> startup? Since the last fill up? Since the last reset of the trip
> meter?

Since the last reset

> Overall, I don't really like the computer in that thing. The "driving
> range" view is very strange, as it'll drop while you're driving faster
> than you can cover the distance. This is at 55mph with the cruise
> control set. It'll lose 2-3 miles of range over the course of a mile,
> then finally settle down. OR...it'll remain constant and then when you
> park, right before shutting it off, it'll drop dramatically.

Idle is the last thing it sees, idle is zero miles per gallon

> Kinda wish GM would incorporate some of Saab's stuff into their
> Chevy/GMC trucks. The onboard computer leaves much to be desired.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> downshift. I've had to drive it recently while the Saab is getting
> worked on at the dealer...

Do you think the fact the Tahoe weighs about three times as much as the
Saab might have anything at all to do with that?

Dont get me wrong here, I drove one of the very first Sabb 900 Turbos, with
an intercooler back in the mid 70's while stationed in Germany, damn thing
was fast.
Also ugly as sin, and the electrical systems, back then at least all the way
through the mid 90's(last i worked on one) were night mares.

> Thoughts?
>
> ~jp

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Jon R. Pickens - 13 Oct 2006 21:04 GMT

> Since the last reset

Reset of what? The tripmeter?

> Idle is the last thing it sees, idle is zero miles per gallon

Agreed...but this isn't a consistent thing. And that thing doesn't
react too quickly. Nowhere near as quick as those numbers are
changing.

> Do you think the fact the Tahoe weighs about three times as much as the
> Saab might have anything at all to do with that?

LOL... Well, not really. I've driven equally heavy vehicles that
handled cruise control with a lot more finesse. There also seems to be
a delayed reaction when you turn it on. Worse, you can feel it
"engage" while setting it. In the Saab, you hit the button, and you
don't realize anything happened--until you remove your foot from the
gas and the car doesn't lose speed.

> Dont get me wrong here, I drove one of the very first Sabb 900 Turbos, with
> an intercooler back in the mid 70's while stationed in Germany, damn thing
> was fast.
> Also ugly as sin, and the electrical systems, back then at least all the way
> through the mid 90's(last i worked on one) were night mares.

The turbo sure does make it a lot more fun, doesn't it?? :-)

I've only owned mine for about 2 months now (9-3 convertible, turbo,
5sp) but I'm loving it.

~jp

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Whitelightning - 13 Oct 2006 21:30 GMT

> Reset of what? The tripmeter?

I am trying to remember how I reset the MPG in the last rental car I had, a
Ponitac Grand Prix. It should be in the owners manual though. The range
resets every time you fil the tank up, based on fuel mileage. so if the
vehicle was driven hard during the last fuel up, the range will be less than
if its driven easy, but that updates as well based on mpg. I found the
readings were pretty close during the week I had the Grand Prix. Doesnt
sound like very long, but I average 43,000 miles a year.

> > Do you think the fact the Tahoe weighs about three times as much as the
> > Saab might have anything at all to do with that?
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> don't realize anything happened--until you remove your foot from the
> gas and the car doesn't lose speed.

I have found in the past when the rule was no replacement for displacement,
the cruise was smoother on all vehicles. They may advertise 200 hp (just
using numbers here) from these smaller displacment engines, but my seat of
the pants tells me its not the same as the 200 hp
I was used to feeling in larger engines, coupled I think with the fact the
torque band isnt as wide, and not nearly as flat, meaning a big time curve
in the center. I do think the the cruise system will drop a tranny gear too
soon sometimes, but I also think thats because its trying to keep the engine
from lugging. At 70mph that GP was loping at just over 1600 rpm, it didnt
take much of a grade to cause it to drop and then it kicked down and rpm
jumped to about 2,000 if it just unlocked the torque converter, 2,300 if it
droped all the way to drive.

> > Dont get me wrong here, I drove one of the very first Sabb 900 Turbos, with
> > an intercooler back in the mid 70's while stationed in Germany, damn thing
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> I've only owned mine for about 2 months now (9-3 convertible, turbo,
> 5sp) but I'm loving it.

Imagine being a teen stationed in Germany on the autobans back when they
didnt have a speed limits except in cities. : )

Whitelightning

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Jon R. Pickens - 14 Oct 2006 00:27 GMT

> I am trying to remember how I reset the MPG in the last rental car I had, a
> Ponitac Grand Prix. It should be in the owners manual though. The range
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> readings were pretty close during the week I had the Grand Prix. Doesnt
> sound like very long, but I average 43,000 miles a year.

After getting really frustrated I sat in the parking deck after work
for 10 minutes and found it... You can reset it directly by hitting
the bottom-right "arrow" button on the steering wheel. Simple enough,
but not very clearly marked. I didn't find it in the manual, although
I'm sure it must be in there. As soon as you reset it, it "zeroes" out
and starts tallying MPG from that point on--same as my Saab.

> I have found in the past when the rule was no replacement for displacement,
> the cruise was smoother on all vehicles. They may advertise 200 hp (just
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> jumped to about 2,000 if it just unlocked the torque converter, 2,300 if it
> droped all the way to drive.

Well, the Tahoe doesn't drop a gear unless it tries to go up a hill,
then it guns it and downshifts. I futzed with the cruise again on the
way home to make sure I wasn't imagining anything. While holding a
steady 55mph on level ground, I engaged it. It pulled the pedal out
from underneath the foot and surged for a split second, then took over.
Annoying...but then again, it's not my truck, and the woman thinks
it's just great, and as long as she likes it, cool... In the meantime
I await the return of my Saab, as the dealer couldn't fool with it
today.

Damn, I wish my K5 was in town (and had a good rear axle) :-(

> Imagine being a teen stationed in Germany on the autobans back when they
> didnt have a speed limits except in cities. : )

Heh...now that's my idea of fun.

~jp

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