Automotive Forums  Where Car Enthusiasts Go to Discuss Cars Online

?Does a 2011 Equinox 4 cyl operate with modulated displacement?  

for everyone who manages to read all the way to the end...

read this ..

Waynep7122,
Thank you for your questions.

In regards to your inquiry about the MPG gauge being "switchable" so that you can view the instantaneous fuel economy, it does appear that you can do this through the Driver Information  Center. Press the MENU button until "Trip/Fuel Information Menu" is displayed. From that point, press the down arrow to scroll through the menu items, one of which is instantaneous fuel economy. For more information, check out page 5-21 in your owner's manual.


see if you can change your driving habits to increase MPG.. when viewed in instant MPG display..

change your habits over a few days.. it still records average MPG.. so you can switch back to see what your results are..

having it set to instant MPG is why you find some small cars and hybrids driving 45 to 50 in a 65 zone...  guess they never heard about drafting..  but thats a really dangerous freeway sport..


as for the 4 cylinder engines having modulated displacement .. probably NOT..

since i work on cars that are LONG out of warrantee... i don't get to see a LOT of the new stuff..

i am not an automotive design engineer..  i only work on them..  so i have to figure out how they made it do what its doing so i will know if its working as designed or not.. as i hate replacing good parts with new parts..

i am a good reason .. that parents should always make their kids wear helmets.. mom made me wear one.. back in 1970.. but i still managed to bash my head in enough that it just done not work as good as it should.  

Wayne thanks for your input, I for one like your prespective. On my 2011 Equinox I had a computer program update that was to improve my mileage. I just made a 140 km run last night at around 100kpm and averaged 7.7/100 which is an improvement of about 1 litre per 100. Would like to have seen better but it's a step in the right direction.  If anyone has a 2011 4cyl.they should ask their dealer or GM customer care (800 263 3777) about this update for your vehicle.  

As noted in another post, there is an updated computer program that should make a little difference.  

I bought my 2011 Equinox new in Dec. 2010.  I have 23,000 miles on it and have been complaining about the gas mileage since the first week.  I have been told to rotate tires, buy really good gas, it is the way I drive, and told how to use the ECO boost.  Now my car is in the shop because of a short in the tailgate wiring and also because there is some kind of rust spots in the paint ( car is white)which we complained about since day one.  So my husband and I talked to the mechanic, he said he was changing a setting on the computer that will help with gas mileage.  After reading the post it sounds like it does not.  The paint is another issue, they have clay bared my car 4 times and it keeps coming back.  Told me it was rail dust, pollution, and now brake dust.  GM is puzzled and said they don't know what to do.  I don't blame the dealer they have been very, very nice.  But I am ready to join any class action about the gas mileage.  I feel I was just plain out right lied to.  Noticed on the new 2012 Equinox they have lower the mileage to be [underline]20 in city and 28 on HWY. I asked what they changed and the dealer said nothing just realized they weren't getting the mileage they thought they would.  This was a 2.4L 4clinder.  GM needs to be held accountable.  

read some of the info i  have posted above..

you might want to switch your average MPG display to INSTANT MPG display.. and modify your driving habits slightly to increase your instant fuel economy...

because these are small displacement engines.. a lot of people drive them with more throttle to bring in the horsepower to move the truck like it was a V8...

switching to the INSTANT average display will help you fine tune your driving to know where your right foot is hurting your wallet..

driving without the cruise control on can also help.. as you can moderate the throttle to maintain a stable speed with more an eye to fuel economy rather than keeping an exact speed..

this is just my opinion..   i did ride with a friend a few weeks ago.. .. his foot was moving up and down constantly.. trying to maintain an exact speed...  depressing the throttle to increase power.. but giving it too much throttle.. then having to lift his foot off the throttle to stop from going too fast.. then having to mash the throttle again to pick the speed back up as now he was going to slow.

it was driving me crazy.. i wanted to kink his speedo cable.. so the speedo needle would bounce.. so he could never get an accurate speed.. but his car like all newer cars have electronic speedometers..  no cable to kink..  plot foiled again.  

Anyone interested in a class action suit?  

That is the only way my husband and I drive is by using INSTANT MPG.  I fell to mention over 90% of my driving is on interstate, I do not use cruise.  This car just does not live up to the 22 city and 33 hwy hype. While they fix problem with my Equinox, we are driving a 2012 malibu, same engine as Equinox and we are averging 23.5 city and well over 32 on HWY.  Mechanic stated that most Equinox do not get gas mileage that GM advertised.  

YES 10,000 MILESAND THE BEST 23 ON LONG TRIPS. I AM 65 AND DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT  

My husband is 64 and I am 60.  We follow the speed limit.  It doesn't matter.  The car just does not get the advertised mileage.  

After not being happy with the gas milerge [23 AT BEST] I COMPLANED to the dealer 4 Times. So at 9374 they said they would do a {FUEL CONSUMPTION TEST} THEY DROVE IT 69 MILES AND GOT 28.7 THATS BULL. I told them I would be back in 2000 miles and I would ride along or drive the car on that test.CAR 4 CYLINDER AND I AM 65. I worked for GM for 31 years. RICK  

I am going to add my car to the list of failures manufactured by Government Motors.  I too bought a 2011 Equinox and got 21 MPG on 1500 mile trip.  The sick thing about this is that I traded in a 2007 Impala SS with a 300 hp V8 that got 27 to 28 MPG on the road.  Can GM explain to me how a 305 HP V8 got better milage than a V6 on aprox. the same weight car.  No, I am sure they can, but won't.  I wanted to have about the same fuel milage as the SS I gave away, but that won't happen!!  

Ford didn't take the bailout, they might just be interested in selling me a real car that also gets GOOD gas milage, da ya think?  

Hi all.  It's me - the guy who started this thread!  Have to say that nothing has changed and my milage is still pathetic.  Since my wife is the primary driver I'm not reminded of it daily, but this weekend I was reminded all over.  Had to make a last minute run to catch a plane in Chicago and took my 2006 Pontiac G6 with a powerful V6.  Drive like a bat out of you know where - 80 to 85 MPH all the way - 120 miles.  Got 33.6 MPG.  Drove the Equinox this weekend on a leisurely 90 miles trip, babying it all the way - got 24.2 MPG.  I'm mad all over!  I see Sarah from GM has been on this thread - Sarah, what can you do for a die hard GM guy whose about ready to say no more!  How about offering to buy it back from me at retail price and you can use it for research?  

Just a question for you about the fuel that you use..  Are you using Gasoline with ANY ethanol?  I know that in Florida we are FORCED to use gasoline cut with up to 10% ethanol.  Ethanol is less efficent than gasoline and can affect your fuel economy by up to 3 miles to the gallon on the highway!