Turbocharged 2010 Cadillac SRX Crossovers Recalled
All versions of the 2010 Cadillac SRX equipped with a turbocharged motor have been recalled this week, due to fears at General Motors about the potential for engine failure. Some models of the Cadillac SRX are equipped with a 2.8-liter, V-6 engine that generates 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque through the judicious application of turbo boost. This edition of the SRX crossover only recently went on sale, and the quick recall is not actually tied in to a mechanical problem but in fact has to do with the vehicle's engine management software.
Most turbocharged engines require premium fuel in order to generate power effectively and safely, and the powertrain found in the 2010 Cadillac SRX is no exception. Premium gasoline bears a higher octane rating, which is a measurement of its ability to resist 'knock'? or pre-ignition when compressed in an engine's cylinders. If fuel ignites due to cylinder pressure prior to the spark plug firing, serious damage to a motor can result.
Running non-premium gasoline in a turbocharged car dramatically increases the risk of pre-ignition occurring, especially if that vehicle is driven hard. Most automobiles have knock sensors that work with the engine's computer control system to dial back ignition timing and turbo boost level should the potential for pre-ignition be detected. It would appear that the Cadillac SRX left the factory without this electronic safety net properly installed, as several cases of engine damage related to knock have already been reported.
One such incident was well publicized in the month of March, when a test driver from an automotive television program managed to destroy the engine on an SRX that had been lent to him by General Motors. This prompted engineers at Cadillac to perform a thorough investigation of the incident, including a full teardown of the vehicle's block and analysis of the information stored in its data recorder. The conclusions drawn from that particular effort lead to the recall that was announced just this week.
Only 547 editions of the turbocharged Cadillac SRX have been sold so far, but each and every one of them will have to return to the dealership where the vehicle's ECU will be flash updated in order to prevent the possibility of a catastrophic knock event. GM has stated that although the engine found in the SRX had been used for quite some time in Saab applications on regular gasoline with no similar issues, the Cadillac version of the motor uses more aggressive turbo settings in order to squeeze out as much power as possible from the 2.8-liter unit.