[suvshopper]

Ok this might be a dumb question but oh well. I'm a girl so I don't know much about cars.
I just got a 2010 traverse. My question is about the rpm's...when its in park should it be at zero? Mine is always above 1.
And also I noticed that when i get to around 45 mph and let my foot off the gas when it gets to right about 40
the rpm's go up and its like i feel a bit of a tug. Is this normal?

Also i hear the whinding noise when i turn the corners so I'm guessing I should take it the dealship and have that looked at as well.

 

[bobg1951chevy]

Ok this might be a dumb question but oh well. I'm a girl so I don't know much about cars.
I just got a 2010 traverse. My question is about the rpm's...when its in park should it be at zero? Mine is always above 1.
And also I noticed that when i get to around 45 mph and let my foot off the gas when it gets to right about 40
the rpm's go up and its like i feel a bit of a tug. Is this normal?

Also i hear the whinding noise when i turn the corners so I'm guessing I should take it the dealship and have that looked at as well.

As long as the engine is running, the RPM's ( revolutions per minute ) will be above zero, measuring the RPM's of the engine. At an idle ... and in park, it should read about 600 RPM's or so. Remember, the number you see must be multiplied by 1000, so "4" is 4000 RPM's.

When you are at 40 or whatever and take your foot off the gas, you may be experiencing the transmission going to a lower gear for a short period of time, thereby, showing a higher RPM number. That is OK.

Whining noise when turning has been written about in this forum, it may be low power steering fluid, it may be power steering hoses contacting the air conditioning hoses or it may be a normail condition. I would have the first two items checked, just to be certain.

Bob

 

[rbarrios]

welcome...
Bob is correct....

to add more...

it should be at 0 when the engine is OFF.
when you turn on the car--- (and the engine is cold)
the Rpm's will go up past 1 to about 1.5 (1.5 x1000=1500) it stays here for a bit---
and it slowly begins to 'slow down'. youll notice the needle beging to drop little by little.
eventually it drops below the 1... and eventually it settles to about 650 rpm.
once the engine is warm--- and youre in Park or idle (in D but lets say stopped at a light) the neddle will always be around 650.

THe engine will always revv high when the engine is cold (like the 1st engine start after its been sitting for hours- usually in the morning)--- this is done to get the engine warm- as soon as possible-- as a cold engine- is a polluting engine...

as for that tug--- yes that is normal...
it is the transmission shifting gear- and you see the rpm's go up...

getting a little more in depth-- that little tug is the vehicle slowing down just a bit.
its essentially a form of engine braking.... the engine is serving as a brake---
something that people who drive in the mountains use alot...
instead of using the brakes-- (they can overheat in long downhills)... on some mtn roads you will see signs that say--- USE ENGINE BRAKING---
or smart drivers do this automatically--- they use the engine to slow down the car....
they shift to a lower gear- the rpms go up- and the vehicle begins to slow down....

In fact-- your Traverse has a neat feature---
if youre on a long hill---- and you let off the gas--- and start using the brakes--- the computer senses this and engages what I think is called Descent control...
it will essentially shift to a lower gear on its own--- and help you go downhill..... essentially engine braking.

a few owners on here have experienced this-- but didnt know what it was--- until we explained it...

 

[rbarrios]

oh- but at 40 MPH its simply downshifting- and it most likely not doing descent control if youre in normal driving...

 

[bobg1951chevy]

oh- but at 40 MPH its simply downshifting- and it most likely not doing descent control if youre in normal driving...

Roberto,
I'm in the mountains of north GA, I have not experienced the descent control to operate UNLESS the cruise control is engaged. Without the cruise = no descent control.

Bob

 

[Toddzilla67]

We're going to take the Traverse into the mountains this weekend, so I'm interested to see how this all works.

Come see the Rocky Mountains if you ever get a chance Bob.

 

[rbarrios]

Roberto,
I'm in the mountains of north GA, I have not experienced the descent control to operate UNLESS the cruise control is engaged. Without the cruise = no descent control.

Bob

Bob- Im not sure youre experiencing 'Descent Control'... that may simply be the cruise trying to stay at the desired speed----

Here is what the manual says--- that its available in D.... and in Tow/haul mode... but not in L....
I see no reference to it not being used in Cruise--(Ill have to look in my 2010 manual)
(From the few times Ive felt it)- it does not happen right away-
It sort of knows that youve stopped giving the engine gas-- and youre coasting downhill and may be gaining speed-- and then senses youre using the brakes and then engages the feature (this is how I sensed it operation).

heres what the 2009 manual says...

 

[Gerry]

Roberto,
I'm in the mountains of north GA, I have not experienced the descent control to operate UNLESS the cruise control is engaged. Without the cruise = no descent control.

Bob

In my experience it engages in drive on downhills but only after you have used the brakes lightly for a few seconds. From what I have seen, and i do a fair amount of mountain driving, if you coast down the hill, no matter what the speed, it will not come in until you have lightly used the brakes. Once it comes in, it will continue to operate as (it sees) needed until you next use the gas. I've never really thought much about it while using cruise because I generally don't use cruise in mountain areas, but it would certainly not be initiated by braking there because once you touch the brakes the cruise would turn off. I can't speak to what might happen under cruise mode.

 

[bobg1951chevy]

Bob- Im not sure youre experiencing 'Descent Control'... that may simply be the cruise trying to stay at the desired speed----

Here is what the manual says--- that its available in D.... and in Tow/haul mode... but not in L....
I see no reference to it not being used in Cruise--(Ill have to look in my 2010 manual)
(From the few times Ive felt it)- it does not happen right away-
It sort of knows that youve stopped giving the engine gas-- and youre coasting downhill and may be gaining speed-- and then senses youre using the brakes and then engages the feature (this is how I sensed it operation).

heres what the 2009 manual says...

Somewhere here I lost my most recent post.

When my cruise is off and I'm traveling down terrain that is rolling, somewhat steep, I do not use my brake, instead, I utilize my downshift feature and allow the tranny and my rocker switch to do the braking. That is my way of driving, I guess.

However, when I'm on the highway, up here in northern GA, and the terrain is rolling, I do use the cruise .... and, upon gradual descents, with the cruise on, the tranny will downshift to 5th, or 4th or even 3rd, depending on the overall speed of the vehicle. The problem with that scenario is this ....when leveling off, the tranny takes, seemingly,forever to upshift back into 6th.

Bob