The supercharged 6.2L V8 LT5 engine in the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will not have the Active Fuel Management (AFM) technology, Corvette spokesperson Ron Kiino has confirmed to GM Authority .
The decision to exclude the AFM on the LT5 is noteworthy, since it is included on the naturally-aspirated 6.2L V8 LT1 engine in the C7 Corvette Stingray as well as on the supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4 engine in the C7 Corvette Z06, and owners have complained about feeling the technology turning on and off. Though the LT1 and LT4 engines have a significant amount in common with the new LT5 in the new ZR1, the LT5 does away with AFM while adding dual fuel injection.
Otherwise known as Cylinder Deactivation or Variable Displacement, Active Fuel Management shuts down half of the engine’s cylinders in light driving conditions to improve fuel economy. This is done using a solenoid to turn off the lifters on selected cylinders.
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Comments
Kind of an opposite oxymoron from putting a turbo on a 4 cylinder …no wait, ugh… never mind.
The ZR1 is serious about smiles per gallon
Thank god! My Cadillac CTS with the 3.6 has it and I cannot stand the feedback. I fought with my dealership for months about a vibration in the vehicle on the highway. They finally determined I was feeling the AFM function. I test drove another one AND IT DIDN’T HAVE THE VIBRATION! The dealer told me they had no fix and the feature was operating as designed. I can’t believe a vehicle would be designed to give unrefined feedback like this one does. Definitely my last vehicle with AFM and probably my last Cadillac after the terrible experience. I’m only in my 20s, so Cadillac lost a lot of potential purchases from me, and all the people I’ve turned away from the brand.
You should ask (insist?) to speak with the District Sales Manager and District Service Manager together at the same time. These are Cadillac employees who are measured by the sales and service performance of the brand in their area.
Your dealer might give you some push back… but they can make it happen.
Once you speak to them, let them decide what they want to do with the issue. They can escalate it all the way to de Nysschen if needed.
I tried everything. I took the dealer service techs on multiple drives showing them my complaint. They agreed it was there. They had a Cadillac Technician come out to the dealership to evaluate it and everything. I wrote formal complaints to Cadillac’s corporate service and customer feedback division. In the end, they said that the system does sometimes give feedback, and this is operating as designed. They showed me the entire readout and disclosure of AFM. One of the disclosures was indeed engine feedback. I just can’t believe Cadillac of all GM brands would be ok with this in a vehicle.
They said a similar issue happened with the new Escalade and they had to issue a software update to resolve the issue. However, the dealer said that CTS sells in such limited numbers that Cadillac probably won’t bother issuing a software update. They truly don’t care or stand by their product.
David: I hope you can get this issue resolved. I currently own a 2016 ATS Premium RWD with the 6 cylinder 3.6 engine; I find the cylinder deactivation transparent on the highway. I recently drove a trip of 250 miles, and averaged slightly over 30 mpg total. I am extremely pleased with the car.
I wish I could get it resolved. I’ve given up. I fought with them for a year on this issue. All I got was that the vehicle was operating as designed. What’s frustrating is that I have driven the same engine in other models, just like your case, and experienced no feedback from the AFM. But Cadillac just doesn’t care. I can’t wait for the lease to be up and then when they try to get me in another car I can tell them where to go.
Did they check the engine mounts?
BMW, audi, MB, Honda, etc have a started/stop system, AFM systems too as well so your in your 20’s that’s these reason why, ok.
No AFM doesn’t mean the C7 Corvette ZR1 will horrific mileage given that there aren’t very many stretches of road where you get to really floor it and put the ZR1 through it’s paces; although, I won’t be surprised if the ZR1 gets just over 5 mpg on a hot lap on a course like Virginia International Raceway.
Go for it Corvette! These types of cars are extremely rare, and driven for low mileage’s. No problem from this greenie. Like I don’t mind coal-fired steam railway engine clubs.
Pollution comes from Corolla and Cruze drivers stuck in traffic in DC, LA, NY. They should be in little autonomous electric pods.
I would love it if 99% of non-enthusiasts sat in their pods in traffic while real drivers snort past them in full-power Corvettes.
Even the C5 got around 30 mpg on the highway, in 6th gear and if you kept your foot out of it. Better than the competition. A slower Boxter used as much fuel or more.
No AFM needed. Just another thing to malfunction, and the only time it’ll activate and save a drop here and there is when it is cruising downhill, or idling. Not worth it for any vehicle, not just Corvette.
emissions are read in grams per mile so if you are running on less cylinders you are putting out less emissions. it is not about MPG. any good auto computer programmer should be able to remove this feature from the program. check with a shop who does dyno tuning.