Earlier this week, GM Authority reported that automatic engine stop-start would be removed from some 2021 Chevy Silverado 1500 and 2021 GMC Sierra 1500 pickup trucks. Now, we’re here to report that the feature will also be removed from the line of GM SUVs. The removal of the automatic engine stop-start feature from the full-size GM SUVs lineup stems from the ongoing global microchip shortage.
Affected vehicles include the Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade. The change affects models equipped with either the naturally aspirated 5.3L V8 L84 or the 6.2L V8 L87, mated to the GM 10-speed automatic transmission, which essentially means all trim levels across all model lines are effected. The change does not apply to models equipped with the 3.0L I6 LM2 turbodiesel Duramax.
As a reminder, the naturally aspirated 5.3L V8 L84 produces 355 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 383 pound-feet of torque at 4,100 rpm, while the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 L87 produces 420 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 460 pound-feet of torque at 4,100 rpm.
According to a statement from Senior Manager, Product and Brand Communications for Chevrolet, Kevin M. Kelly, the change will enable General Motors to continue production of the popular full-size GM SUVs during the continued recovery from the global microchip shortage. The affected vehicles are expected to experience a small fuel economy reduction, while customers will receive a $50 credit on the vehicle MSRP.
“Our supply chain organization continues to make strides working with our supply base to mitigate the near-term impacts of the semiconductor situation,” the statement continues. “GM continues to leverage every available semiconductor to build and ship our most popular and in-demand products, including our highly profitable full-size trucks and SUVs for our customers. However, the semiconductor situation continues to remain fluid globally.”
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Comments
Excellent news! No one wanted that feature anyway.
Yeah pretty sure you are in the minority. There are a group of car guys that are stubborn and talk about reliability but the engineers that are smarter than both you and I know that and beefed up the parts directly related to that. Now outside of that probably 3/4 of the people have no idea about this feature nor care and are happy to learn they can save more fuel. With that this feature has been tested to save between 5-8% of mpg, I am all for saving some gas and even more so with the larger engines. Most I have ever been in I barely even notice when it starts. It isn’t at all a safety issue as the millisecond you take your foot off the brake it it fires up before you can even get your foot to the gas (I know there are a few dummies that say it is a safety issue). Not sure all the flack for this feature, it saves mpg which translates to use being able to keep ICE engines around a little longer, how is that bad?
Sorry bud, but common sense says that this only affects gas mileage if you sit at stop lights for a long time and the constant starting of the engine will negatively effect reliability. There is no possible way that starting an engine doesn’t add wear and tear to the starter, timing chain((s), depending on the engine) and other systems.
I’d gladly pay $7 more in gas a year to not have to deal with this. If effects mpg loops and testing far more than it does reality.
Should be optional not mandatory feature. There is an on/off switch for the feature now but the switch will not even be on the vehicles in the future. Fed gas mileage mandate is why it is on the vehicles at all.
You know what is NOT good for the environment?
Making vehicles less reliable and more disposable.
The production/disposal emissions of a car is only around 20% of total lifecycle. That means if a new car gets around 20% better mileage, from an emissions standpoint, it’s worth scrapping existing ones.
That’s why many countries, like Japan and Singapore, promote getting rid of vehicles after 8 or so years. Similarly, California banned commercial trucks older than 2007.
Let me give you some perspective from someone who sells Chevy Buick and GMC products. Customers HATE the stop/start feature. The first question I get from customers after I explain the feature is, “You can turn it off, right?” I have flipped many customers from models without the off switch for the auto start/stop to models that have to off switch in the cabin (2019 Blazer was the biggest culprit here until GM got smart and put the button in the cabin from the ’20 model on.) The second most popular question after I explain the feature is “Why would you want that?” MPG is far from the main selling point in today’s consumers minds. If this tech had been introduced 15 years ago, the public might have warmed to it, but that is obviously not the case. I have never had a single customer ask FOR the Auto start/stop feature, not one. I have had droves ask me if it can be removed. I believe the customers over shills 🙂
The start-stop is to the 21st century what the short-lived seatbelt interlock was to 1974. The difference this time is that back in ’74, the public gave Congress hell during the summer recess and the regulation was killed off.
I wouldn’t but that s**”. I will get a motorcycle first..nothing but government pap psycho climate B’s
I’d gladly contribute mine to the shortage, I hate that thing. tell me how I can remove it for the good of the cause. I have a Cadillac XT5
I would love the option to not have this on my vehicle. That’s worth more than $50!
I am waiting for a 2022. Might pull it forward due to the elimination of this “feature”.
Does the Duramax have auto start stop? I assume not.
It does.. The 3.0l in the SUV’s, not the smoothest thing, because of diesels high compression, the engine shakes a bit as it stops, like all diesels.
You haven’t driven a modern diesel. They don’t shake any more than a gas engine, thanks to the intake throttle they added. That’s why some makers call them anti-shudder valves.
Almost a game changer for me. Does anyone like this forced government feature?
Well it keeps ice engines around longer, so do you want an electric truck or some more fuel saving features that saves you money and keeps ice engines around longer? Pick your poison…
I, for one, don’t. Nor does my brother. Even my lefty eco-freak friends hit the override button as part of their startup routine.
Nope. That’s why I’m sticking with 2000s cars.
The peak of the Automotive Industry before the government stepped in and ruined it.
The government started meddling in cars in the mid 1960s. It started with mandatory windshield defrosters (a true safety issue) and exterior door handles not subject to opening by themselves in rollover and side impact crashes. They went on to thinks like seatbelt / ignition interlocks for the 1974 model year; automatic seat belts; seat belt nag-buzzers; and taking vent windows away.
While the start/stop feature is primarily employed to eke out the last possible few drops of gas mileage, it is VERY disconcerting as well as annoying for a vehicle to do this constantly. Some models give the driver the option to disable the feature, but this must chosen every time the vehicle is used. For some vehicles, there is an aftermarket ‘fix,’ a small module that can be purchased that plugs into the vehicle’s ALDL connector—-at the vehicle owner’s cost, of course. Personally, I would never own any vehicle that did not give me the option to globally disable this nuisance.
Good riddance to this PITA “feature;” manufacturers need to find better, less-obtrusive ways to increase mileage—at least until we’re all forced to buy EVs.
Which will come sooner if we don’t do fuel saving features. Idling is the most wasteful time, why wouldn’t we take advantage of that? You can barely tell when they kick on (no one knows when they kick off) and they turn on before your foot is even on the gas, so it isn’t like there is a huge delay leaving a light. Some of the long lights on comfortable days it is nice sitting there for a minute or two not using and gas and dropping my overall mpg. Although I won’t go out of my way to get this feature if it is on there I am not turning it off as it knows when to do so on its own by people that are way smarter than me or you.
The main problem isn’t stopped at a light. The main problem is when you’re trying to pull into traffic or maneuver in a parking lot. I think I’ve heard talk about tying in auto-stop to the anti-collision cameras so that it will only idle stop when there’s the back of a car detected in front of you.
Test post
I don’t see it; try again!
/ducking
So I’m sure the EPA will punish the mileage ratings with even lower numbers than the already lowered highway figures from the 2021’s despite moving to a new 10 speed and changing over from AFM to DFM.
Good riddens!
I own a Traverse that has this PITA feature and it’s annoying as fu_k! However, I can disable this worthless feature but I have to do it everything I shift out of drive… at this point, it’s well worth disabling this worthless POS engineering marvel.
Retune the ECM for better mileage and decrease the other worthless engineering marvel – torque management and install a better trans…
You know…depending on the length of the stop, you use more fuel restarting than idling.
Anyways…lets hope that chip falls on death ears and never makes a come back…
They can have my chip from my 2018 Chevy. Heck, I’ll even pay them $50 to take it out!
As the EPA see’s it, it’s a few ounces a day times 150 million vehicles adds up to a lot of emissions not going into the atmosphere.
And as the customer sees it, it’s a “feature” that makes the vehicle less enjoyable to drive.
And just what we need. More irritated drivers.
Great news! Now get rid of the cheesy chrome plastic insert in the High Country wheel. It’s not a Trax! It’s an $85,000 vehicle.
I would not buy a 2021 GM SUV since I do not care for the so called “Auto engine stop/start” feature.
It should be optional and the people that want to “save gas” should have to pay extra for it.
I also don’t want any vehicle with push button shift instead of a floor shift or steering collum shift lever. I recall when all Chrysler, Dodge, DeSoto and Plymouth cars with Automatic transmissions between 1956 – 1964 had the push button shift until the government mandated a uniform PRNDL automatic shift lever on all cars starting in 1965.
Great! Now can we add back the adjustable petals.
I love how GM is literally the only car manufacturer who couldn’t get Auto Start Stop right. It’s not that hard. You just add a battery primarily for the engine and another for the accessories. Ford got it right. Chrysler got it right. Every single Japanese and European brand got it right so why can’t GM do it right? It’s a honest question. It’s the same with cylinder deactivation. You don’t see Ford or Chrysler owners complaining yet GM was the one pioneered it. I drove both a Audi V8 and Cadillac V8 about in the same price range and GM’s cylinder deactivation is just so rough and outdated compared to the Audi. Cadillac has long lost the title of “the standard of the world”. Heck! Even Lincoln is beating them right now and they literally have 4 suvs! It’s simply only a GM thing. I view this as more cost cutting and a excuse of them not getting it right where as every single automaker in the world could. If it wasn’t for the GM nameplate they would be nowhere unlike how Lincoln or Jeep would be if they completely restarted.
GM may be blaming the feature removal on chip shortage but I suspect it is really due to the valve lifter spring breaking issue, many feel the start/stop may stress the engine parts breaking