Question, am I the only one who.....???

[raptor5244]

I've got My Mode as follows for fun street driving:
Steering: Tour (first notch) --> IMO the more weight the less feel
Brake Feel: Sport (middle notch) --> not too 'grabby' but sharp response on backroads
Suspension: Sport (middle notch) --> seems like better body control on twisty roads
Engine Sound: Sport (third notch) --> I'm in CA

Like OP in the town I live the roads are kinda broken up so I switch to Tour mode until I hit smooth roads

I've got My Mode as follows:

Steering: Sport --> I like the amount of weight in this mode.
Brake Feel: Sport --> sweet spot for me.
Suspension: Sport --> I prefer Sport 95% of the time. I switch it to Tour for highway cruising or if my lower back is acting up.
Engine Sound: Track --> I'm in FL

 

[ClassaxV]

Am I the only one who cringes at the clickbait-y title to this thread?

 

[Laceman2023]

You have to think about what the suspension is designed to do and trying to achieve. In a general sense, suspension is designed to keep the the tires in contact with road. A secondary component is to increase passenger comfort by reducing the rate and frequency of road conditions transferred to the chassis (dampening). Some performance cars may also use suspension to control body roll. On a really high performance car there is also the need to communicate grip levels and alter chassis dynamics ie brake dive, anit squat, over & understeer, turnin feel and rate ect.... to/for the driver. That usually means going stiffer.

Each mode has certain thresholds with regard to how much dampening, body attitude control ect are different. Track mode let's me feel every thing on the pavement and exactly how much grip the tires have at any given time, and corners super flat with almost no brake dive or squat. The car is on rails! But its also becomes a princess and the pea, on the street you feel every expansion joint, every ripple, everything all the time, and hitting a pothole in this mode even minor ones, well I don't know your roads but there are some here that will make you physically pull over and check the car for damage afterward. It's not that suspension can't react fast enough its that the dampening is set to communicate the feel of the road so the threshold for the dampening is going to transfer a ton of that shock to the chassis because in effect that's what we are asking it to do. Tour is the opposite it seems like its number one thing is to isolate the driver from even the most vicious impacts, but it comes at the price of increased body roll, brake dive, squat, and vagueness for the grip levels, which is great if you're on rough tarmac because the dampening rate is so high.

So yeah the suspension reads and reacts to BOTH the road and driver inputs far faster, each mode is optimized for certain thresholds to achieve certain objectives, so it is not a dumb single-setting system but it has the same principle as eating soup with a fork, it can be done, but it's not the right tool for the job and the threshold for success will be far different is one uses a spoon.

I agree wholeheartedly! I was driving in my mode with what I thought was tour mode suspension. There is a distinct difference in your tour mode comfort and my mode comfort setting. Tour mode offers that pure comfort which offers reassurance against damage on rough road surfaces.

 

[PL69]

I agree wholeheartedly! I was driving in my mode with what I thought was tour mode suspension. There is a distinct difference in your tour mode comfort and my mode comfort setting. Tour mode offers that pure comfort which offers reassurance against damage on rough road surfaces.

Yes I found this too, tour is the true Cadillac ride but you still hear some engine tone and know there is something powerful under the hood, like a real caddi

 

[jrhammer]

The 2023 CT5 Blackwing has almost 5,000 miles on it. The car is an outstanding vehicle that I look forward to driving for quite some time. The Adaptive Active Ride Control adjustment (if that is the right term) is minimal. The ride/suspension seems very similar when set to "Touring" and "Track". Blackwing is a sports car but one would expect a very noticeable difference when set to touring mode. One may describe the difference as very stiff suspension vs. extremely stiff. As a driver, it is no problem but the passengers would prefer not to feel every little bump even a seam in the pavement.

The mechanic at the local Cadillac dealership that is the way the car is built. ACDelco (the manufacturer of the shocks) referred me to the local dealership when asked. Why have a suspension setting when the difference is barely perceivable?

Is this an intentional by design?

Do other Blackwing owners notice a greater difference with the suspension settings and is this a defect in this car?

Is there a software or mechanical adjustment available to the mechanic that would change the current to the electromagnets beyond those available to the driver?

I would go to great lengths to have a short conversation with the designing engineer.

Any and all insight is appreciated. If there is another thread that addresses the problem above, please indicate so.

The original post is a call with the mechanic. After doing the 5,000 mile check up, the result is the same. The mechanic indicated that other cars with adjustable suspension (Audi, BMW, Mercedes) use a different method for varying ride attributes. There is some sort of air bag or hydrolic suspension that not only changes the ride but also height. Also, an Audi owner who had lots of engine, suspension, and Transmission modifications said that for ~$5,000 one could install a suspension that not only allows for track mode but also a cushy ride. Thank you for all the comments. Much appreciated.