# Undocumented Performance Mode?



## blackcatforge (Nov 16, 2007)

I have a two friends with '04 GTOs. One tells me there's an undocumented "Performance Mode" that you can enable by holding the Traction Control button in for 10+ seconds after starting the car. I did not have an opportunity to actually drive the car, but I did go through the steps and *something* happened.

Start the car normally and put it in neutral. After the GTO logo and diagnostics messages go away, push and hold the Traction Control button. As I recall, it took about 10-15 seconds. When it's done, the Traction Control button will no longer turn TC on and off. It just appears to do nothing. At this point...and this is complete heresay...it's supposedly in "Performance Mode," which...and please, I'm just the messanger here...is supposed to be worth an extra 50-75HP. He told me that it can only be enabled for a short time after starting the car and can't be turned back off without shutting the car off. You also can't enable it after having driven the car for a while (meaning you can't turn it on when that kid revs his engine next to you at a stoplight).

It sounds pretty far-fetched, but I guess it's not outside the realm of possibility. It's pretty easy to get a bunch of horsepower from a simple ECU-tune.

The story he told me was that a tech at the dealership told him this when he'd taken it in for routine maintenance. The tech claims the ECU contains the code for this mode, but due to environmental or CAFE regulations or something, GM was forced to "hide" it. Apparently, there was going to be a button for it right next to the TC button (there was a blank where another button could be installed, but sometimes that's for an option you didn't buy). So GM tied it to the TC button and didn't document it.

I'd love to hear from some of you guys as to whether or not it works, if the performance gain is measurable, or if my pal is living on another planet. He claims (and again, I just met this guy, but he's definitely a gearhead and seems pretty sharp) that it works and the difference is appreciable.


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## NJG8GT (Nov 14, 2007)

*What!?*

I'll let someone else try it first!!! That is the craziest thing I've heard yet on this forum, except for the guy who had "bubbles" in his car.


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## BustersJudge (May 26, 2007)

Well the empty button next to the traction control is where the sunroof button would be if our car was a monaro. I am not saying it is not possible but very unlikely that we would not have heard something about this before now. I hope there is some truth to it though it would be nice.


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## Devils3023 (May 21, 2007)

Wow, that would be awesome if it's true but I highly doubt it. I'll give it a shot tomorrow but mine is an 05 and your buddies is an 04 so I dunno. Seems pretty far fetched but I'll post back here soon as I test it out.


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## broncos_23 (Oct 28, 2007)

wow that would be great. but yet very unlikely


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## mynameiswazy (May 25, 2007)

*Jupiter, no Pluto, no Mars*



blackcatforge said:


> I have a two friends with '04 GTOs. One tells me there's an undocumented "Performance Mode" that you can enable by holding the Traction Control button in for 10+ seconds after starting the car. I did not have an opportunity to actually drive the car, but I did go through the steps and *something* happened.
> 
> Start the car normally and put it in neutral. After the GTO logo and diagnostics messages go away, push and hold the Traction Control button. As I recall, it took about 10-15 seconds. When it's done, the Traction Control button will no longer turn TC on and off. It just appears to do nothing. At this point...and this is complete heresay...it's supposedly in "Performance Mode," which...and please, I'm just the messanger here...is supposed to be worth an extra 50-75HP. He told me that it can only be enabled for a short time after starting the car and can't be turned back off without shutting the car off. You also can't enable it after having driven the car for a while (meaning you can't turn it on when that kid revs his engine next to you at a stoplight).
> 
> ...


I think your buddy lives on another planet. I dont know of any button that will get you an extra 50 HP on any LSx motor. It would be nice though.


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## AA GTO SP (Nov 11, 2006)

Sounds like a cheat code you could put in a video game.


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## efitzgerald1231 (Apr 26, 2007)

even tho this sounds completely rediculous, everyone including myself that has posted on this topic has yet to say they tried it and it doesnt work. I cant wait till tomorrow to unlock my performance mode, :lol: :lol:


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## 6QTS11OZ (Mar 27, 2005)

I wouldn't want that tech working on my car because it's obvious he doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.


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## macgto7004 (Jul 22, 2007)

Well, I tried this, this morning.
Started the car and held the TC button down after the Pontiac logo appeared.
I watched the display and the first thing I saw was that, at the point where the DIC menu would appear, the TC OFF warning showed up, and then changed to the odometer display. Continuing to hold the TC buton, the TC On icon appeared briefly.
Then, the displays went to normal.

Upon driving the car, there was no difference in performance. The only thing it seemed to accomplish was that it *DID* disable the TC button. The TC was on but I could not turn it off.

Do you think this could be some kind of "Valet" mode safety thing?

So, back to the original statement, it doesn't seem to hold much water. 

Russ


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

Is this one of those things we use to do as a kid when you point at their shirt and say "what is that?", they look down and you run your finger up their face and say "Made You Look".


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## macgto7004 (Jul 22, 2007)

gm4life said:


> Is this one of those things we use to do as a kid when you point at their shirt and say "what is that?", they look down and you run your finger up their face and say "Made You Look".


Could be, lol! 
But, doing what he said, does actually change the TC function. So, I'm not seeing anything change performance wise, but it did lock the TC control to the ON position.

Russ


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## blackcatforge (Nov 16, 2007)

*Kinda thought it might be bunk...*

Like I said, please don't shoot the messenger.  This was just something I'd heard from a guy I'd just met who owns a GTO. The story was just plausible-sounding enough that I thought I'd run it past the real experts.

What still sticks in my craw is that he swears it makes a difference. Like I said, he talks the talk when it comes to automotive-speak. I'm going to check with him today and make sure I had that sequence of events right.

Thanks everyone for your responses and if anyone finds any more info on this mythical feature, please post it.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

John Hagemann
Not a GTO-owner, but I've got a Solstice GXP...that's gotta count for somethin'.


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

I wish it was the other way around like a valet mode cut the engine power down to like 50HP and 75lb-ft of torque with a rev limit of 3000rpm just enough to get the car moving. That way I'll be glad to let the wife drive it to work.


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## 69bossnine (Aug 9, 2007)

A buddy of mine in high school used to tell girls that he had "nitrous" on his 1977 Toyota Corolla 4-door, and he'd start accelerating at half-throttle, and then push his a/c button (it glowed blue when on) while simultaneously flooring the gas, to create the "sensation" that some power-adder had miraculously kicked-in... 16-year-old girls... "Wow, that's so cool!....."... Me in the passenger seat, biting my lip and shoving my feet into the firewall to keep from laughing out loud...


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## Red Bearded Goat (Mar 19, 2007)

69bossnine said:


> A buddy of mine in high school used to tell girls that he had "nitrous" on his 1977 Toyota Corolla 4-door,


Was he suckin the NO2 out of spent Ready Whip cans at the time? :lol:


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## GTO JUDGE (May 14, 2005)

69bossnine said:


> A buddy of mine in high school used to tell girls that he had "nitrous" on his 1977 Toyota Corolla 4-door, and he'd start accelerating at half-throttle, and then push his a/c button (it glowed blue when on) while simultaneously flooring the gas, to create the "sensation" that some power-adder had miraculously kicked-in... 16-year-old girls... "Wow, that's so cool!....."... Me in the passenger seat, biting my lip and shoving my feet into the firewall to keep from laughing out loud...


ROFLMAO....Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry's ditsy blonde haired girlfriend thought she got gonorrhea while wearing a bathing suit from a tractor seat because her then boyfriend told her thats how she got it.


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## fergyflyer (Apr 18, 2005)

On the C5 Corvette, holding the TC button like stated in the first post on a car with the active handling would enable competitive driving mode. That would disable traction control but leave active handling on with a revised program that was best for racing. The GTO doesn't have an active handling system though so that probably isn't the case. 

The valet idea doesn't work either. If the valet shuts the car off when he parks it, you're right back where you started. 

I'd guess that since the traction control is locked on that there is a diferent parameter or program that the traction control is following. That could also lead to a different program that the computer is following. 

In the end, think of this. If there were 50-75 extra horsepower just from pushing a button, wouldn't tuners that crack the engine management codes know about it. Since a good tune might give you 20 hp, I'd guess the special button sequence might, if it does change the program, be able to give you up to 20 more hp.


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## 6QTS11OZ (Mar 27, 2005)

fergyflyer said:


> On the C5 Corvette, holding the TC button like stated in the first post on a car with the active handling would enable competitive driving mode. That would disable traction control but leave active handling on with a revised program that was best for racing. The GTO doesn't have an active handling system though so that probably isn't the case.
> 
> The valet idea doesn't work either. If the valet shuts the car off when he parks it, you're right back where you started.
> 
> ...


I thought the competitive driving mode was only on the Z06s. Hmmm? I guess I learn something new everyday.


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## koman (Sep 25, 2006)

fergyflyer said:


> In the end, think of this. If there were 50-75 extra horsepower just from pushing a button, wouldn't tuners that crack the engine management codes know about it. Since a good tune might give you 20 hp, I'd guess the special button sequence might, if it does change the program, be able to give you up to 20 more hp.


 i usually hit a-a-x-y-a-b code on mine and it gives me power boosters with swirl jets. :cheers


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

koman said:


> i usually hit a-a-x-y-a-b code on mine and it gives me power boosters with swirl jets. :cheers


Mine is up-down-mode-set-mode-set when the flashers flash twice hit the accelerator and brake. Thats how I get the turbo boost special move.


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## Mr. Sinister (Nov 18, 2007)

Try this, and this only works on the M6 cars, auto guys, your SOL:

Grab your shifter and move it in this sequence:
up
up
down
down
left
right
left 
right 

then press your passenger side window switch, followed by your driver's side switch.

This puts the car in OMFGBALLZ mode and lets you crash it into anything you want with no damage 30 times. 

I did it, it's awesome. The cops were all like "Sir, were you involved in a hit and run last night?" and I'm all like "Nah dude, mah whip is straight." and he left and I laughed because I have OMFGBALLZ mode.


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## Red Bearded Goat (Mar 19, 2007)

gm4life said:


> Is this one of those things we use to do as a kid when you point at their shirt and say "what is that?", they look down and you run your finger up their face and say "Made You Look".


Since the OP was given some BS.. it sounds like a pull my finger stunt instead.....


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## fiddler_red (May 9, 2007)

*goat fart*

Yeah, thanks for nothing, guys. I tried that freakin' "special performance" setting and got a nasty surprise. My Goat farted and now my garage smells like butt gas. 

I'm calling the cops


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## PEARL JAM (Sep 6, 2005)

Mr. Sinister said:


> Try this, and this only works on the M6 cars, auto guys, your SOL:
> 
> Grab your shifter and move it in this sequence:
> up
> ...


:lol: 
Sounds similiar to the old "up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start" Nintendo code!


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