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I’m still figuring out the cut and paste stuff with the text, but someone mentioned the trans cooler. I would suspect that as well. I’ve seen trans leak only to the radiator, or coolant only to the trans, and seen them go both ways. On that CTS, the trans cooler runs through the lower tank of the radiator, the fittings corrode often, sometimes break off, or leak one fluid to the other. I’m not sure what sorts of tools you have access to, but if you dye the engine oil, since it’s easy to get to, note with a black light what color the oil glows with the dye. Run it for a bit and see if that bright dye shows up in the coolant. If not, if it looks dull or not as bright as the engine oil, it’s probably trans fluid. Replace the radiator and you’ll be good. The most I’ve seen with the 3.6 is timing chains, but I think yours is old enough to have some pretty stout chains still. I’ve seen some oil consumption, carbon on the valves, water pumps, but not much else. Not to say it’s not possible, but not too likely. I’d look at that radiator really close, fitting on the passenger side seems to be the one that will break off or leak.
Based on the pics, I wouldn’t worry a bit about the pressure. I see similar numbers in trucks 10 years newer. At idle, about 25-30 psi, and 40-50 psi driving down the road. As much as I like making money, if that truck came through my bay with that complaint, I wouldn’t recommend overhauling the engine over it. Now if it were dropping completely to zero at an idle, I would say you likely have a relief valve sticking open, pretty common on new trucks.
I just kinda skimmed through the codes and definitions, bulletins through GM’s service information. It could be battery related, meaning the big guy under the back seat. There is a test that can be done to located faulty batteries within the module. I also found a bulletin stating to make sure the latest and greatest software has been installed as well. If you took your vehicle to a dealer and they were unsure how to proceed, they may not get many hybrids through the door. I would probably look for a dealer, any GM dealer that is larger and gets a lot of these sorts of vehicles. There are special tools to properly test the systems, but not all the dealers have them. Plus, since this system carries enough power to kill you instantly, some techs aren’t too excited to deal with them.
Just take it to a bigger dealer with the experience to handle this vehicle, don’t try to fix or test it on your own. Like I said, it could just be a programming issue.
I’d say the day is over when you’re fatigued beyond what a break will fix. The easy ways to tell for me are…
1. I’m no longer thinking at least 3 steps ahead of what I’m doing. If I’m not sure of my next move, I’m too tired to concentrate adequately to perform my job as I should. Go home.
2. Forgetting where I set tools or parts. When I’m spending too much time searching for what I need because I’m not focused on my organization, I’m wasting time now. Go home.
3. If I’m just generally distracted and not focused on the task at hand, I’m not helping myself or the customer. Go home.Tomorrow is another day, the last way you want to start it off is fixing all the clumsy mistakes you made the night before.