Can't deal with the bouncy ride anymore after two weeks with the Mach-E. What do I do?

[bellyer]

Finally able to grab a video at night. This is the bouncing up and down on smooth (to my eye) roads that’s especially tough at night with the added visual element of seeing the lights rock up and down constantly. ?

skip to the last 5 seconds to see the weird lock/roll back and forth the car does every time it comes to a stop. I have to assume this is related to the bouncyness because it’s nearly impossible to come to a smooth stop without the car jerking back and forth like I slammed on the brakes. It can be the longest, slowest, most controlled stop and yet always makes this exaggerated motion at the end. I’m not using 1 pedal and I do use auto hold. It’s the same with or without autohold on and in every drive style. I don’t use or plan to use 1 pedal anytime soon so if that works it’s still not a solution.

@Ford Motor Company - It would be great if you all could take a look at this video and explain how this could be a normal experience. I tried getting Field Service Engineer and my dealer's service department to experience this bouncing, but I don't think that anyone actually took my car out and experienced this while my support ticket was still open. Ford really needs to experience these ride conditions and explain how this could be considered normal or do something to address it. I provided daytime videos while my support ticket was open, but had no night time ones. This paints a great picture of the issue and this is definitely not something I would ever consider normal.

@Al-E - I will say that, with regard to your comment about the rocking back and forth in the lst 5 seconds of the video, keeping the car in Engage mode and using good, old fashioned 2 pedal driving and training myself to apply the brakes very gently generally allows me to come to very smooth stops without any rocking when I do come to a stop (and that gentle braking helps capture some of the regeneration). Hard stops are very much an uncomfortable experience and do definitely lead to that rocking, but if you can sort of re-train yourself to come to very gradual stops, I find that it helps a lot.

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[Al-E]

Appreciate the kind words, advice and support @bellyer and @Cnote ! I’m moving to Texas in a couple weeks and am already looking for trust worthy dealerships out in the Austin metro area to take it to when I get there. Any suggestions appreciated. I would even drive to San Antonio if the rec was solid.

Since I love the car, there’s unfortunately not much I can do about it right now. I’m just really disappointed a car with such a long wheel base (the reason I took such an interest) has as choppy a ride as my Jeep Renegade that’s 90.

I will of course share any news once I take my car in to be checked and I’ll also be here just hoping it magically goes away at 2,500 miles

 

[Al-E]

@Ford Motor Company - It would be great if you all could take a look at this video and explain how this could be a normal experience. I tried getting Field Service Engineer and my dealer's service department to experience this bouncing, but I don't think that anyone actually took my car out and experienced this while my support ticket was still open. Ford really needs to experience these ride conditions and explain how this could be considered normal or do something to address it. I provided daytime videos while my support ticket was open, but had no night time ones. This paints a great picture of the issue and this is definitely not something I would ever consider normal.

Also should be noted this was on a recently paved asphalt road so it’s definitely not relegated to those segmented concrete roads.

 

[Fat Mach]

Also should be noted this was on a recently paved asphalt road so it’s definitely not relegated to those segmented concrete roads.

Be sure to drive that section in a known good car. I drove a section of freshly paved US 101 through San Jose one time and I thought my wheel was falling off. Ten years later it's as bad as the day they paved it. I have no idea how that made it through the Cal Trans inspection.

 

[Al-E]

Be sure to drive that section in a known good car. I drove a section of freshly paved US 101 through San Jose one time and I thought my wheel was falling off. Ten years later it's as bad as the day they paved it. I have no idea how that made it through the Cal Trans inspection.

It’s the only road in or out of my house so very familiar with it. Have driven my 2013 Rogue (smoothest ride I’ve ever had in an suv) many times on it as well as the renegade and an old chevy truck. I’m already planning on getting a video in the rogue but I do wonder how helpful that will be as it’s 2013 and the headlights just aren’t the same to illustrate the bounce visually.

 

[markboris]

I waited two days before posting this as I wanted to drive the car quite a bit to make sure I am confident on the way the ride has changed.

In an effort to lower my car a bit, since the lowering springs I ordered were taking longer than I expected, I ordered GT springs for my Premium 4x. As I have stated before in another thread, both the GT and GT/PE springs are the same. I wanted a 1" drop but had to settle for the 1/2" drop the GT springs provide. I replaced the front springs last week and stated I noticed a very little difference in ride. The front was slightly firmer when going over speed bumps in the parking lots but not much else different. Two days ago I replaced the rear springs and I was blown away. There is no more bounce over the roads that previously gave me quite a bit. It feels like a completely different car. It is very smooth and handles better too.

Early on in this thread I said I thought the issue with the bounce might be the rear shocks. To me, all of the bounce comes from the rear. I figured the shocks were not firm enough and caused the springs to bounce around. Well, apparently by adding the higher rate GT springs in the rear fixes the bounce. I checked on the shocks for the rear and they are different from my Premium 4x to the standard GT (non magneride) so changing those might even make it better, however, I won't be going any further with this car since I already have it sold when my GT/PE comes in probably sometime November. If I get bored waiting for my car, I might just order the GT rear shocks to see what else will change.

For those that are very unhappy with the rear bounce of their Mach-E I would highly suggest replacing the rear springs if you don't mind spending a little money. The part number is LK9Z-5560-B and they are around $57 each at parts places like TascaParts, etc. I put them in myself and there are just two bolts that need to be removed. The lower shock and lower control arm bolts and the spring comes right out. Getting the lower control arm lined up to put the bolt back in can be a little tricky but not impossible. I'm sure it can't cost that much to have a shop do this as it took me less than one hour to do both sides. For those that are unhappy with the ride of their Mach-E, I'm confident that if you replace your springs with the GT's springs you will enjoy your car much more.

 

[Al-E]

@markboris do you have to replace all 4 if it will lower the car 1/2” to be even/consistent or will it work just replacing the rears?

 

[HuntingPudel]

I would replace all 4 springs to maintain the car’s balance. Besides, it would just look weird with the rear riding lower than the front.

 

[cloud9]

I waited two days before posting this as I wanted to drive the car quite a bit to make sure I am confident on the way the ride has changed.

In an effort to lower my car a bit, since the lowering springs I ordered were taking longer than I expected, I ordered GT springs for my Premium 4x. As I have stated before in another thread, both the GT and GT/PE springs are the same. I wanted a 1" drop but had to settle for the 1/2" drop the GT springs provide. I replaced the front springs last week and stated I noticed a very little difference in ride. The front was slightly firmer when going over speed bumps in the parking lots but not much else different. Two days ago I replaced the rear springs and I was blown away. There is no more bounce over the roads that previously gave me quite a bit. It feels like a completely different car. It is very smooth and handles better too.

Early on in this thread I said I thought the issue with the bounce might be the rear shocks. To me, all of the bounce comes from the rear. I figured the shocks were not firm enough and caused the springs to bounce around. Well, apparently by adding the higher rate GT springs in the rear fixes the bounce. I checked on the shocks for the rear and they are different from my Premium 4x to the standard GT (non magneride) so changing those might even make it better, however, I won't be going any further with this car since I already have it sold when my GT/PE comes in probably sometime November. If I get bored waiting for my car, I might just order the GT rear shocks to see what else will change.

For those that are very unhappy with the rear bounce of their Mach-E I would highly suggest replacing the rear springs if you don't mind spending a little money. The part number is LK9Z-5560-B and they are around $57 each at parts places like TascaParts, etc. I put them in myself and there are just two bolts that need to be removed. The lower shock and lower control arm bolts and the spring comes right out. Getting the lower control arm lined up to put the bolt back in can be a little tricky but not impossible. I'm sure it can't cost that much to have a shop do this as it took me less than one hour to do both sides. For those that are unhappy with the ride of their Mach-E, I'm confident that if you replace your springs with the GT's springs you will enjoy your car much more.

I noticed that harmonic bounce in the limited amount of test driving I did in a Premium on a recently rebuilt stretch of concrete interstate. I DO NOT get the harmonic bounce in my GTPE so I assumed it was the Magneride taking it out. It sounds like maybe it's just the GT spring that eliminates it. That would be an easy and inexpensive fix.

 

[physib]

@markboris so if I'm reading correctly, you're saying that GT won't have the ride problem?

 

[RedAero42]

... I replaced the front springs last week ... I would highly suggest replacing the rear springs if you don't mind spending a little money. The part number is LK9Z-5560-B and they are around $57 each at parts places like TascaParts, etc.

Would you mind confirming the front spring PN? Thanks!

 

[markboris]

@markboris do you have to replace all 4 if it will lower the car 1/2” to be even/consistent or will it work just replacing the rears?

You do not have to replace all four springs. Stock, the back of my Premium Mach-E sits 5/8" higher than the front. Replacing the rear springs with the GT springs, the car will sit just about level. Now, I would suggest to replace the front springs also just so the entire car drops evenly and the front springs will closer match the rears as they are a bit stiffer too but the rear springs are what fixed the bounce, not the front ones.

If anyone is interested in the GT front springs, the part number is LK9Z-5310-B and they are about $50 at a place like Tascaparts. Installing the front springs is more time consuming than the rear do to they are part of the strut. You need to remove the entire strut assembly and use a spring compressor to remove it. It is easy to do but takes me about 1 hr. 45 min. to do both springs because I work slow (I'm old). ?

@markboris so if I'm reading correctly, you're saying that GT won't have the ride problem?

That is correct. I cannot see how any of the GT's would have the bounce issue since they use the same springs I just installed in my Premium. My Premium is a 4x like all GT's so really the only difference in the GT springs is the 1/2" drop and a higher spring rate. Even though the spring rate is higher (stiffer spring) the car rides MUCH smoother and you get the bonus of it handing better (less body roll cornering).

 

[markboris]

I wanted to mention, If I were keeping my car, I would be changing the front struts and rear shocks so I would have the entire GT setup (not GT/PE magneride obviously). I was not after changing the ride. Just wanted to drop the car a bit and I knew the springs had to have a higher rate since they were shorter. I had no idea the new springs would give such a smooth ride though. I can only think that the GT rear shocks are a bit stiffer complementing the springs further reducing any bounce. The rear shocks are extremely easy to replace. Two bolts at the top and one at the bottom and it lifts right out.

This is my recommendation for anyone unhappy with the ride. Cheapest route and the most to gain reducing the bounce is just replace the rear springs. Next, if you want to further reduce any bounce, replace the rear shocks too. If you want to go all out, then replace the front springs and struts but that won't help much with the rear bounce. The struts and shocks are more than double the price of the springs.

 

[Mike16]

I would replace the front spring also because it would make your headlight higher if you dont and will blind people at night

 

[bellyer]

This GT spring and strut business is really making me wonder if I should give it a shot. I did not really want to lower my MME FE at all, but if it makes the ride more comfortable, I might be open to it. Is this something I would ask the Ford dealer service department to help with? I have never swapped out shocks/struts before, so have no idea where I woukd start with that. (I have to admit, I'm not much of a car guy. ?)

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