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

[Scooby24]

I expect it to be the same. Others expect it to be different. Ford has not divulged what they expect.

It's 1/2" lower per their specs. It's definitely going to be different.

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[Cnote]

I didn't buy the mach-e to have a 'smoother and more relaxed ride'.... besides, this dude is driving on the wrong side of the road anyway. Seriously, I like tight and responsive, and like how sensitive the car is to accelerator.

for people who find it 'bouncy', I guess that's why there is 'whisper mode' ?!

As many people have said, the drive modes do nothing to the suspension and I also love how sensitive the car is to the accelerator. Also most of us weren't expecting a ride like a Buick, but the thing is more punishing than my Corvette by far. Never expected the Vette to feel darn near cushy in comparison to the Mach E.

I like tight and responsive as well (hence the corvette), but the guy describes it in the video perfectly. A suspension can be tight and responsive and not bounce/undulate over every little thing in the road (which is even more obvious at night with the headlights bobbing up and down constantly). Of all the cars I've ridden in, driven, or owned, this is the only one other than my friend's mini cooper (that thing rattled your teeth and sounded like it was falling apart going over bumps) where the ride actually bothers me.

 

[bellyer]

I didn't buy the mach-e to have a 'smoother and more relaxed ride'.... besides, this dude is driving on the wrong side of the road anyway. Seriously, I like tight and responsive, and like how sensitive the car is to accelerator.

for people who find it 'bouncy', I guess that's why there is 'whisper mode' ?!

Unfortunately, whisper mode has nothing to do whatsoever with alleviating the bouncy sensation. It is almost like you have not read any of this thread before posting. Driving modes have been addressed so many times and the modes have no bearing on the bounce.

 

[Brofessional]

As many people have said, the drive modes do nothing to the suspension and I also love how sensitive the car is to the accelerator. Also most of us weren't expecting a ride like a Buick, but the thing is more punishing than my Corvette by far. Never expected the Vette to feel darn near cushy in comparison to the Mach E.

I like tight and responsive as well (hence the corvette), but the guy describes it in the video perfectly. A suspension can be tight and responsive and not bounce/undulate over every little thing in the road (which is even more obvious at night with the headlights bobbing up and down constantly). Of all the cars I've ridden in, driven, or owned, this is the only one other than my friend's mini cooper (that thing rattled your teeth and sounded like it was falling apart going over bumps) where the ride actually bothers me.

I don’t have mine yet, but from what’s been described it sounds underdamped. May be as simple as switching out shocks. In the past some of the ice mustang owners were switching to performance dampers and reportedly getting much better ride quality. May be a similar situation here.

The GTs will have a higher spring rate with them sitting lower so it won’t be a 1:1 comparison, but we should get at least some idea of whether or not the increased damping solves some of it or if it may be more of a bushings/chassis issue. I would put my money on shocks solving it.

 

[carbonizedbrett]

As many people have said, the drive modes do nothing to the suspension and I also love how sensitive the car is to the accelerator. Also most of us weren't expecting a ride like a Buick, but the thing is more punishing than my Corvette by far. Never expected the Vette to feel darn near cushy in comparison to the Mach E.

I like tight and responsive as well (hence the corvette), but the guy describes it in the video perfectly. A suspension can be tight and responsive and not bounce/undulate over every little thing in the road (which is even more obvious at night with the headlights bobbing up and down constantly). Of all the cars I've ridden in, driven, or owned, this is the only one other than my friend's mini cooper (that thing rattled your teeth and sounded like it was falling apart going over bumps) where the ride actually bothers me.

I agree. I find the "bouncy" thing weird. I actually think it deals well with speed bumps and nasty road sores.

It's the smooth pavement that's anything short of perfectly flat that causes this perplexing bounce. It's not like the 1990-something delightfully floaty Mercury Grand Marquis I rented once. And it's not like the firmness of a BMW or Audi that more directly transmits road imperfections.

It "unsettles" (?) on pretty normal roads in a way none of my previous cars did. (2017 Outback, 2012 Genesis sedan, 2003 Accord, 1995 Maxima, 1978 320i)

My wife was trying to describe the ride during a test drive but she couldn't quite explain it. Finally she just said, "if you had boobs, you'd understand."

 

[iankellogg]

I have a lexus ES that has a fairly cushy suspension and yes the mach-e has a more 'bouncy' ride. but what i've noticed from it is mostly the rebound is quite fast. I think that's just the physics of a >2 ton vehicle. My Father's pick up truck is a >4 ton truck and it is not what i would call 'comfy' ride either.

 

[HuntingPudel]

There was a video that I saw (don’t remember whose it was) that was a “long-term” report on the guy’s MME. He nailed it on the head in stating that the “bouncy” ride is an effect of insufficient rebound damping given the spring rate. That is a slight oversimplification of what’s going on, but if each end of the vehicle is allowed to over-travel away from the road at a frequency matching the wave in the road (or worse, at the third harmonic thereof), it’s going to pitch pretty drastically, causing what some call a bouncy ride.

 

[phil]

There was a video that I saw (don’t remember whose it was) that was a “long-term” report on the guy’s MME. He nailed it on the head in stating that the “bouncy” ride is an effect of insufficient rebound damping given the spring rate. That is a slight oversimplification of what’s going on, but if each end of the vehicle is allowed to over-travel away from the road at a frequency matching the wave in the road (or worse, at the third harmonic thereof), it’s going to pitch pretty drastically, causing what some call a bouncy ride.

Seems like the sort of thing Ford would have learned and dealt with. Sometime in their first century or so of making cars.

 

[GrumblesTheDog]

How much can changing tires improve your ride quality? Can't the sidewall height, if larger, can give you a smoother ride (if I understood what I read correctly)? But can you move up to a larger tire on the premium wheels, or do you need a smaller rim size in order to do that?

Mine also rides pretty firmly, but this is far and away the 'sportiest' car I've ever driven/owned, so I am fine with it - it's the backseat passengers (ie kids) that complain a bit more about the ride quality...

 

[Brofessional]

Seems like the sort of thing Ford would have learned and dealt with. Sometime in their first century or so of making cars.

There are numerous possible etiologies as to why it ended up underdamped. As with any for profit business, “because it was cheaper” is always the most likely. But at least in this case, making a nearly 5k lbs CUV handle like a sports car isn’t a small feat.

Suspension has always been about compromises. It’s why dynamic systems exist, but even those aren’t perfect. If they increased the damping more imperfections would be transmitted to the cabin. If they went the other way and reduced the spring rate, the handling that has been ubiquitously praised thus far would not be as good. For what it’s worth, in terms of heavy EVs without dynamic suspension, Ford has put out what thus far reviewers have considered the best compromise. The only comparable handling EVs (like the model 3) have been considered too harsh to be comfortable.

 

[EELinneman]

As many people have said, the drive modes do nothing to the suspension and I also love how sensitive the car is to the accelerator. Also most of us weren't expecting a ride like a Buick, but the thing is more punishing than my Corvette by far. Never expected the Vette to feel darn near cushy in comparison to the Mach E.

I like tight and responsive as well (hence the corvette), but the guy describes it in the video perfectly. A suspension can be tight and responsive and not bounce/undulate over every little thing in the road (which is even more obvious at night with the headlights bobbing up and down constantly). Of all the cars I've ridden in, driven, or owned, this is the only one other than my friend's mini cooper (that thing rattled your teeth and sounded like it was falling apart going over bumps) where the ride actually bothers me.

Based on your response above, perhaps it's time to sell the car. I would suggest looking at the list of the grumpy people waiting for their cars for a buyer.

 

[Mach-Lee]

How much can changing tires improve your ride quality? Can't the sidewall height, if larger, can give you a smoother ride (if I understood what I read correctly)? But can you move up to a larger tire on the premium wheels, or do you need a smaller rim size in order to do that?

Tires can help with the feeling of roughness, noise, steering feedback, and feeling of bumps or expansion joints, but do not help with damping or the feeling of bounciness which is up to the suspension. Bounciness is definitely a suspension characteristic unless you have balloon tires. Heavy vehicles are more difficult to dampen because of the extra mass moving up and down so the shocks have to be beefier. The downside is that you will feel more a jolt going over bumps with stiffer shocks. Opinions on suspension damping vary significantly from person to person, so it's hard to say if Ford thought slightly softer would appeal to more people, they were cutting costs with smaller shocks, if there was an engineering reason such as handling performance, or whether it was just a mistake. If you come from a vehicle with a well-tuned sporty suspension you will probably notice the difference. Some will get used to it, some won't.

 

[Birdmanf16]

Do they ship these cars with coil spacers in them? If so, see if they are still installed. After that...put some better shocksnon it or sell it. Ride feels real good on my mach e4 x so far.

 

[Brofessional]

M

How much can changing tires improve your ride quality? Can't the sidewall height, if larger, can give you a smoother ride (if I understood what I read correctly)? But can you move up to a larger tire on the premium wheels, or do you need a smaller rim size in order to do that?

Mine also rides pretty firmly, but this is far and away the 'sportiest' car I've ever driven/owned, so I am fine with it - it's the backseat passengers (ie kids) that complain a bit more about the ride quality...

More sidewall can help soften the ride, but it’s the same compromise as a lower spring rate—decreased handling capabilities.

Personally I would wait until some GTs are built and see what the ride is like with more damping. If GTs aren’t too harsh you can likely replace the stock dampers with some OEM GT shocks or something similar and be done with it. Should cost less than a new set of wheels and tires and you don’t have to downsize your wheels.

 

[Cnote]

Based on your response above, perhaps it's time to sell the car. I would suggest looking at the list of the grumpy people waiting for their cars for a buyer.

Yes...I don't like this one thing that may be able to be fixed...let me sell the car. Another helpful response in this thread.

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