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

Neil4Real

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Does the MagneRide suspension seem like it would be more cause for concern regarding future issues since it isn't as "simple" as a non-adjustable?

I live in SoCal so Summer vs A/S tires isn't an issue as I won't need Winter tires. Is there a difference in wear and ride quality between the two?
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Mach1E

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Does the MagneRide suspension seem like it would be more cause for concern regarding future issues since it isn't as "simple" as a non-adjustable?

I live in SoCal so Summer vs A/S tires isn't an issue as I won't need Winter tires. Is there a difference in wear and ride quality between the two?
Mag ride has been around for a long time in many cars.

It has been proven to be very reliable.
 

shadowsjc

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This is the bounciest car I've ever driven (premium AWD extended range). I was coming from an old Honda CRV that admittedly is engineered for a much different audience. But multiple people have pointed out the bounce, whether it's complaining (my mom) or getting carsick (my cousin).

I typically drive it in unbridled mode but have switched over to whisper to see if it helps. I've got roughly 6k miles, cold weather now so tires are around 37psi

Any other tips or things i can do?
 
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bellyer

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This is the bounciest car I've ever driven (premium AWD extended range). I was coming from an old Honda CRV that admittedly is engineered for a much different audience. But multiple people have pointed out the bounce, whether it's complaining (my mom) or getting carsick (my cousin).

I typically drive it in unbridled mode but have switched over to whisper to see if it helps. I've got roughly 6k miles, cold weather now so tires are around 37psi

Any other tips or things i can do?
Any other things you can do? Well, sadly, no, not right now really. Just about 10,000 miles in for me and Ford has told me my vehicle is "within spec" and on certain roads I watch my 100 lb. dog in the trunk literally bounce into the air. I have ridden in the back seat once and never will again. I don't know how my son is able to sit back there and watch movies or play games on his Surface without puking. I always drive in Engage mode because I find it to be the most similar to the ICE vehicles I've had in the past, but that certainly doesn't help with the bounce and rough ride. I love the idea of this car, but I honestly cannot wait for the magical day in the future that Ford releases an EV that rides smoothly. I don't need amazing performance and tight, sporty handling. I want comfort and range in something and you sadly won't find comfort in the MME. I am a Ford guy (not a car nut, but I believe in Ford) and am really hoping they figure it out.

So, honestly, just hope that you and your passengers can get used to the ride. I am constantly embarrassed by the ride of this car and feel really bad for any beings in the back seat and trunk, but I also love the car for a number of reasons. I spent the first 5 months of owning this car listening to my son in the back seat yelling out "so bouncy!" Last week, my sister joined my family for a 4-hour road trip and we randomly listened to her scream out "Eek" or "aaaah" or "oh, Frick!" There is no current solution aside from selling the car, I guess. I'm sticking with it until we either have a guaranteed aftermarket (or 1st party) solution or until we have something like an electric Explorer that rides smoothly, but the ride truly sucks.
 

DrSteveBrule

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How can I recreate this problem during a test drive? I really hated the ride in my Model 3 at times and want to make sure I'm not making that same mistake. My interpretation is that the problem is most apparent during repeating seams in the road at highways speeds. Is that accurate? If not, what should I seek out in terms of road imperfections and speed?
 


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This is the bounciest car I've ever driven (premium AWD extended range). I was coming from an old Honda CRV that admittedly is engineered for a much different audience. But multiple people have pointed out the bounce, whether it's complaining (my mom) or getting carsick (my cousin).

I typically drive it in unbridled mode but have switched over to whisper to see if it helps. I've got roughly 6k miles, cold weather now so tires are around 37psi

Any other tips or things i can do?
I also have a ER AWD premium and just switched to a set of select 18x7 wheels and select size 225/60/18 104v @39psi tires and bounce is gone. My wife commented how much better the car rides so it's not just me. I would suggest driving a select and see what you think for some reason the larger sidewall makes for a much smoother ride. I got these for the winter but will probably go buy a set of tires for the summer and keep 18" setup.
 

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How can I recreate this problem during a test drive? I really hated the ride in my Model 3 at times and want to make sure I'm not making that same mistake. My interpretation is that the problem is most apparent during repeating seams in the road at highways speeds. Is that accurate? If not, what should I seek out in terms of road imperfections and speed?
I have not experienced the "undulating bounce" but the suspension is pretty firm and the ride a tad harsh (worst at 55+ mph on poor roads). Model 3 like. With your ID.4 you can drive over a pothole and not feel it but that's not true of the Mach-E nor Model 3.

I'd test ride the trim you plan to purchase. I noticed a slight difference between the Extended and Standard Range but both were acceptable to me - so is the Model 3 :)
 
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How can I recreate this problem during a test drive? I really hated the ride in my Model 3 at times and want to make sure I'm not making that same mistake. My interpretation is that the problem is most apparent during repeating seams in the road at highways speeds. Is that accurate? If not, what should I seek out in terms of road imperfections and speed?
So, there are really 2 different sort of bouncy and harsh ride situations. Some of us notice both. Others may notice one or the other. I am oh-so-lucky enough to be in the both category...

One is the undulating/harmonic bounce on certain stretches of roads or highways that tend to be concrete with evenly spaced seams. If you know of any stretches of road where you notice this to any extent in your current vehicle, plan to take the test drive to that spot. I see you are in Minnesota. If you want to take a really long drive over to the Door County peninsula in Wisconsin, there is about a 10 mile stretch of this sort of condition in Sturgeon Bay, WI and it is definitely the worst one I've found. Coincidentally, there also happens to be a Ford dealer right along that stretch of road.

The second sort of harsh/jarring ride situation is experienced simply by rising through parts of town where the city road crews have not managed to pour asphalt evenly or where the roads may have been chopped up by snow plows in the past leaving potholes and choppy road around. You feel every single imperfection in the road in this car and, when you do hit a pothole or a dip in the road, it is a shockingly hard sensation, often followed by a significant bounce most noticeable in the back of the car, but plenty noticeable up front, too. If you hit those dips at a decent speed (say above 15 mph) expect quite the bounce, especially if it is one that both sides of the vehicle hit concurrently.

For me, I test drove the car alone and was super excited after my 14-month wait to get it, so I think I talked myself into not noticing the bounce and harsh ride or was simply blind to it because I was so excited to finally have it. Try to not take my approach and, rather, pay close attention to the ride and the way it feels on a long test drive over multiple types of road - city, expressway, rural back roads.
 

kdisner

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I also have a ER AWD premium and just switched to a set of select 18x7 wheels and select size 225/60/18 104v @39psi tires and bounce is gone. My wife commented how much better the car rides so it's not just me. I would suggest driving a select and see what you think for some reason the larger sidewall makes for a much smoother ride. I got these for the winter but will probably go buy a set of tires for the summer and keep 18" setup.
What tires did you use? Snow tires?
 

DrSteveBrule

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I have not experienced the "undulating bounce" but the suspension is pretty firm and the ride a tad harsh (worst at 55+ mph on poor roads). Model 3 like. With your ID.4 you can drive over a pothole and not feel it but that's not true of the Mach-E nor Model 3.

I'd test ride the trim you plan to purchase. I noticed a slight difference between the Extended and Standard Range but both were acceptable to me - so is the Model 3 :)
I drove on a highway in my ID.4 today that had bothered me in my Model 3. I think it's all worse in the dead of winter, but today was mid-40s. The ID.4 handled it well. Not sure I can even find a dealer with the Premium SR config I have a deposit on. Which of the two between SR and ER was worse for you?

It was only with very specific scenarios where I struggled with the Model 3. On city streets, I didn't mind the firm ride. The repeating seams and undulations on 55+ highways were what did it.
 

voxel

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I drove on a highway in my ID.4 today that had bothered me in my Model 3. I think it's all worse in the dead of winter, but today was mid-40s. The ID.4 handled it well. Not sure I can even find a dealer with the Premium SR config I have a deposit on. Which of the two between SR and ER was worse for you?

It was only with very specific scenarios where I struggled with the Model 3. On city streets, I didn't mind the firm ride. The repeating seams and undulations on 55+ highways were what did it.
On city streets, I can feel the big bumps like on a Model 3. My ID.4 is just oblivious to them. I test drove the Premium RWD ER while I owned the ID.4 on the same streets and I definitely noticed the firmer suspension, stronger braking, and bumps but the handling was light-years ahead. The Mach-E handles more like a sedan than SUV (ID.4).

The ER worse than my SR. Hard to pinpoint because I was focus on driving 75mph on empty new development roads. They were all very smooth :) The Premium SR is light and nimble as a Model 3 Standard Range (RWD). Everything is less harsh than the ER I test drove. At the time I never drove a Model Y LR. I would not compare the Y to any of the above IMO.

My only major compliant has been the road/tire noise of the OEM tires. Mine are definitely over-inflated at 45psi.
 

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I also have a ER AWD premium and just switched to a set of select 18x7 wheels and select size 225/60/18 104v...
Based on your new tires, your wheel diameter (with tire) is now one step larger than stock so what the car thinks is an indicated mile is a little longer than actual. How are you finding your range predictions? Does the MME eventually "relearn" what a true mile actually is on the basis of the GPS spatial locations?
 

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I also noticed the bouncy ride...
Looks like our ER AWD has very stiff suspension on the front and a softer on the back...
You'll notice it while driving over a cleft in the road surface, eg driving over a rail track, the front is almost jumping over the track, whereas the back suspension indeed, to some degree eliminates the unevenness. I think it's the combination of the front/back which is given this bounciness...
Not really happy with this.
 

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It seems unanimous that the GTPE in whisper mode is the most smooth and comfortable of the MMEs.

To be clear, the GT bounciness is only in certain conditions but is otherwise a very nice ride. I'm hoping that after 1500-2000 miles, it settles in as others have reported.
I have 19,990 miles and the suspension, unfortunately, does not settle in. As time goes on you either get used to it and learn to live with it….or it really starts to drive you crazy once the novelty of owning a new car wears off
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