Ride - Solutions?

[malba2366]

Did the dealer forget to remove the suspension shipping blocks?

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[dbsb3233]

While I wouldn't go the same extent as the OP, I did find the ride over bumps, seams, etc., much more pronounced than previous vehicles. I've attributed the difference to being a more "sporty" vehicle than the Grand Cherokee, Yukon, Passat, etc. that I have had in the past.

Agreed. It's nowhere near as bad as the OP suggests, but it is disappointingly rough for a $60k car. Highway speeds are fine. But under 55 MPH or so, the bumps are harsher than in my $30k Escape.

Plus it bounces on roads that have the wave effect, i.e. concrete roads paved in short sections.

The quietness offsets some of the harsher ride, but I had hopes for better. Lots of positives on this car, but the harsher ride is one of the negatives for my tastes.

 

[DBC]

Agreed. It's nowhere near as bad as the OP suggests, but it is disappointingly rough for a $60k car. Highway speeds are fine. But under 55 MPH or so, the bumps are harsher than in my $30k Escape.

I like the ride. My wife loves it. You either like to feel the road or you don't. IMO Ford has done a great job of letting you fell the road but also smoothing it out.

To me it's amazing how Ford engineers managed to make the ride so different (and appropriate) on surface roads and the freeway. Whether you're a fan of this -- or would prefer a softer and less road oriented ride -- just depends on your personal preference. It is supposed to have some Mustang DNA in the ride, right?

 

[dbsb3233]

I like the ride. My wife loves it. You either like to feel the road or you don't. IMO Ford has done a great job of letting you fell the road but also smoothing it out.

To me it's amazing how Ford engineers managed to make the ride so different (and appropriate) on surface roads and the freeway. Whether you're a fan of this -- or would prefer a softer and less road oriented ride -- just depends on your personal preference. It is supposed to have some Mustang DNA in the ride, right?

It has surprised me how much different (better) it feels at high speed vs low/medium. Almost like it's a different car. It gives me a little bit of hope that maybe it's something that the car can adjust electronically on the fly. If so, maybe they'll give us a way to set it? Probably wishful thinking, I suppose.

I'm kind of at a loss for how anyone would prefer a bumpier ride. I can understand wanting good cornering with little body roll, but to actual want to feel bumps baffles me a bit.

 

[jparduhn70]

Remember - the original post is from someone in :Michigan. If you have ever driven in Michigan you would get it.

I drove the stretch of I-69 south of Lansing to I-94 in mine after I picked it up, and the road was awful. The ride was not comfortable as a result. We did the same route earlier that day in a Chrysler Pacifica, and the ride that had been really comfortable up to that point was also horrible. I can't blame the car. Other than that dreadful patch of roadway, my car has been very comfortable on highway and city streets.

 

[Major]

Not horrible, but definitely rougher riding than my Prius.

 

[DBC]

I'm kind of at a loss for how anyone would prefer a bumpier ride. I can understand wanting good cornering with little body roll, but to actual want to feel bumps baffles me a bit.

I'm at a loss as to why anyone wants to be so isolated from the road. It just feels sloppy. Obviously some feel differently. It's something of a trade-off. The MME has a very long wheelbase so a ride on the softer side is certainly possible.

You might want to make sure your tires aren't inflated over the recommended PSI. I do that routinely but again, I like a stiffer ride that has more road feel. Rather than at 39 PSI I think I have them at 41 PSI. You might want to go with 37 PSI. Won't help range but should soften the ride.

 

[cjljr41]

Did the dealer forget to remove the suspension shipping blocks?

This.

Also, I would climb underneath to see if there's any obvious damage to the vehicle.

 

[Papa T]

I think you need to lean on your dealer, even if they have not proved to be very helpful to this point. As you have pointed out, you spent a lot on this car, and they should be standing behind your satisfaction. There are a great many things about the car buying and driving experience that range from strongly objective to strongly subjective. I would say that ride quality is somewhere in the middle of that range. Different individuals have different preferences. However, there are some objective facts to suspension and ride, and what you are describing seems to be vastly different from what many others are experiencing. I have seen at least one other thread where there were complaints about the ride, but even theirs did not seem to be as problematic as you are experiencing.

I have only had two test drives at this point, but together they were a little over an hour in length, and I put the car through its paces on backroads and highways. Accelerated hard, broke hard, took a few curvy roads, and I did not experience what you are describing. Either you are much more sensitive to your ride (which in no way is intended as an insult - like I said everyone has different preferences), or something is wrong with the vehicle that you have picked up. Even if it's "just you," you just spent tens of thousands of dollars on a new vehicle, and I wouldn't sit by and let a dealer stonewall me. I would pressure them heavily to "make it right." And, I'm leaning toward what a few above me have said that there is something that was not handled correctly in your vehicle.

 

[jeffdawgfan]

Wow, I test drove both a RWD and AWD Premium over some pretty rough roads including railroad tracks and they both handled and drove much better than our Nissan Leaf. Maybe not up to the standard that our Nissan Murano was but it is more of a sports suspension than a luxury one.

 

[SoriceConsulting]

Wow, I test drove both a RWD and AWD Premium over some pretty rough roads including railroad tracks and they both handled and drove much better than our Nissan Leaf. Maybe not up to the standard that our Nissan Murano was but it is more of a sports suspension than a luxury one.

jeffdawgfan, I have a 2014 Murano and it has a pretty nice ride. How much different would you say the ride is and in what respects?

 

[dbsb3233]

I'm at a loss as to why anyone wants to be so isolated from the road. It just feels sloppy. Obviously some feel differently. It's something of a trade-off. The MME has a very long wheelbase so a ride on the softer side is certainly possible.

You might want to make sure your tires aren't inflated over the recommended PSI. I do that routinely but again, I like a stiffer ride that has more road feel. Rather than at 39 PSI I think I have them at 41 PSI. You might want to go with 37 PSI. Won't help range but should soften the ride.

I took a little air out of the tires earlier in the week, but only 1-2 PSI. They were at 40-41, although they were probably still a little warm from a drive an hour prior. I dropped them to 39 for now, and might go a little lower. Not sure where the safe point is for a car this heavy and tires this narrow, and when a low pressure warning might come on.

I never feel isolated from the road in any vehicle. I just like smooth better than bumpy.

 

[available_username2]

It has surprised me how much different (better) it feels at high speed vs low/medium. Almost like it's a different car. It gives me a little bit of hope that maybe it's something that the car can adjust electronically on the fly. If so, maybe they'll give us a way to set it? Probably wishful thinking, I suppose.

I'm kind of at a loss for how anyone would prefer a bumpier ride. I can understand wanting good cornering with little body roll, but to actual want to feel bumps baffles me a bit.

speaking of are all of you trying in different drive modes? Supposedly whisper would be smoother no?

 

[dbsb3233]

speaking of are all of you trying in different drive modes? Supposedly whisper would be smoother no?

I drove the first 4 days in Whisper. Definitely feel the bumps and some bouncing more than my Escape. Not horrible, but worse for sure (<55 MPH). Rougher than I expected for a $60,000 car. I thought it would be smoother than my Escape, not rougher.

I've now settled on Engaged mode full-time because I love the light braking regen it offers. I estimate it at about a 20% automatic regen braking when lifting off the accelerator pedal. (vs 0% for Whisper, 100% for 1PD ON, and roughly 75% in Unbridled).

Anyway, I don't really notice any suspension difference between Whisper and Engaged.

 

[mamejunkie]

speaking of are all of you trying in different drive modes? Supposedly whisper would be smoother no?

Anyway, I don't really notice any suspension difference between Whisper and Engaged.

I've been using all 3 modes and noticed no difference in terms of the suspension. Acceleration & regen braking...yes. Very bumpy like what some of you said. I will also try and lower the PSI. Its currently at 41.

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