[darottens]

Just got the new Equinox. As I wrote in another thread we absolutely love it. We're on our first long trip with it. On the highway it feels as if the car is swaying around or bouncing from side to side, almost rhythmically.

Anybody else have this?

Or a guess as to what the problem might be?

 

[RIT333]

Just logged a trip from NY to FL and didn't witness any of that. Maybe shocks or sway bar is loose. I would have the dealer look under the car. Shouldn't be like that - at least for a couple hundred thousand miles, anyways.

 

[gearhead]

Just got the new Equinox. As I wrote in another thread we absolutely love it. We're on our first long trip with it. On the highway it feels as if the car is swaying around or bouncing from side to side, almost rhythmically.

Anybody else have this?

Or a guess as to what the problem might be?

Did you confirm your tire pressures are all the same?
Do you have an unbalanced load anywhere on or in the vehicle?
Does this happen when a transport truck is passing by or you're passing one?
Is it only on one highway, one lane, or several highways, different lanes?
Sometimes, there are invisible ruts on highways caused by transport trucks constantly driving in the same line.
Vehicles with wider tires (from my experience) are especially prone to "getting stuck in a rut" so to speak LOL, giving the passengers a "bouncing from side to side" feeling as they dip in and out of the ruts.

Other than that, take it to the dealer and let them go for a cruise in it.

 

[darottens]

2 or 3 highways between Atlanta and south Florida.

Not enough cargo to make a difference.

Tire pressures all within 1 or 2 psi.

Feels like the tires/car is fighting itself. Maybe in the front end.

 

[gearhead]

2 or 3 highways between Atlanta and south Florida.

Not enough cargo to make a difference.

Tire pressures all within 1 or 2 psi.

Feels like the tires/car is fighting itself. Maybe in the front end.

Try the left lane on a smooth highway for a few miles and see if it does the same thing.
If memory serves, I-75 and I-95 run down from Hotlanta to Florida.

It's not impossible but highly unlikely the vehicle left the factory with a bad alignment, since they are run on rollers and inspected for such things before being shipped, but you never know.
If you're far away from your own dealer, see if you can find a Chevy dealer where you're at and definitely have them check it out for your own safety and to avoid doing any unnecessary damage.

 

[RIT333]

Could also be a bad belt in a tire. I've seen that happen.

 

[gearhead]

Could also be a bad belt in a tire. I've seen that happen.

True that, good point, RIT333.
Whatever the case may be, if I can't drive down a highway I know is relatively smooth without taking my hand off the wheel for a few seconds (to check alignment, silly LOL!) and being confident the vehicle will stay straight, then I'm making a note to get it fixed pronto...

 

[dm2010nox]

I'd get the alignment checked, and get your shop (dealer) to print out the computer-generated measurements, and then compare w/ the factory recommended settings.

Maybe a stupid question here for a new car...does the car 'bounce' when you push down it? It should come to a stop pretty immediately (for a new car). maybe you have a bad shock absorber? checking all four corners only takes a few minutes...

 

[darottens]

I got a chance to take the car to a dealer while out of town.

They took it out for a ride. The service adviser said that what I'm feeling is a "flaw" in the vehicle. He said the electric steering causes the car to sway or over steer and that I would get used to it.

Since there was apparently nothing seriously wrong with the car I decided to take it at that and see my dealer back home.

The sway or shimmy or bounce or wiggle happens even when I'm not "steering" vehicle. I can take my hand off the wheel and it still happens, though the car stays straight so I guess the alignment is not to blame.

I will try bouncing each of the corners and see what happens.

 

[RIT333]

FYI - My 4 cyl's EPS does not seem "flawed" !

 

[dm2010nox]

darottens...good luck, and I hope that this works out. If you get a chance, you might want to drive another equinox to see if it does the same thing. If you are in central North Carolina, you can drive mine. I kind of doubt that this vehicle is flawed in that way, but I suppose it's possible. The steering definitely feels different than any other car that I have driven, but I figured it was some combination of the EPS and AWD.

Another thing to keep in mind is that a badly aligned vehicle may still drive pretty much straight. But you won't know until the tires are worn in a peculiar way (or you get the measurements).

 

[darottens]

I've been doing a little research since the dealership told me everything was fine. I've found my way to an interesting notion.

I apparently have a perception, real or imagined, that the vehicle is swaying. I did not notice this until we took it on the first long trip.

When we got home last night I commented that I felt dizzy after being in the car all day. Figured it was either allergies or the motion of the vehicle that I think has an issue.

What else could it be? Is it really all in my head? Maybe so.

The new Equinox uses noise cancelation to make the cabin quiet. So I searched for noise cancelation and dizziness and found this:



According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal Bose's QC3 headphones could very well be bad for you.

“I was recently given a pair of the Bose QC3 headphones with active noise canceling, and have felt queasy every time I put them on,” writes one dejected reader.

“I had to take them off and lie down at one point, and ended up throwing up later that night and was unable to eat more than apple sauce the next day. As crazy as it sounds, did the headphones cause my discomfort?”

Negating unwanted noise

According to the WSJ’s health experts it is possible, because: “Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones work by electronically determining the difference between wanted and unwanted sounds, and creating a correction signal that acts to negate the unwanted noise.”

Techradar contacted Bose in the UK today for comment on this, but nothing was forthcoming at the time of going to press.

Disequilibrium and dizziness

The WSJ also cites Sarah Stackpole, a New York ear, nose and throat doctor, who “speculates that the sound waves that cancel each other out may still transmit enough very low frequency vibrations to stimulate the balance receptors that are connected to the hearing hair cells in the inner ear… The disequilibrium that some people may feel from this is made worse because the vibrations falsely signal that the head is moving, but the eyes report that the head is stationary. Those mixed signals make the headphone wearer feel dizzy.”

 

[Narg]

My 2 cents...

I'd talk to your doctor about the problem you just posted about. There are medications, many OTC that you can take to keep equilibrium in check. Have someone else ride with you next time to help you verify the sway problem too.

But, keep on the tires as an issue. I say that because in my experience, tires have been the #1 problem I've had with new cars. Seems the auto makers use lower cost tires on new vehicles and getting a bad one is very easy to do.

Hope those ideas help.

 

[jer]

Just returned from my first highway drive in my new Nox LTZ 4-cyl. Three hours total running 55-75mph and I did not notice a sway. In fact, I noticed one very nice road experience. I have seen, however, what one reviewer test driver called washboarding. At slow speed driving across a rippled surface, the car seems to hit just the peaks and bounce a bit - like a small boat slapping the waves. Not terrible, but enough to notice.

 

[bballr4567]

The ANC and equilibrium sounds very interesting. It really makes sense to me. Our Terrain is rock solid on the highway FYI.

 

[lutherm07]

Have about 2500 miles on ours and have driven in a variety of conditions, noticed no swaying of the vehicle. Felt side-to-side wind resistance but that's about it. Im 6'5'' and this is definately the most comfortable car i've ever been in.

 

[dm2010nox]

The WSJ also cites Sarah Stackpole, a New York ear, nose and throat doctor, who “speculates that the sound waves that cancel each other out may still transmit enough very low frequency vibrations to stimulate the balance receptors that are connected to the hearing hair cells in the inner ear… The disequilibrium that some people may feel from this is made worse because the vibrations falsely signal that the head is moving, but the eyes report that the head is stationary. Those mixed signals make the headphone wearer feel dizzy.”

Well, it seems a little ridiculous, but I guess anything is possible. There are some people that are more sensitive to motion sickness, and if you are in that category, then it may be worth considering this path.

But the more I think about it, the more I think that some combination of bad alignment and self-compensating AWD could cause a swaying effect. but that is totally speculation, I have no idea, but seems more likely to me than ANC-induced-dizziness.

BTW, is your car AWD?

 

[Narg]

BTW, is your car AWD?

That question made me think. We've discussed the AWD clutch on this forum before, and it seems like an extremely well engineered device. BUT, if it is malfunctioning it's very possible that it could cause the vehicle to act erratically. Just another possibility in a sea of possibilities....

I've used Bose headphones for years. I now use a Creative Labs version because my Bose head phones continually broke. But that's another story. Anyway, never experienced problems. BUT, I do get very sick playing some 3D video/computer games. I'm one of the lucky types that in certain methods of 3D visuals my eyes just don't work well. (really sucks because I'm an avid gamer...) So, if you do have the ANC problem I can really understand that it can be a problem. I hope that's not what it is.

 

[Roesterman]

Well, it seems a little ridiculous, but I guess anything is possible. There are some people that are more sensitive to motion sickness, and if you are in that category, then it may be worth considering this path.

But the more I think about it, the more I think that some combination of bad alignment and self-compensating AWD could cause a swaying effect. but that is totally speculation, I have no idea, but seems more likely to me than ANC-induced-dizziness.

BTW, is your car AWD?

I hope the motion sickness thing isnt true because I get it sooo easy. I have vertigo right now that has lasted 5 weeks. I tried the epply manouver with no success. I cant even watch someone play a video game.I am waiting for a Nox and I hope this motion sickness inducing thing isn't real. Now I am worried!.

Can the noise suppression be turned off? Try to turn it off or pull a fuse then take it for a drive to see if it still "sways".

Dizzy goggles on youtube: http://www.equinoxforum.net/index.php?topic=319.msg4456#msg4456

 

[dm2010nox]

I am waiting for a Nox and I hope this motion sickness inducing thing isn't real. Now I am worried!.

Dude, don't worry. you will love it.