From time to time you might feel a bit nauseated while driving (or riding) from point A to point B, and that’s pretty normal. But it appears that some General Motors SUV owners are having a bit more than just a little bout of carsickness while trolling around in their vehicles.
Autoblog.com reports that some full-size SUV owners have filed complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that a buffeting and vibration problem in their model year 2015 Chevy Tahoe, Suburban, Cadillac Escalade, and GMC Yukon vehicles is making them sick.
Owners say the issue can vary from an annoying vibration inside the vehicle to a more severe shaking that causes dizziness and headaches.
The owner of a 2015 Suburban filed a complaint in March noting that the car was creating a “buffeting, pressure sound, and sensation at low to mid range speeds. Creating headache, dizziness and strain.”
In another complaint, a fellow 2015 Suburban owner, tells NHTSA when driving the vehicle “we experience an awful ear pressure vibration. The car is not drivable and is causing headaches and vertigo.”
GM spokesman Tom Wilkerson confirmed to AutoBlog that the company is aware of the complaints that it “has been tracking this issue for a while.” Wilkerson downplayed the scope of the problem, noting that that there is a fairly low rate of occurrence.
So far, the company hasn’t found an exact cause for the issue. In some cases, Wilkinson says that balancing tires or chafing door seals has helped.
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA suggest that a problem with a headliner in the vehicle’s roof might be connected.
In one complaint, the owner of a 2015 Suburban tells NHTSA that the “roof will not remain attached to the roof bows. This causes the buffeting similar to a window being down when all are up. The results span from annoying to painful.”
Another owner, this time of a 2015 Yukon, tells regulators that he brought his vehicle to a dealer at least seven times in four weeks because of vibration issues. In all, the service department replaced the driveshaft, suspension components, and more, but nothing worked.
GM tells Autoblog that the company is working with customers on an individual basis to fix things. Owners experiencing similar issues are advised to contact their local GM service department.
Fullsize GM SUVs have a problem that’s making owners sick [Autoblog]
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist