2018 Yukon Denali Riding Like a U-Haul

[Flat Ronnie]

Hi there,

I was hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction.

I purchased an 18 Yukon Denali w/ 33k miles at a dealership. Someone put 26in rims on it but the dealership promised the suspension was OEM. I bought it and replaced the wheels with stock 22s. Turns out the car was riding like a tank. It took bumps horribly and the whole car would make a loud rattle.

I took it back to the dealership and they found that there were some alterations made to the suspension. They agreed to replace all altered parts with OEM parts and put the suspension back to original. However, the car still road the same.

I returned to the dealership multiple times and they told me they "couldn't find anything wrong with it and the test the performed showed up normal." I knew this was not the case and there was something definitely wrong with the vehicle. After some work, I was able to get the service manager to go on a drive along with me. He agreed that it was rough.

They reached out to GM engineering for advice. GM got back to them and recommended that they unplug the front 2 magnetic struts. I took the car home for a couple days and noticed that there was a real difference in the way the front took bumps. The front was a lot more springy and was a softer ride.

However, it seems like the back still takes bumps hard and there's still a rattle.

Has anyone had experience with this? I've read that people have had problems with the Magnetic Ride, but when they unplugged the two front struts it road better. Can they do the same with the rear struts? Can this vehicle be driven with all these unplugged?

Any advice would be welcome since it seems like the dealership doesn't have a clue and they are relying on what i tell them and what GM engineering says back to them.

Thank you.

 

[gat0r]

sounds like front magnaride shocks are bad. or need the software update.*
*which either .... dealer should be able to figure out.

back would either be regular shocks or air ride(autolevel)


*dealer can look up the TSB. they should really already know it by now

 

[Tahoe14]

If you have a Yukon Denali then you would have magnetic ride control. If it rides like a lumber wagon as others have reported then it would be an issue with the magnetic ride both front and rear. May have gotten screwed up with the suspension modifications. They need to address the two up front and the two in the rear. They should be willing to replace all four to make it right not just a band aid fix. Very expensive but too bad. Not sure if you have some sort of warranty but I would think so. It was sold with modifications which they said they would put it back to factory specs. If they are speaking to a GM engineer then I assume it is a GM Dealer. Do you have any sort of written documentation for the work they agreed to do like a "we owe you". Speak with the Service Manager or the General Manager. It will never be right until they fix it right. Good luck.

 

[Flat Ronnie]

If you have a Yukon Denali then you would have magnetic ride control. If it rides like a lumber wagon as others have reported then it would be an issue with the magnetic ride both front and rear. May have gotten screwed up with the suspension modifications. They need to address the two up front and the two in the rear. They should be willing to replace all four to make it right not just a band aid fix. Very expensive but too bad. Not sure if you have some sort of warranty but I would think so. It was sold with modifications which they said they would put it back to factory specs. If they are speaking to a GM engineer then I assume it is a GM Dealer. Do you have any sort of written documentation for the work they agreed to do like a "we owe you". Speak with the Service Manager or the General Manager. It will never be right until they fix it right. Good luck.

Yes, I have a we owe.

When you say "they need to replace all four", what do you mean?

 

[adventurenali92]

Yes, I have a we owe.

When you say "they need to replace all four", what do you mean?

He means all four shocks need to be replaced. As the TSBs listed above state, GM is well aware of the problematic magnetic ride control shocks seizing up extremely prematurely. From what I’ve read and heard GM is replacing the problem shocks.

 

[Tahoe14]

Yes all four.^

 

[hcvone]

As someone who made large wheels for years, 26's, 28's and 30's, for the truly insane, the larger wheels, even the stock 22's, kill the magnetic shocks very quickly, this has been a prioblem for years, keep on the dealership that you want the shocks replaced, that will help

 

[swathdiver]

After the dealership replaces all the shocks with OE ones, get yourself the same type of scan tool that they use out back (MDI2), same GDS2 software and calibrate them yourself.

 

[CMoore711]

As someone who made large wheels for years, 26's, 28's and 30's, for the truly insane, the larger wheels, even the stock 22's, kill the magnetic shocks very quickly, this has been a prioblem for years, keep on the dealership that you want the shocks replaced, that will help

Why is this exactly...? (It makes sense, just curious)
Is it because of the additional rotating weight of larger diameter wheels?

 

[gat0r]

they fail regardless of wheel size

id think vehicle weight had more to do than wheel size.... along w/ assembly or software issues