Wife hates my new 2006 Yukon XL Denali

[Stimpy911]

So I bought a 2006 Yukon XL Denali sight unseen. I did a pretty good job of talking to the dealer and requesting photos, vin checks etc... I even spoke with the mechanic who checks over the vehicles before selling. Main reason I bought it was the mileage, price and most important, no rust! I live in Michigan and the salt tears through our vehicles.

After I bought it, Covid 19 hit and the Yukon sat 8 hours away from me for almost 2 months. Finally, I was able to get my mechanic to transport it. When it got to the shop it needed a new starter and we also replaced the rear air shocks.

It had a smell inside. Not smoke. Not really sure but the inside is very clean so I'm trying to figure it out.

I had to fix the AC. The back lines had a leak so we just capped them off.

My wife thinks she is going to veer off the road at speeds over 60. She has PTSD from a bad rollover we had in 2019 with our 2010 Yukon Denali so driving it brought her to years because she said it felt like we were going off the road.

I'll admit, I was not happy that first ride either. Something was wrong. It felt like it was swaying side to side. It was windy but I am used to driving a Suburban in the wind. I had my mechanic check underneath when doing an oil change and everything was good.

I had an alignment done. It was adjusted just a tiny bit. I also had my tires rotated. No signs of wear. That mechanic said everything underneath looked great.

I thought it drove better after that. I still can't figure out where the smell is coming from. My wife does not think it drives any better.

There are only 2 things left for me to check.

1. Service Ride Control warning is on.

2. It's an 06 so the steering wheel is not as tight as a newer vehicle. It has a little play in it. Could that cause problems? Do I have to adjust the steering box or replace it?

I'm at a loss. She wants me to sell it. I told her the reason I got it was because there was no rust and that anything is fixable.

Any thoughts?

Very frustrates husband...


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[Larryjb]

This won't help you now, but I always bring my wife on test drives. Once she could "sense" mild. She couldn't swell it, neither could I. But, she felt her ainway constrict the same way when she smells mold. The moment she got out, she felt better. She knows nothing about cars, but she saved me from a bad buy.

 

[IdahoArmiger]

Is the air compressor working? Do you hear it coming on to refill the shocks on start up? Typically the service ride control is the air compressor or shock sensors.....

 

[Stimpy911]

This won't help you now, but I always bring my wife on test drives. Once she could "sense" mild. She couldn't swell it, neither could I. But, she felt her ainway constrict the same way when she smells mold. The moment she got out, she felt better. She knows nothing about cars, but she saved me from a bad buy.

I don't think it's mold but today I did take a can of Lysol and spray it into the air intake to kill any bacteria in the lines. I also am going to replace the air cabin filter. I bought one of those air cleaning bombs and I think that made it worse.

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[Woodblocker55]

Shampoo carpet and then put a dehumidifier in there for a couple of days .. Drys out really good . even cheap pet carpet cleaner will work Bissell Wal-Mart . this is extreme but that's how I cleaned 27 ft motor home .. There the smell came from someone years ago spilled a gallon of pink water tank antifreeze stuff . there was spot 12x20 inch it just kept sucking up pink antifreeze goo.. After I got that out all smells were gone .shampooing only way get nasty stuff out .. Do it on super hot day so it drys.. Here in Minnesota we use dehumidifier.. We have higher humidity ..

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[Woodblocker55]

Looked at a Escalade ESV someone was a cigar smoker it was in perfect shape to but smelled like marijuana and cigar smoke. It was nasty . you never get it out . headliner was sticky . but rig was in perfect shape it was hard but I walked away 130,000 $6500.
At a GM dealer.

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[BillyfarmerO71]

I had a car with a bad smell years ago I brought used, It was coming from the ac vents, once I replaced the cabin air filter , the smell went away. Also I read this before, to sit a can of coffee beans in the car , open the can and let the beans soak up the smell, maybe even try to do a few cans to soak up the smell. ofcause all of this is assuming the smell is just from the last owners not keeping it clean

 

[jeffsyukon]

Check the front jounce/bump stops. The bump stops should lightly ride on the control arms at normal ride height. Mine were worn and the truck swayed on the highway. Very unstable feeling. Rides much better after I replaced them.

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[George B]

What did your wife drive before the suburban?

 

[George B]

My NBS suburban liked to wonder on the road in the wind a bit too. The only things that really helped was installing the best steering idler arm I could get and I made an adjustment to the steering gear lash. I am not recommending that just anyone go and adjust the steering gear. Getting it wrong will cause it to fail very quickly. What I did to check it was to have the truck sitting on the ground with the wheels straight and not running. I held the wheel loosely on top and sort of worked it left and right just letting it “bounce” between the increased resistance on each direction. They feel kind of spongy. I had 3 or 4 inches of movement. I carefully took that slop out of the steering gear so I had about 1 inch of play. It felt much better after and I drove it for 5 years after that. Maybe you can find someone to help check that and or replace the gear if it has too much play.