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Comments
Can others read the gauges when the lights are on "auto" and you
are heading into the sun or wearing sunglasses or both?
Is there an available fix for this?
Is that why it is not being mentioned here in this blog?
Good luck with that.
My seats are awful.
I have the bench 40-20-40 seats (without leather)
We have been happy with those
Suppose there is a connection between the floor shift and the
instrument lighting?
I also have the shift lever on the steering column the way god intended
Thanks
One feels great to drive. One feels like a cheap rental. A really stark difference, actually.
I thought there was a TPS for this problem after it surfaced in a few cars and seemed untreatable by the usual methods.
Has the car been perfectly aligned front and REAR wheels?
Have the tires been Road Force balanced on the _perfect_ high sensitivity setting on the 9700? That's what my dealer did on my 03 LeSabre.
Try searching for vibration lucerne in the forums here on Edmunds... and the internet.
Start with this discussion on Edmunds:
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0f60b1/1
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Favorite Features: MSRP about $13k cheaper than similarly equipped DTS. Same platform and factory as DTS. Quieter and smoother ride after switching tires, but DTS is still smoother and quieter. Rides much smoother than my '06 Q45. Seats almost as comfy as those in the DTS. Blind Spot Alert system. Low NVH levels.
Suggested Improvements: Dump the Bridgestones. DTS had three seals around each door; Lucerne has only one and one-half (exterior noise more hushed on DTS). DTS and Lucerne both need the Blind Zone alert system. Update both cars for the next decade. Improve fuel economy. A six-speed automatic would be nice. Use soft feel plastic on lower instrument panel like the DTS; the Lucerne has cheap feeling hard plastic there.
You should get the car on a four wheel alignment rack. May have been in a minor accident causing some suspension misalignment.
Lucerne vibrations
You aren't clear as to the type of vibration you are sensing. There were some that are chassis/tire related and I assume that's what you're describing.
If you are saying it's tires or wheels...
The original tires may not be that good at rolling round under load. They may have worn unevenly due to slight misalignment and not having been rotated at 8000 mi intervals, e.g.
You need to have a _good_ store or dealer do the alignment and put the settings spot on the recommended middle. You don't want the typical tire store saying "it's within the specs range, so it's okay."
You also want to have the tires and rims balanced on a Hunter 9700 Road Force balancer by a technician who knows how to troubleshoot GM vibration. The machines have settings and you want it balanced at the most sensitive setting. If the tires and wheels have more than 12 units (pounds of force) then you may feel it due to the light alloy metals used in the A-arms that move with the wheels and the stiff chassis.
The solution GM found in 2001 and on was that the tires weren't rolling round under load. One side crushes more than the other and the center of the wheel bounces up and down. This has been a known factor since at least 1977 for GM in smoothness of their cars. GM went to Michelin tires on the LeSabre/ Park Avenue, and various Cadillacs in that era because of out of round tires. They sent Michelins to replace tires that came on the cars to help fix the problem.
Another factor can be a motor/transmission mount. I believe that's in the other discussion linked above. Because you say the motor seems to cough when you first tip the throttle into it, I suspect the motor is moving and you're feeling the end of that movement when the mount hits a solid part or catches. Someone knowledgeable about fixing vibrations needs to look at the car. YOu might check around with different dealers to see who has some experienced technicians.
http://www.hunter.com
http://hunter.com/pub/product/balancer/4159T/index.htm
http://www.gsp9700.com/pub/search/findgsp9700.cfm
Read the info about wheel balancing with Road Force 9700 in these three links. The last one lets you find who has a 9700 in your area. Personally I'd check with a Buick dealer. Actually I'd put new Michelin tires on the car; I've only bought one set that wasn't Michelin in decades and that was a 77 Olds which had GM specification tires on it that were Goodyear. I was trading the car soon.
You might check on the warranty on the car if it transfers... Was it 4 years 48000 miles?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
This seems to also be backed up by the simple solution that most people have reported as solving it - namely, changing the crap OEM tires for something decent.
Could be a hose off somewhere. Could be a seep around a clamp on the hoses connecting the filler and the tank. Could be a fuel seep under the hood.
Needs to be checked.
If you are able to crawl under the car and look in places such as the filler tube and the lines that run along the bottom of the car from the tank and fuel filter forward to the motor that's what needs to be done. Else take to dealer or trusted shop.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I wonder if something is touching somewhere outside the tank and transmitting a normal vibration so it's amplified inside the usually quiet car.
Or the pump is going bad
Or the pump needs to be removed and checked--through the opening in the trunk that makes it a relatively easy job.
Warranty. And do it before 12,000 when they expect to take care of little things like alignment and balancing. Then after that they begin to feel those are owner problems from normal wear and tear.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
after a few days I noticed a low rumble from the rear at
about 58 to 65 mph and now at lower speeds. I took it back
to the dealer and they put a complete new exhaust system on it.
It seemed to help until I got it home. It's still there.They can't figure it out.
It's more like a viberating rumble. thanks for any help Jim
There should be an access panel in the trunk. It uses standard automotive bulbs.
I ended up buying a 2009 Lucerne CX for my mom, with the 3.9 V-6.
Having the 3.5 DOHC in my 2000 Olds Intrigue, I thought this was also an DOHC because it was so smooth and had plenty of pep.
If you want a race car, then you want the V-8.
But the 3.9 V-6 in the car I bought is no slouch.
Mileage during the first tank of gas was 16.5 mpg. But considering that this was the first tank and my mom never drives more than 8 miles at a time....
Also make sure you fully understand Hyundai's warranty. They like to tout their 5yr/60K mile standard warranty (and 10yr/10K mile powertrain), but NOT everything is covered during the 5y/60K miles. There are numerous components that are only covered 3/36, and even some that only have 1/12 coverage. If you are buying used, you will not receive the 10/100 powertrain. Second, and subsequent owners, are only entitled to a 5/60 powertrain warranty.
Resale value on Hyundai is no better than Buick. I just looked at a 2008 Azera Limited with only 7500 miles on it this past weekend (I had considered trading my '06 Impala). Price was $19K. Rumor has it the 2009 Azera will be the last year for the Azera. The Azera also uses halogen headlights. They may be projector beam units, but they are not HID's...just standard halogen bulbs. I found the Azera's interior to feel rather confining. The overall assembly quality and materials were not impressive. The center console creaked if I just touched it, and it felt very flimsy (and this was on a unit with only 7500 miles.) Leather quality was poor. Overall, it was a very disappointing experience. The interior was so unimpressive I never got around to actually driving the car. The dealer actually has 5 of these low mileage '08 Azera Limiteds on the lot and they have all been there for at least a month.
I have owned 10 cars in the past 20 years, 5 of which have been GM vehicles. I used to be a GM fan, but my experience with my current '06 Impala has driven me away from GM in the future. My Impala is 3 years old and has 41,000 miles on it. It was $21K when I bought it new, but now I would be lucky to get $7,000 on a trade. My Impala has been the most trouble-prone vehicle I have ever owned (water pump failure, power steering issues, brake issues, steering shaft issues, peeling trim, numerous interior squeaks and rattles, etc.)
I continue to look for a new vehicle, but it will not be a GM or a Hyundai.
Have you checked to see who owned it initially and why they traded it?
I would suspect the dealer hid the existing problem from you. It may have been bought back as a lemon previously.
I'd find out what I had to do for a title check on the car, maybe an attorney that specializes.
Another dealer might be able to check based on VIN to see if it was defective and traded back in. Their VIN check would show service attempts on the car.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I brought it to a competing dealer, told them about it, they put their best mechanic on it, and w/in 5 MINUTES they had found a TSB on the Steering rack. They had it taken care of in one trip !
LOL. Good one.
I just popped in. This is the first I've heard of the Lucerne having problems. I read Consumer Reports religiously and they have it on their recommended list.