2010 riding rough..need some insight

[JustinV6]

Hi am new to the forum. Nice to meet everyone My wife and I purchased a used 2010 SL Nissan Rogue last March. It has under 20k miles.

The suspension is very tight, I didnt realize until we drove it for a while. You can feel every bump, ang going over railroad tracks, bumps, pothole covers etc. feels like you hit something.

I feel that either there is something wrong with the suspension or maybe it was designed this way...Anyone else experiencing something similar? Do you think my shocks can be blown after bareley 20,000 miles?

It is really pretty bad. I appreciate your help!

[philipa_240sx]

Welcome to the NICOClub Rogue forums JustinV6!

In response to your question,

Ride characteristics are very subjective. Some may find the Rogue just fine while others find it too stiff. My take? The Rogue has a tighter (stiffer) suspension, some would say 'sporty'. You do feel expansion joints, railway tracks, etc. Personally I like it as it gives me a feeling of control and response, but it's not to the point of being uncomfortable.

There are a few things you can do to soften the ride a bit:

1) Make sure the air pressure in the tires is set to the recommend pressure: 33psi.

2) Consider upgrading your tires (when the time comes) to a softer touring type model.

Cheers!

[kerrton]

Like Philipa240sx said, a "rough" ride is very subjective. The Rogue has very stiff suspension, you do feel every bump and crack in the road and if you hit a major hole you can get rocked pretty good - that's "Sporty" suspension for you.

But there could be a chance that you have a problem with your suspension, if you hear a knocking or banging noise that is not normal, either way if you're concerned you can get it checked out at your next service date, but if I had to bet money I'd say everyting is normal. The Rogue suspension is just tuned for a very stiff ride.

[takeshi]

Ride characteristics are very subjective. Some may find the Rogue just fine while others find it too stiff.

My primary car is a roadster with a much firmer suspension. When I get into our Rogue the Rogue feels like it has a soft ride to me. However, my wife selected the Rogue specifically for its ride and handling.

Subjectiveness is precisely the problem with relying solely on the content of the first post in this thread. I'd suggest trying out other Rogues to see if the ride is the same, if possible.

[tiggy_rogue]

Justin to give some comparison: my rogue is definitely "softer" than my sister in laws 2010 honda accord and my wife's VW tiguan. However it is much "firmer" than my wifes previous car Toyota Camry or my brother's Hyundai Elantra.

[JustinV6]

Hey guys,

Sorry for the delay I forgot my password and couldn't get in lol

Anyway, thank you all for the advise and comparisons. It makes me feel better about it that you all say it is a more sporty suspension as I was used to a softer suspension...

Going over large bumps and potholes etc. can be a bit of a jolt but besides that it isn't unbearable. Just to be sure I think next time I take it to the dealership I will ask them to compare it to another one to see if there may be a difference.

Thanks again look forward to talking to everyone more .
Justin

[coolcat5774]

I have a 2010 rogue s. I have 25000 miles on it. i have noticed for about 3 months ago it has been riding rough. What I mean is...is that you can feel bumps more easily in the road, ecspecially in parking lots. I mean when I first got it...the suspension cushioned the bumps but now you just feel everything. The tires are at 33 psi..thats what in the door. I still of course have the original tires still on it...havent upgraded yet. I dont know whether the shocks are going to crap or maybe upgrade the sway bar bushings. Later on I was thinking of going with GR2 shocks and 225/65/16. I cant believe that Im already feeling bumpy riding. Even my boss rode in it and told me it rides rough and I didnt even tell him about it.....since I work for an automotive shop...my boss asked about pressures and then he told me I should upgrade to a better tire....I dont know....thats why Im asking you guys...maybe someone else has felt or experienced what I am experiencing now. Thank you.

[kerrton]

Hi coolcat,

How "rough" the ride feels is very subjective and difficult to quantify. I can tell you that my 08 Rogue has very stiff suspension, I would agree the ride is quite rough and I don't remember noticing this so much when I test drove prior to purchasing. But I don't believe this means the suspension has gotten more stiff/rough since the car was new, rather I think I just notice it more since I've had a lot of time to drive it and notice these small annoyances. Also, there are some Rogue owners on this forum who love the firm, almost harsh ride of the Rogue - this is a preference thing and you will get a whole range of preferences and perceptions when it comes to ride comfort.

If you do have a problem with a suspension component you would expect to hear abnormal noises, such as "clunk", "crack" etc. when hitting bumps and/or when turning. Also a visual inspection can often indicate if a shock or strut has a leak.

I recently replaced my stock Continental tires with a new set of Hankook Optimo's, these tires have a deep relative soft tread so I do notice a different in the ride and handling, but tires will only make a minimal impact on the suspension or ride stiffness. What I'm saying is, if you're unhappy with your suspension and feel it's too firm, new tires will not make you happyk, it could make a marginal improvement but that's all.

Your Rogue is still under full comprehensive warranty, I'd strongly recommend you take it to your Nissan service center, tell them your concerns, and have them inspect the suspension as well as test drive the vehicle. My dealer inspected my suspension in detail free of charge 2 times since I purchased the car when I had it in for an oil change as this is basically a regular check item included in oil change anyway, when I let them know my concerns they just check things over in a little more details.

Once you're looked into this in a little more detail please let us know what you discover, you may have some suspension components that require replacement under warranty, or you may have to get used to the Rogue's "sporty" firm ride.

[TaiLuu]

Nissan = stiff suspension.

Have you ran over any big pot holes ?
Some people don't care and they run over them but when I drive I just avoid every single bump on the road "im a Honda driver"
Where do you live?

[ithinksgreen]

I have a 2010 rogue SL with 40k on it. I feel everything on the road. I don't hear any noise from the shocks or struts indicating they are gone bad. I still have original tires on them. Recently I have been driving through bad roads. The ride has become very rough not sure if it needs balancing or tires or ?

[ithinksgreen]

Hey justinv6,

What was the issue with your rogue. I am going through the same thing.I have a 2010 rogue SL with 40k on it. I feel everything on the road. I don't hear any noise from the shocks or struts indicating they are gone bad. I still have original tires on them. Recently I have been driving through bad roads. The ride has become very rough not sure if it needs balancing or tires or ?

[followingnfront]

The Rogue suspension is stiff as hell. But perform an emergency/evasive maneuver and that will work to your benefit. In NYC the roads are treacherous. I sometimes piss people off on heavily potholed roads because I slow down to a crawl in those instances. I try to miss EVERY bump.