I've looked for this elsewhere, and I'm half-shocked that no one else has had complaints about it.
Is it only me that dreads highway driving with my E when the wind is up?
Especially if it's dark and/or at all wet, it's a pretty nasty experience. I've been in other trucks that get a bit unsettled by gusts, but the E is as bad as I've ever experienced.
Don't get me wrong, this is about my only complaint - but I think it's pretty valied. I got this truck for a job that requires some travel. I find myself quietly praying for calm weather before any trip.

[quote:829a869980=" "]I've looked for this elsewhere, and I'm half-shocked that no one else has had complaints about it.
Is it only me that dreads highway driving with my E when the wind is up?
Especially if it's dark and/or at all wet, it's a pretty nasty experience. I've been in other trucks that get a bit unsettled by gusts, but the E is as bad as I've ever experienced.
Don't get me wrong, this is about my only complaint - but I think it's pretty valied. I got this truck for a job that requires some travel. I find myself quietly praying for calm weather before any trip.[/quote:829a869980]


Halifax, Nova Scotia? Maybe the wind is more severe there than in Pennsylvania, but I've done a fair amount of highway driving w/ gusts in the 50-60 mph range and I wouldn't say the Element is so bad that I 'dread' driving it. It definitely catches a crosswind, but I've never felt as though it was being blown out of control. Just means you have to steer into the wind once in a while.

As for the dark/wet aspect, that doesn't really bother me at all. The all-wheel drive, new tires and ABS work well enough to inspire confidence (not to be confused with overconfidence!).

I don't have all-wheel drive, I'm sure that must help a bit.

Maybe my first post was a bit dramatic - as I've never been close to an accident - but it's definately not comfortable driving.

Maybe I was too used to my Integra and Civic, it's my first truck. Everything else I've owned has been a "sit-on-the-floor" style ride.

I'm 6 months into ownership, maybe it'll take a few more clicks to get used to it.

>Maybe I was too used to my Integra and Civic, it's my first truck.

Bingo.

For that matter, the E is closer to a van in profile. Dealing with crosswind squirreliness is simply a fact of life.

Try driving an old VW Microbus in gusty Southwest desert winds. The E is a kitten by comparison.

If you are not prepared it will take you by surprise. I know I shot over two lines before I realized the wind had control of me! Ha, but I have to laugh, it is a big box on wheels, i would expect nothing less.

[quote:e19583dca6=" "]If you are not prepared it will take you by surprise. I know I shot over two lines before I realized the wind had control of me! Ha, but I have to laugh, it is a big box on wheels, i would expect nothing less.[/quote:e19583dca6]

Whoa. I don't want to sound obnoxious so I'll just say: if you're drifting over two lanes without noticing, the time to take a driving break came and went hours ago...

:(

-brendan

Maybe I was just excited I wasn't at work!!! No that night was horrible!!!

I've noticed some "crabbing" with cross winds, but nothing extraordinary, even with a roof top cargo box. I drove directly into the Santa Ana gale winds that fanned the fires here last month and it felt more secure than the pickup truck with camper shell the Element replaced. I think it's due to the superior suspension.

Yes the E is a bit of a handfull in a crosswind. Due to its shape and quick steering. The steering is too quick for a vehicle of it type.

Yeah I think the wind issue should be obvious to anyone, based on the shape of these boxes on wheels.

I'm not too worried about it, since I've been driving a Jeep CJ for 15 years (another box on wheels). So I'm expecting it to handle similarly.

But I suppose if you've never driven anything like it, you'd be surprised at just how strong mother nature can be sometimes when you try and stand, or drive, against her. :P

Just remember...both hands on the wheel... and lower your sails! :)

AYYYY MATEY.......
stay on your toes and be ready to heave ho.....
cut the anchor loose, she'll do us no good.........

MikeQBF nails it!

I drove a VW bus for ages, the feeling is exactly the same, so I wasn't suprised or bothered by it at all when I caught my first gust.

I was kind of suprised that I remembered it and reacted so well. I haven't had that bus in 15 years.

Sigh..I DO miss it (But not the constant break downs, lack of power and funny smells ;-)

Check your tire pressure...mine was a little loose in the wind but I dropped my tire pressure from 40 to 36 and it made a big difference. I've tried several different pressure combinations and saw marked differences in handling. Good luck

I agree mine handles like a leaf in a stiff crossbreeze. I've got a 2wd, 5 spd that I am running with some sticky snow tires on all four corners and it is a handful in a good wind. Hang on tight Martha, who knows where we are going! Slow down in these conditions and check you air pressure when you have a chance.

[quote:5e7f65abcf=" "]I've looked for this elsewhere, and I'm half-shocked that no one else has had complaints about it.
Is it only me that dreads highway driving with my E when the wind is up?
Especially if it's dark and/or at all wet, it's a pretty nasty experience. I've been in other trucks that get a bit unsettled by gusts, but the E is as bad as I've ever experienced.
Don't get me wrong, this is about my only complaint - but I think it's pretty valied. I got this truck for a job that requires some travel. I find myself quietly praying for calm weather before any trip.[/quote:5e7f65abcf]

LOL! I always have that problem. About a month ago I was getting home from work and my girlfriend said Damn it's windy outside and I said try driving a box.

It's one of the trade offs. Room vs Aerodynamics.

I can't wait until I get my E so I can feel this stuff...

You guys would HATE my truck as it has about 12" of clearance under the axles and sits about 6" taller than an E and is similarly boxy. Except mine has no sway bars, no independent suspension, etc.

I think it's all about what you're used to.

I drove a Montero see? it is this tall skinny truck SUV thing? We used to joke about turning off the motor and sailing down the road but we couldn't tack in the wind!

I spent a few silly hours under the influence of something or other trying to figure out how to use the wind to save on fuel consumption! To no avail!

The Element is a "breeze" in weather so far. Like SCOACH said....coming from something with a lot of air under the axles, this is a snap.

At least for my test drives, the E handles like a roadster compared to my Pathfinder. We've had it for 10 years and I am still uncomfortable driving it. It's tall, skinny, and has those oversize 10.5 tires. I'm planning on being a happy camper when I pick up the E this weekend...

OK, so its not our Accord in the wind, but I drive a VERY gusty windy commute. Fer instance it was a steady 20-40mph with gusts in the 50 to 60mph range this morning, and the wide open 70mph(limit) freeway weaves enough to get the wind from all directions.. I used to commute in a Nissan 4wd pickup with a shell on it, so maybe I just learned to surf the wind, but I don't find the Element THAT bad....for a box on wheels.

You learn to anticipate the wind gusts by reading the trees and the "wind waves", and that van or delivery truck that is REALLY in trouble. And sure enough you do need to pay attention and actually hang on snugly to the steering wheel.....Put away the cell phone, the PDA, ignore that onboard fax, and the beeping pager, put down the cup of coffee, quit putting on the eye makeup, and fer gawds sake....put down the burrito and maybe no one will get hurt....and maybe even skip lighting up the cigarette on a windy day. :-)

I go whipping by a LOT of petrified "low profile" cars with my Element on the fast and windy section of my commute...but I do pay attention to driving.....an apparently novel idea these days. :) (not aimed at any person on this forum, just a general observation)

I 'm having same this problem as everybody else.Driving on highway around 70 plus,even weak crosswind makes my"box" very shaky.
in my opinion the sticker"Screw crosswind aerodinami :shock: cs"must be given by dealer to new owner or I wish extra large anti-rool bar should be installes on this vehicle.

I actually don't find the Element any worse than any other boxy vehicle, EXCEPT I HAVE been noticing it seems to be more affected by vortex buffeting when around(behind or passing or being passed by) big trucks and such than any vehicle I have ever been in. Soemtimes even being behind a fairly small vehicle seems to kick it aroun when in the turbulent zone.

Wind is a real problem for me. The E is worse than my Astro. I run 40 psi in the Astro tires and that helps. I have tried most combinations of pressure in the E but it doesn't seem to change the handling so now I am back at 32/34. It rides better and the dash does not rattle as much at 32/34. The handling in wind is my only complaint.

I have driven in really really bad weather when I shouldn't have been out on the road and my Element handled wind, rain, ice and snow without a whimper. I did have to gain confindence in it. The added height from my old Camry made me nervous at first. There is a slight sideways roll in a cross window but if you take the time to notice she is tracking like a weasel in a drainpipe. Remember this is a light truck sprung like a car. A little soft and cushy.

You want bad? I used to drive an old Suzuki Samurai Long body mini SUV. It was about the same size and shape as the E but about half the weight. Wind and the highway, sometimes I would get blown a half a lane over. As far as I'm concerned the E has been rock solid for me. :)

The wind was really bad in Atlanta yesterday. I was shocked how the E gets tossed around. And as a former owner of 2 Samurais, the E is just as bad to me. Reminds me of my old VW. My old Accord Coupe, you never knew if the wind was blowing or not.

[quote:1363a5b032=" "]The wind was really bad in Atlanta yesterday. I was shocked how the E gets tossed around. And as a former owner of 2 Samurais, the E is just as bad to me. Reminds me of my old VW. My old Accord Coupe, you never knew if the wind was blowing or not.[/quote:1363a5b032]

Ahhh yes. I forgot that I also had a VW Westy. Now that car was scary in the wind!!!

[quote:01653d87bb=" "]The wind was really bad in Atlanta yesterday. I was shocked how the E gets tossed around. And as a former owner of 2 Samurais, the E is just as bad to me. Reminds me of my old VW. My old Accord Coupe, you never knew if the wind was blowing or not.[/quote:01653d87bb]

I was there for that one!! That night I was driving back to Atlanta from Columbia, SC like I do every Sunday night. I'm not one to complain but that was some wicked wind. I heard news reports that places in NC and SC had lost power due to the wind that night. That had to be 50+mph.

I was easily blown into the next lane, but quick adjustments kept me on track. It's really bad when going over bridges/overpasses. Even worse when that overpass is over a large lake where the winds are un-stopped by trees and brush.

The best comparison I have for that Sunday night is flying a small airplane. We have a 1985 Cessna 182 here at work that I've been up in 10+ times and the E felt like that plane on a 30 knot gusty day. Of course the E doesn't have the negative G's that a down draft would have on a plane, but the unstablness is similar.

I survived whoever and it seemed every other car on the road with me was having about the same reaction. So that made me feel a little better.

Cheers,

This past saturday we took our bikes (mounted on the hitch mount carrier) & headed up to Inverness Florida. A distance of approx. 160 miles. It was very early morning (light traffic) & the weather was clear. We were not being pushed with fast or aggressive traffic. An all round pleasant trip. Our speed 65-75 mph. in a posted 70 mph interstate #75.

I normally carry the bikes inside but the weather was clear so it was a no brainer. Bikes outside. We had no problems whatsoever .

Coming home was another ball game altogether . The weather was gusty winds & the traffic was fast & steady. The bikes were mounted outback on the carrier. I've mentioned in other posts that the E hates truck /trailers & being buffeted ,tends to wander would be a generous statement. The traffic was moving along at an unsafe speed of around 80mph .bumper to bumper. It was all I could do to keep the E in my lane at 70mph. We were being pushed off to the side like road litter.

After being scared half to death a few times I decided to pull off at the next exit. I have over 7000 highway miles on my E and had no other problems like this one. I told my wife ,I think it's the bikes. We decided to give it a try & removed the bikes ,unloaded our stuff from inside . We folded the seats up to the sides ,reloaded our stuff,bikes inside & got back on rt.75.

I cannot express the differance in the attitude of the E with the bikes now inside. I moved right on up to 80mph no problem & soon saw another E and the fun began .We drove down Rt75 at up to 90 mph. The E tracking like a dream. In fact I think it handles better at 80-85 than at 70.

My conclusion is ,thankfully the E allows to bring your stuff inside on short notice & any trips with the bikes outside will be limited to local travel.