Engine Groaning. AC related?
Posted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 3:40 am
So I been quite stressed out by my 2011 SLS AWD CVT. When I bought it in 2011 Oct, it ran pretty well and like most of you, I smile when I get into the car. But nowadays, I dread when I have to drive it. It only has about 4K miles on it now (I don't need to commute much). I had my first oil change done in January (complimentary 3 month change) at 1K. I first started noticing the problem around March. Main symptom is bad engine vibration when taking off from stop, even with gradual acceleration, mainly only at low RPM and maybe when stimulated 5th gear, lasting for a few seconds until the car picks up speed. The vibration is so bad that when I accelerate from stop the center arm rest makes a loud resonating sound from shaking so much. I seemed to have read other people having similar problem on this forum regarding vibration so I tried to live with it. Then I noticed my MPG is horrid compare to most people, at about 19 in normal city traffic, and I don't even have a lead foot. Suzuki shop told me they couldn't reproduce the engine growl and cannot do anything about the MPG. My highway MPG is good reaching up to 32. Recently changed oil to synthetic but the taking off car vibration and shaking sound persists, and makes me not wanting to touch the car.
Well today I happened to step out of the car with the engine still running in the parking lot at night and was surprised by a strong blast of heat in my face near the car. Sure a running car should be producing heat but this felt like hair dryer heat in my face, when I stand by the front wheel. I turned the AC off, and got out of the car again and did not feel the blast of heat. I understand that AC dissipates heat to outside but this seems a little abnormally much to me. Note I wasn't abusing the AC either, set at 70. Can anyone duplicate this and see if with AC on you feel a ridiculous amount of heat by the front wheel in comparison to AC off? I then took the car out for a drive with the AC off, and surprisingly I noticed a much smoother drive without the usual growl and chasis vibration on taking off. The MPG seemed to hold on pretty well too (yes I realize with AC on the MPG would be lower). I googled these problems and read about possible belt problem, timing problem, etc. I am no car expert so I am asking if it's possible that my unsmooth engine can be due to the AC system (note I may only started noticing these problems in March because I didn't need to use the AC till then).
If you think I am crazy you are welcome to say so too. I just want a normal car that I don't dread getting into. Thanks
Well today I happened to step out of the car with the engine still running in the parking lot at night and was surprised by a strong blast of heat in my face near the car. Sure a running car should be producing heat but this felt like hair dryer heat in my face, when I stand by the front wheel. I turned the AC off, and got out of the car again and did not feel the blast of heat. I understand that AC dissipates heat to outside but this seems a little abnormally much to me. Note I wasn't abusing the AC either, set at 70. Can anyone duplicate this and see if with AC on you feel a ridiculous amount of heat by the front wheel in comparison to AC off? I then took the car out for a drive with the AC off, and surprisingly I noticed a much smoother drive without the usual growl and chasis vibration on taking off. The MPG seemed to hold on pretty well too (yes I realize with AC on the MPG would be lower). I googled these problems and read about possible belt problem, timing problem, etc. I am no car expert so I am asking if it's possible that my unsmooth engine can be due to the AC system (note I may only started noticing these problems in March because I didn't need to use the AC till then).
If you think I am crazy you are welcome to say so too. I just want a normal car that I don't dread getting into. Thanks