I’m hoping someone here can help me. For about 2 years now I’ve experienced this weird condition where when I drive or am driven for over 4 hours or so (husband and I do a lot of long car trips in our 2020 Hyundai Palisade) I get this central nervous system breakdown that results in prolonged full body tremors that lasts for hours. I started thinking that a smoother ride would help. A recent 12-hour each way road trip in a rented Chrysler Pacifica to return our son to college seemed to confirm that since it resulted in greatly reduced symptoms. I decided that we should purchase a car known for its smooth ride. Today we bought a dealer demo 2025 GLE 450 (base model so no airmatic) with high hopes it would be the answer to our prayers only to find that after the 50 minute drive home I felt very carsick and the feeling is still with me hours later. What I noticed while driving was that if we went over bumps while also driving on a curve the car would sort of correct itself and my body would shift side to side. The car was in comfort mode. I am now in a complete panic. I would return it tomorrow if I could but I doubt that’s possible. I will never be able to drive or ride in this car if this is how it’s going to be, nor will our son who is also very susceptible to carsickness. Is there a way to sell it back to the dealer? Do I just put it up for sale myself and hope for the best? I’ve read enough on this and other forums now to see that this problem does not have even a difficult fix and I absolutely can’t live with it. Help!

What has your doctor said? Do you have an inner ear/eustation tube issue? Any Vagus nerve issues? Unfortunately the dealer would likely only trade for another vehicle and you really need to test drive each vehicle for an extended period of time. Many Mercedes can have a rough ride with stiffer suspension, until you get into an class. You might try an app like turo where you can rent all different types of cars. Seemingly you found one that works for you and although not a Mercedes, your health should outweigh the choice in brand. Have you also tried different seating positions? If you have Vagus nerve issues, diet and proper stretching/release of your c2 vertebrae can help. Talk to the dealer today and if your state protects you, thats the only way you can actually return. As far as I know, no state protects a new car buyer from their own choices...

Do you have ear issues?

I’m pretty sure this is way too much info, but since you asked: When it started 2 years ago out of the blue after taking our son to college for his freshman year 950 miles away, I had a full workup by an ENT, who then sent me to a neurologist. Neither could diagnose, so I researched and figured out that if I take Valium after a long trip (or during if I’m not driving) that pretty much stops the uncontrollable trembling and internal vibration. And in general, after the initial 6 months of vertigo, I haven’t had any car sickness. The symptoms became reliably just the trembling/vibration without the dizziness. I did three half hour or so test drives on regular roads and highway and had zero symptoms. Car felt fantastic, and I thought it was the answer. I test drove about 25 other vehicles over the course of 4 months. Then last night driving it home for a more extended drive, the symptoms started about 40 minutes in after I felt a few side to side sways going over bumps while also going around a curve. Today we tried again, driving for about an hour and the same thing happened. My husband thinks I’m insane and will not entertain trying to return it. So now I’m left with trying to figure out how to mitigate it. I’ve switched from comfort to sport. I imagine I will need to go and ask if there’s anything the service department can do to help. Any suggestions? I’ve read that people have had the suspension serviced, wheels/tires replaced (I have 20-inch). Any other suggestions welcome. Otherwise my trips away from home will be limited to under an hour.

Also forgot to address some things first responder asked: we have a very narrow garage opening so we had to take that into consideration (nothing more than 90” with mirrors out) and our son is 6’7” and needs 40” of headroom in the back where he has to sit in the middle or else he gets carsick, so of cars that fit in our garage as well as fit him, we had a choice of the Mercedes GLE, one of the Land Rover sports (I’ve heard they’re worse service-wise than Mercedes), the Hyundai Palisade (which is currently aggravating the problem), the Santa Fe (which I figure will also not help), Kia Sorrento (basically same car company as Hyundai), and Lincoln Nautilus (did not like the ride). The redesigned VW Tiguan might also have been an option since I heard it now has more room but the engine less smooth than Mercedes and I hadn’t had the kid actually sit in it. I take magnesium and B2 and no longer drink alcohol, caffeine, or aspartame because I’ve read they can aggravate the problem. I’ll look into your other suggestions and I think it might be vagus nerve related and possibly dysautonomia. The symptoms are consistent with what many others describe as a result of Covid, which I’ve had twice, so who knows?

So, no problems with the Pacifica? And Valium helps? Sounds like a stress reaction brought on by an expectation that you are going to be ill. And this started when your son went off to college? Such a life changing event could cause separation anxiety that manifests in motion sickness and trembling. It does not sound like a problem with the car. There may be physiological problems, but here is not the place to address that.

You may want to try some online counseling sessions with a service like SonderMind or BetterHelp to rule out psychological problems. Sometimes discussing things with an independent or disinterested third party helps you to identify the root cause of your problems.

Maybe an S-Class would be better, but if you test drove your GLE and didn't have issues until your recent trip, I would guess no car will work 100% of the time for you. Sounds like your solution is going to be more on the medical side rather than trying to find a car that works for you.

L1wolf, unfortunately there is no medical fix and the reaction to the GLE is way worse than anything else, but at this point I think I’ll just live with driving under an hour from home and hope my brain adapts to it over time and then sell it when it makes sense (which for me would be today but my husband won’t let me). I’ve read elsewhere about various things people have done to mitigate the problem by doing something to the car like putting smaller wheels on it, so I’m hoping someone here might have suggestions.

Just saw your COVID remark. There's always that. The least amount of emotional or physical stress causes my wife to have similar symptoms. Long COVID affects people differently -- such a nasty bug! You may not be able to treat the cause, so treat the symptoms. Not sure where you are, but medical cannabis (THC gummies) has helped my wife hugely. (Both medical and recreational cannabis are legal in Maryland.)

JettaRed, I’m hoping that your first comment was written from compassion because otherwise it could come off as very condescending. I could write a book to refute your hypothesis, but you’re going to have to believe me when I tell you that those are not the issues. The problem is the car. I gave my medical background to explain my reasoning for choosing this car. The car causes the symptoms, not my emotions, but you can believe what you like. I’m hoping someone here can address what I might be able to do to make the car work better for me since I own it now.

I must have misunderstood then. I thought you said you test drove the GLE for 4 hours and had no issues. In any case, it looks like you just bought this car today or yesterday? In most states there are laws allowing you to return a car for any reason within 3 days and get a full refund. Maybe the Chrysler Pacifica is a better fit, but I would say an S-Class likely has one of the smoothest rides available. Another possibility is the E-Class sedan as that will be much smoother than the GLE. It may be hard to find a car that 100% solves your issue though. I hope you figure something out that works as this issue must be quite frustrating for you and your husband. Good luck!

I agree that this is a strange place for psychological counseling.

I struggled finding a ride quality that I liked in GLE form.
I think the new 167 chassis is an improvement over the 166 but the suspensions seemed boat-like. I didn't get a queasy feeling but the car just seemed unsettled.

I had an e-ABC car, which was an improvement over steel or air springs, but it was a lemon so it went back.
We landed on an AMG53 with AMG ARC (active ride control), and The car is much more controlled in general - an entirely different driving experience.
Unfortunately it's a $5,000 option. and they're really difficult to find for a test drive, unless you drive a 63s where that suspension is standard.
I wouldn't be driving a Mercedes GLE if we hadn't discovered the AMG ARC.

Sorry if I touched a nerve, but you came here asking for help. What I suggested was out of compassion and not an indictment or suggestion that there is anything "wrong" with you, but if your problems occur in varying degrees in virtually any vehicle you drive or ride in, you need to look beyond the vehicle. Do you have these symptom while flying or any other mode of transportation? I can tell you that if you have had COVID there is a good chance that you have what is referred to as Long COVID as approximately 30% of people affected by COVID develop some symptoms that persist for a long time, if not indefinitely. ANYTHING that causes physical or emotional stress or anxiety may trigger a physiological reaction. You said yourself that Valium helps. Valium is an anxiety reducer.

Have you tried Dramamine? My physician suggested it when I was having vertigo problems.

I have a issue with carsickness but usually in back seats so uber rides for me 75 percent of the time end with me being nauseous. I get nauseous in front passenger seat too not as bad but it happens so that’s why I often offer to drive and take my car . Never found a fix other than to drive myself so do you have this issue when you drive aswell ? Sorry if you answered this question I haven’t read this whole thread .

Most true motion sickness, can be treated to drastically reduce the adverse effects.
Ironically enough, the treatment is escalating small exposures, to ever larger exposures, to the stimuli that generate adverse reactions.

I reread the Jettared post. I thought it was a very earnest reply, in a respectful manner.

Glad you mentioned wheels. Hmmm... Does the GLE come with run-flats? If so perhaps getting rid of those and also dropping tire pressures to the values shown on the gas fuel door might help but I am not sure if a bouncy suspension is also one of the cause to the issue that leads to your symptoms. I mean do the tire pressure adjustments first, that's free, second is to get rid of run-flats. The most expensive option is obviously replace the car but as a forum member mentioned, there might be a cooloff period so you can just return it?

Not sure if vehicle comfort or changing a car is going to address the issue. I think the best way to go about it will be to identify the triggers. Is it possible that it is the change in driving environment over time that is the trigger? For example, say the start of a road trip is highway, then three or four hours later is local w/ stop and go that hits you with a bit of motion sickness?

If its motion sickness that leads to the tremors etc., as ridiculous as these may look, it worked for an old colleague of mine (https://amzn.to/4gvnsRA). He turned green in the face the moment he stepped foot on a boat, these worked.

Been there and I feel badly for fellow sufferers of motion sickness. Ultimately the problem is you and not the car. I would seek out a trained physical therapist who is familiar with treating motion disorders. Helped me immensely and I hope it does the same for you.

First I'd turn off the Active Steering Assist if so equipped. I find it very annoying and turn it off on long trips.

The Air Force puts prospective pilots suffering from motion sickness in a chair and spins them around until they get sick. Then they do it again, and again. Eventually, a large percentage of sufferers get desensitized, stop getting sick, and continue on with their training. I don't know if there is a comparable civilian program for motion sickness. It certainly wouldn't be much fun.

That could really help.

Interesting product. Android has an app that can help and works in a similar fashion, mimicing the horizon as you travel. iPhone now has something similar built into their OS. My wife gets motion sickness and using the Android phone app can actually help even though she's reading her phone in a moving car. She also keeps ginger in the car:

"Ginger can effectively relieve and prevent the symptoms of motion sickness by reducing nausea and vomiting. It works by inhibiting certain receptors and potentially altering gastrointestinal transport, though its exact mechanism isn't fully understood. To prevent motion sickness, take 1 gram of encapsulated ginger about an hour before traveling and every few hours as needed, and consider products like ginger candy, capsules, or gum for convenience. "

In the state I reside you have 72hrs to change your mind and get your money back.

What trim was the Pacifica? Who did the driving during this trip? When you weren't driving, where were you sitting? When was the last time you did a road trip in a sedan? Did you have the same issues in a sedan?

If you ever buy a car again, you may want to find one on Turo app to rent first.

Very wise suggestion.