Car acting crazy? Might be this.
Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2026 6:19 am
Always wanting to be helpful, I wish to pass on this information in the hopes it saves someone aguish, time, money sanity, and possibly your life.
On a 300 mile trip a while back in our 2017 Cayenne base everything was going well until it wasn't. The car suddenly quit going, at least as it should. It lost power but was still running, and the dash lit up with every warning known to mankind. It would still go forward, sorta, but in fits and starts, and lots of bucking and bouncing. My wife freaked out immediately, and I wasn't feeling too good myself. I pulled over, shut it off, waited a bit, and cranked back up. Lights were off, it ran well as it should, all OK, right? Only for a few miles before it did it again. I limped to an off ramp and we stopped for an unplanned lunch so I could decide what to do.
At this point we were almost 200 miles from home, 2/3 rds of the way to our destination, but could we get there? I decided to try to continue but when we started it up after eating it was still exhibiting the strange, frightening even, behavior as previous. So right there we turned around to head home. After bucking and bouncing out of the parking lot of the restaurant it started running OK, so we headed home. I figured we'd be all right but I made a serious mistake 40 miles down the road when I decided to stop at a truck stop for coffee. (It promised to be a long night) Upon returning to the car with my hot cuppa it would barely go again, and I got out on the divided four-lane only to have to try to pull over to the emergency lane, while dodging traffic, flashers on of course. While still in serious limp mode I did a youee (is that really a word?) and almost got run over, while heading back to the truck stop. Yards from the exit it suddenly ran full speed (my foot was on the floorboard but I was only moving 2 mph). So I did another U turn and told my wife we weren't stopping until we got to our garage.
What was wrong? The next morning I hooked up my scan tool and quickly saw it was the LF wheel sensor. When it goes bad the transfer case doesn't know what to do so it does all sorts of crazy things, along with several other systems, causing all the jumping like a S. California low-rider. A quick Google search showed the part was available from the dealer for $115, or from one of the well-respected European parts suppliers that I frequent for $23. So I ordered four sensors (after all, the other three were as old as the defective one, right?) and two days later I had the little offending part out and the new one installed. Problem solved. I soon installed the other front sensor, haven't yet done the rears (they require much more work like removing the wheel), but it's on my list (a Loooong list).
So you have been warned. It is even possible (but I don't recommend it) to install a front wheel sensor on the road lying under the vehicle (SUV of course, the sports cars don't qualify for this method). Me, I'd just add these parts to the list of preventative maintenance items that should be replaced at around 50,000 miles. YMMV.
On a 300 mile trip a while back in our 2017 Cayenne base everything was going well until it wasn't. The car suddenly quit going, at least as it should. It lost power but was still running, and the dash lit up with every warning known to mankind. It would still go forward, sorta, but in fits and starts, and lots of bucking and bouncing. My wife freaked out immediately, and I wasn't feeling too good myself. I pulled over, shut it off, waited a bit, and cranked back up. Lights were off, it ran well as it should, all OK, right? Only for a few miles before it did it again. I limped to an off ramp and we stopped for an unplanned lunch so I could decide what to do.
At this point we were almost 200 miles from home, 2/3 rds of the way to our destination, but could we get there? I decided to try to continue but when we started it up after eating it was still exhibiting the strange, frightening even, behavior as previous. So right there we turned around to head home. After bucking and bouncing out of the parking lot of the restaurant it started running OK, so we headed home. I figured we'd be all right but I made a serious mistake 40 miles down the road when I decided to stop at a truck stop for coffee. (It promised to be a long night) Upon returning to the car with my hot cuppa it would barely go again, and I got out on the divided four-lane only to have to try to pull over to the emergency lane, while dodging traffic, flashers on of course. While still in serious limp mode I did a youee (is that really a word?) and almost got run over, while heading back to the truck stop. Yards from the exit it suddenly ran full speed (my foot was on the floorboard but I was only moving 2 mph). So I did another U turn and told my wife we weren't stopping until we got to our garage.
What was wrong? The next morning I hooked up my scan tool and quickly saw it was the LF wheel sensor. When it goes bad the transfer case doesn't know what to do so it does all sorts of crazy things, along with several other systems, causing all the jumping like a S. California low-rider. A quick Google search showed the part was available from the dealer for $115, or from one of the well-respected European parts suppliers that I frequent for $23. So I ordered four sensors (after all, the other three were as old as the defective one, right?) and two days later I had the little offending part out and the new one installed. Problem solved. I soon installed the other front sensor, haven't yet done the rears (they require much more work like removing the wheel), but it's on my list (a Loooong list).
So you have been warned. It is even possible (but I don't recommend it) to install a front wheel sensor on the road lying under the vehicle (SUV of course, the sports cars don't qualify for this method). Me, I'd just add these parts to the list of preventative maintenance items that should be replaced at around 50,000 miles. YMMV.