I have a 2002 SC2. If I hit a bounce just the right way while driving down the highway, it will start bouncing almost violently in the rear. The bouncing will continue until I let my foot off the gas and let the car slow on it's own. Does anyone have any idea what may be causing this? The struts seem a little weak, but not that bad. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Frank

 

One other thing about this problem. If there is someone in the passenger seat the car will not do this. I know that sounds weird, but I can get the car to do this on one stretch of road every time except when there is someone in the passenger seat.

 

sounds like strut or spring problem

 

The words "almost violently" imply something dangerous could very well be going on. While I no longer drive the miles I used to I do or have driven a lot of cars a lot of miles and have never had one act like that at all. And some of those cars were accidents waiting to happen. The rear suspension on a Saturn SC2 is not even remotely exotic. It sounds to me like something is Loose/Bent back there and once it starts moving due to a bump in the road and what ever the load distribution is in the car, as it moves it is wrapping and un-wrapping due to the speed of the car. I have had things like that happen in the front with worn steering components. The rear suspension of a Saturn is light duty pieces of material bolted to a pivot point some where in the center of the car to create a form of swing arm. (If my memory is working) and it has some flex in it in the first place. At 11 years old and unknown miles anything could be bent and or loose. I think I would be looking at tires for weird wear patterns to get an idea of which side of the car is affected and jacking it up to inspect for bent/loose.

 

Maybe a broken or cracked track bar?

 

Might be a good time to get the car into the air and have a look see..........Ya think?

 

It's been in the air and everything looks good. I'm hoping someone else has had the problem and can give me a solution. I'm going to start with the struts and go from there.

 

I'm suspecting a bad strut, but what the heck do I know? My 'forte' is the electrical system ...