Seeking Solutions for Drowsiness While Driving T6 California – Insights Needed!

[TallPaul_S]

I actually find that driving my T6 is less tiring than most other cars, the view ahead is superb and I like the driving position.

I think something that's tiring to drive, in that it wears you out, isn't what he means - the opposite actually, if something is really easy to drive, monotonous and requires little effort, I'd find that would make me sleepy.

If you're a passenger in a car and not having to concentrate on driving then it's so easy to fall asleep as many drivers will no doubt have experienced, you're the only one awake when all your passengers are nodding away!

Whereas something that's loud, uncomfortable, and 'tiring' to drive is more likely to keep you awake!

 

[Californication]

Yeah definitely worth looking into especially as you said when you changed tyres to more comfortable ones it made it worse.

Maybe your T6 is like driving a big old comfy slipper?!

Have you tried putting on some thrash metal?

Or maybe changing speed, might change the vibrations.

Do you have adaptive cruise control? If it's a DSG too then all that (and seats with comfy armrests) make it really like driving a big armchair!

The jag was waaaaaay more comfortable It did not make me drowsy though.
The stock sound system in the t6 is pretty bad so I tend to keep it off, unlike other cars. I’ve just ordered speakers and an amp following advice of the sound gurus on here.

There is no drowsiness when driving (ok am I allowed to admit this ?) above 150km/h.

The t-roc I’m driving now also has adaptive cruise control. No drowsiness. The van has dsg gearbox and armrests as well as adaptive cruise. The drowsiness also comes when the armrests are up and the window is slightly open.

Seems like we’re narrowing it down to suspension issue. It does wallow.

 

[czmate1999]

where about are you based?

@CRS Performance are good.

 

[Californication]

where about are you based?

@CRS Performance are good.

I’m in Brussels. Thank you for tagging the gurus I’ll drive some hours, if need be, to sort it out.

 

[Johny]

So you're a doctor and you come here looking for advice?

 

[Californication]

So you're a doctor and you come here looking for advice?

Yes! You guys are the best !

 

[eetmw]

You should try driving another t6. Could it be the filters or air con in yours putting or keeping too much CO2 in the cab?
Cheers

Toby

 

[DaveD]

Seems like we’re narrowing it down to suspension issue. It does wallow.

When I bought my T6 I likened driving on twisty B Roads to being on a bouncy castle, a visit to @CRS Performance sorted that out.
I think it's worth speaking to such a suspension specialist, it might allow you to enjoy long drives again.

 

[jimc91]

Have you tried driving with the aircon on cold?

 

[Californication]

You should try driving another t6. Could it be the filters or air con in yours putting or keeping too much CO2 in the cab?
Cheers

Toby

Hey Toby,
I’ve driven with both a co2 and co meter (my better half was quite intrigued) and the readings were normal. The cabin filter is new.

Tom

 

[Californication]

Have you tried driving with the aircon on cold?

Hey jimc91, should it be colder than the other vehicles I drive? I usually set it on 20°C in all the cars. None of the others give an issue. The co2 meter I use also measures temperature and it confirms that 20°C on the climate controls corresponds to 20°C measured.

Tom

 

[Lee540]

Most of my journeys in my Transporter start around 1:30-2:00am to get me into work for around 7:00am a few times a month.

I used to suffer quite bad fatigue in other cars thinking I could go with such little sleep but I make sure to have a good 6+ hours sleep, wake up at least 1 hour before leaving. Drink coffee and eat something light.

Coffee again half way.. no issues. I use cruise control, get some music on. Upgrade headlights so you can actually see in the dark better.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Interestingly I used to suffer the same years ago but only in my BMW 316i Touring. Never had it before or since. Maybe it was the suspension setup.

 

[Bav]

+1 for suspecting the suspension.

I remember suffering from a similar thing when I was a kid travelling in the back of my dad's Austin Princess (the wedge shaped one). It's never happened in any other car, before or since, but IIRC, the Princess had hydragas suspension and that's what I believe was the root cause. Obviously your Cali doesn't have the same suspension (Christ, I hope not!!!) but I do believe there are people that are susceptible to specific frequencies and types of movement that arise from certain suspension set-ups.

 

[n10n]

Suspension / wobbly drive would be my guess as well.

But check for split egr pipe although most report exhaust smell in the cab.

Heated windscreen was a pretty good guess as well, I don’t have one so don’t know how visible the grid is.

 

[ShooglyStu]

Some dominant vibration frequency affecting vision requiring more effort to focus and consequent fatigue?

Levels of whole-body vibration affecting human vision - PubMed

A visual task was devised to determine the minimum levels of whole-body vibration that affect human vision. This task was the perception of the blur-due to eye motion-of an image of a stationary point source of light and is considered to be as sensitive as any alternative measure of the effects...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Californication]

Suspension / wobbly drive would be my guess as well.

But check for split egr pipe although most report exhaust smell in the cab.

Heated windscreen was a pretty good guess as well, I don’t have one so don’t know how visible the grid is.

Hey n10b, it’s been doing it since before I changed the EGR plus new reinforced pipe. I could smell it in the cab sometimes.
Now no more smell and CO meter shows reading of zero.

I don’t have heated windscreen.

It doesn’t handle badly but these stock shocks aren’t factory fresh with 145,000km on them although my VW mechanic and Belgian technical control (very strict) didn’t fail them.

Tom

 

[Californication]

Some dominant vibration frequency affecting vision requiring more effort to focus and consequent fatigue?

Levels of whole-body vibration affecting human vision - PubMed

A visual task was devised to determine the minimum levels of whole-body vibration that affect human vision. This task was the perception of the blur-due to eye motion-of an image of a stationary point source of light and is considered to be as sensitive as any alternative measure of the effects...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Hey ShooglyStu,

That’s kind of been my guess although didn’t want to influence the discussion. I tried measuring dominant frequency but could not get reliable results using the app stated above. I’ll try to get some fresh numbers this weekend and see if I’m between the 4-8hz them seem to describe. Might just take some replacement shocks! Thanks!

Tom

EDIT: I’m talking about this study here. They’re talking about 4-8hz, which coincides with theta EEG brain waves, or light sleep.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003687023001862

 

[n10n]

It doesn’t handle badly but these stock shocks aren’t factory fresh with 145,000km on them although my VW mechanic and Belgian technical control (very strict) didn’t fail them.

Not exactly same thing but both the captain and the crew did get nauseous in my velle before fixing suspension + arbs. Just too wobbly.

 

[Californication]

Not exactly same thing but both the captain and the crew did get nauseous in my velle before fixing suspension + arbs. Just too wobbly.

What setup did you go with? (It probably can’t carry over to mine as I’m always with a lot of weight, curious nevertheless)