Parts of your car’s suspension system both keep your car off the pavement and also ensure a smooth ride. Let’s go over three symptoms you may notice that indicate a necessary suspension repair.
There are three main possible causes behind your car pulling to one side: your brakes, shock absorbers, or tire alignment. If it happens when you’re braking, your brakes are likely the cause. However, if your car pulls to one side while you’re driving normally, the most common cause is your tires. You can check this by looking at your tire tread. If there’s uneven tread, that likely points to the tires being misaligned. Because your suspension system is complex, it’s still a good idea to have a mechanic diagnose the underlying problem.
As a general rule, it’s a good idea to have your tires rotated and realigned regularly. Proper tire alignment requires a lot of precise placement of several parts, including camber, caster, and toe. Regular tire alignment services make sure these parts all stay perfectly placed, which ensures even tire wear and can help prevent issues such as pulling. It will also help maintain the overall health of your suspension system so that you enjoy better performance while driving.
How much do you feel cracks and small potholes in the road? If it’s more than you’d like, your suspension could be to blame. More specifically, your shock absorbers or struts are likely to blame. One of their main roles is to cushion the blow of bumps in the road and over time, they’ll gradually wear out just from doing their high-impact job.
Not all cars have both shock absorbers and struts, so take a look at what your car’s suspension system includes. You can check your owner’s manual or pay attention to other possible symptoms that can point to one or the other. If you hear knocking, that points to worn struts. On the other hand, you may be able to see fluid leaking from your shock absorbers that point to them being the cause. A mechanic will best be able to diagnose and repair the problem.
Another aspect of the role of shock absorbers and struts is to keep your car steady. Aside from cushioning bumps, they will keep your car from bouncing more than necessary, maintaining a smooth ride. When you drive over speed bumps or a dip in the road, does your car continue to bounce several times? This is a sure sign it’s time for a suspension repair. While this is a less urgent repair, it also can cause more strain on other parts of your car over time, so it’s best not to procrastinate too much.
If you want to test your suspension, you can do the bounce test while your car is parked. Simply push down either the front or rear of your car and release it. If it springs back to its normal position, that’s a good sign that your shock absorbers and struts are in good condition. However, if it bounces three times or more, it’s probably time to schedule a suspension repair service.
