How Do I Know My Car Suspension Is Shot?

The car's suspension system is something we may not think of much, but it does come up eventually when you start to feel that something is wrong. After several years of running and bouncing, the shocks carrying the whole body will wear out and the suspension will cause uneasy vibrations and difficulty to control. It has to repaired quickly because the smooth ride we think of getting won’t be and it becomes more important as an oil change or brake repair. Having a bad suspension can very much affect the ability to drive the car, especially when the car is trying to stop or turn. Here’s a short list of symptoms that confirm the car’s suspension is shot.

The most obvious symptom is if the car rides roughly. Most people can recognize that their shocks are worn out when they feel every bump in the road that results in heavy bounce. A rough ride is an obvious sign that the suspension needs to get some work done. Next, if you try to turn and the car is drifting off instead of doing an immediate turn, the suspension is in fail mode. This means the shocks are no longer keeping the vehicle stable against the torque, raising the risk of a rollover on either side. With such a feeling while turning, it is immediate to take the car to the shop.

If the car gives the feeling of a dip when stopping, that is the direct sign that the shocks are worn out. It should prevent that feeling, but the suspension won’t hold back the body as it lurches forward and down when braking. This will affect the ability to brake quickly. Also, take a look at the tires and note the tread of them. If they are wearing down unevenly or if there are any thinning spots, the suspension is not holding the car evenly and putting an uneven amounts of pressure on the tires. The same goes with the shocks and if they look greasy. It means it is leaking fluid and they need to be fixed and adjusted to keep the fluid within the car’s system.

Finally, you can try something known as the bounce test. If there’s a reason to believe the suspension is failing, put the car in park, sit on the front of the car, bounce on it a few times, and then release. Repeat on the rear end of the car. If the car is still bouncing more than 2-3 times after you get off of it, the suspension is indeed wearing out. The spring may be broken, the shock absorber is broken, and even the sway bar or steering linkage is damaged. This is what the bouncing is saying with the suspension failure.

The suspension involves the wheel, tires, multiple joints and links, and the entire steering system. Any part of the car will wear out over time and a car with a shot suspension will need to be fixed before it can be driven again.

My name's Art Gellar and I am a blogger from Australia who writes blog posts for commercial businesses both within Australia and overseas.