What are shocks and struts?
In a nutshell, shocks and struts make your car stable. Without them, your car would bounce up and down. They provide enhanced control when turning, braking, and accelerating, and a better ride when encountering uneven road surfaces. Your vehicle might have shocks, struts, or a combination of both. Due to their inherent nature, shocks and struts experience normal wear and tear. While you may not mind the bumpy ride, they do need to be replaced when worn. It's a safety issue.
The Signs of Worn Shocks and Struts
- Your vehicle feels unstable. A little shaking is normal, but your car shouldn't feel like it's constantly moving up and down at highway speeds. Additionally, your steering wheel shouldn't vibrate on normal city roads.
- Front end dips while braking. The front of your vehicle should not take a dive during hard braking.
- Vehicle swerves or leers. You should not need to correct your car in mild side winds.\
- Rear seems to squat during acceleration. During hard acceleration, you may notice the front of your car rising and the rear seems to squat. This is a symptom of bad shocks and struts.
- Unusual or uneven tire wear. Uneven tread wear is a sign that your tires are not firmly flat on the road. This symptom also increases your risk of hydroplaning or a flat tire.
- Delays when braking. When braking is delayed, your stopping distance is increased. Braking delays aren't always low brake fluid. Braking distance can be increased by as much as 20% with worn shocks or struts. Fortunately, your mechanic can diagnose whether it's your brakes or your shocks and struts causing the issue.
- There's a fluid leak around the exterior of your shocks or struts. A leak means the seals have broken. and essential fluid is escaping. Have your vehicle inspected by a mechanic immediately.
Why do I need to replace worn shocks and struts?
Vehicle instability, increased braking time, and tire instability are especially dangerous in slippery or wet conditions. If you think your shocks or struts are worn and may require replacing, we invite you to bring your vehicle into our auto repair shop today.