Signs Your Car Needs a Suspension Repair

Your Car Pulls to One Side or the Other While Driving

If your car starts to veer slightly left or right while you’re driving, there are a few potential auto repairs you may need. One possibility is your tire alignment. If it’s been a while since you last had a tire alignment service done, that could cause your steering tires to veer one way or another.

Otherwise, if your tires are properly aligned, the problem could be elsewhere in your suspension system. You could have a worn shock absorber that is failing to hold up that part of the car as it should. When part of the support for your car wears out, you may notice it leaning that way. Your car’s ball joints and other structural parts will also wear down over time and could cause your car to pull to one side or another.

You Have a Bumpy Ride

When you drive over a bump or pothole, your car’s shocks and struts absorb that motion so that you continue to move smoothly forward. As they wear out over time, you will begin to notice feeling more bumps when you drive. Additionally, if your struts are wearing out, you may hear a clunking sound when you hit bumps in the road. This is caused by metal parts within the worn struts hitting each other.

Your shock absorbers will also cause your car to bounce when they wear out. If you notice your car continues to bob when you go over railroad tracks, your shocks could be to blame.

 Your Car Tilts During Acceleration, Braking, or Turning

Another sign of worn shocks or struts is your car losing balance during acceleration, braking, or turning. When accelerating, the car may squat, bringing the front of the car higher than the rear. As you brake, the nose of the car will likely dip. And going around corners will cause your car to roll, meaning it will tip one way or another as you turn.

These symptoms are a sign you need a suspension repair service to have your shocks and/or struts replaced. As they wear out over time, these parts will lose their ability to sufficiently support the weight of your car during changes of speed or turning corners.

It’s Difficult to Steer Your Car

Difficulty steering could point to either the steering system or the control arms within your suspension. Solving this could be as easy as addressing a problem with your power steering fluid or it could be a more serious car suspension repair service. Without having your car diagnosed by a mechanic, it can be difficult to figure out which is your problem, though you will likely notice the most difficulty steering at low speeds.

Don’t Wait to Get Your Suspension Checked

Necessary suspension repairs are nothing to ignore. Putting off taking your car to an auto repair shop to have the problem diagnosed and fixed can quickly lead to more repairs and extra cost for you. To improve the lifespan of your car, it’s important to get suspected problems looked at as soon as possible.