Your vehicle’s handling helps keep you safe and comfortable no matter where the road takes you. Keeping your suspension system, including the shocks and struts, in good shape is one of the most important ways you can maintain proper handling.
However, because most of the suspension system is out of sight, you may not think about it until you notice a problem. In this blog, we list eight warning signs that you should have your suspension system evaluated by a professional to protect your vehicle handling.
- Bottoming Out
The sound and feel of your vehicle scraping along the ground are enough to make any driver cringe. But sometimes bottoming out can be an important indicator that something is wrong with your suspension system.
The suspension system helps keep your car level, regardless of the typography of the road you’re driving on. Bottoming out can result from a compressed spring and can result in damage to your undercarriage.
- Bumpy Ride
Often, the first sign of a suspension issue is a change in the quality of your vehicle’s ride. You may immediately notice bumpiness and jostling when you drive, even when you’re navigating a fairly even and level road.
Any type of suspension issue can reduce the quality of your ride, so it’s important to have the issue evaluated as soon as you notice the change.
- Drifting or Pulling
Drifting and pulling can happen for a number of reasons. One of the reasons you may notice your car angling to one side, either subtly or forcefully, is failing shocks. You may notice drifting or pulling most acutely when turning.
In this situation, the shocks cannot keep the car parallel to the road. This type of suspension problem increases your risk of rolling your vehicle.
- Excessive Bouncing
If you have noticed other symptoms that may indicate a suspension issue, you can feel out the extent of the problem while your car is parked. Simply press down firmly on the nose of the car and pay attention to how much the car bounces when you let go.
If your car bounces many times before returning to a rest position again, your shocks or struts may be to blame.
- Nose Dips
In addition to bottoming out when you go over dips or speed bumps, suspension issues can also cause the nose of your vehicle to dip excessively. These dips are most likely to occur when you come to a full stop, especially if you have to stop suddenly.
