How to Tell If Your Car Suspension Needs Attention

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Abraham Chavez

Unlike engine or transmission repair for your vehicle, the warning signs of suspension repair tend to be a little more nuanced and undetectable. In most circumstances, a dashboard warning light won’t go on when your vehicle’s steering and suspension system begins to show signs of wear. Moreover most drivers find the threat of transmission failure and its subsequent repair to be more menacing than car suspension repair.

However, as with any other major component and system in your vehicle, steering and suspension repair tends to become more serious and damaging the longer you put it off. The breakdown of one component will affect the breakdown of another causing a repair ripple-effect on the underbelly of your car. Out of sight and out of mind is almost always a bad motto when it comes to suspension repair.

Signals Your Car Might Need Suspension Repair Include:

Too Bouncy – If your vehicle continues to bounce for a significant amount of time after going over a speed bump or other bump in the road, this could be a sign your shock absorbers are worn, bent or possibly even broken.

Too Hard to Turn the Wheel – The steering and suspension system are connected to one another, and if it becomes difficult or requires a lot of force to turn the steering wheel for normal 90-degree turns, this is likely a sign the wheels are misaligned. Alternatively, it could signal power steering fluid is low or there’s a leak in the power steering system.

Too Easy to Turn the Wheel – A major safety issue, a loose steering wheel feels like you do not have control of the car especially when driving faster than 40 miles per hour. Likely caused by a worn or broken steering linkage, a loose wheel most often signals major front suspension repair.

Pulls Too Much to the Left or Right – If your car pulls either to the right or left when the steering wheel is straight, this is a sign the wheels are not aligned, tire pressures are not equal or one suspension component is worn down more than another. This is a good time to bring your car in to a local repair shop for an inspection. Catch and fix the problem now before it becomes much worse, which it likely will if left unchecked.