How Do I Know if My Suspension Needs to Be Replaced?

A vehicle’s suspension system plays a key role in providing a smooth and comfortable ride for every passenger. Routine maintenance from a full-service car mechanic in Athens County, OH can help ensure suspension systems last for years without failing. That said, you may still encounter some suspension problems. This post will cover a few of the signs that it’s time to bring your car in for suspension repair.

Bumpy ride

The most noticeable sign that something’s wrong with your suspension is a rough ride. When struts and shocks begin to wear down, you may feel every bump in the road. While this may not seem like the end of the world while traveling along a highway, you’ll really feel the issue when you’re on a gravel or unpaved road! This bouncy ride will only get worse as time goes on, so see a mechanic right away to replace your shocks or struts.

Car riding low

Your car riding lower than usual or leaning to one side while parked is another indication that the suspension is off. This symptom is usually caused by a blown or broken spring that will need to be replaced. Don’t just shrug this off as a minor inconvenience—a car that’s too low to the ground can suffer some serious undercarriage damage when driving over potholes or bumps in the road. Neglecting to fix the suspension can lead to some costly overall repairs.

Steering difficulty

Your car’s steering and suspension systems rely on one another to get you from point A to point B, so having trouble steering the car doesn’t always mean it’s a problem with the steering system—it could also be the suspension. If you have more trouble turning at low speeds, the issue is most likely related to the suspension rather than the steering. However, only a full-service car mechanic in Athens County, OH will be able to diagnose and correct the problem.

Drifting or pulling

Needless to say, drifting to one side or the other is a danger to you and other vehicles on the road. This is another problem that could be caused by failing shocks, a bad steering system or even worn tires. It’s impossible to know for certain what the root of the problem is without consulting a mechanic, so bring your car to a pro as soon as you notice your vehicle drifting to one side of the road.

Uneven tire wear

It’s crucial that the tread wears down evenly on each tire, which is why tire rotation is so important. If you notice significant wear on one or two tires—even with routine rotation—the suspension system likely isn’t holding your car evenly, causing premature balding on certain tires. Simply buying new tires won’t solve this problem, so see a mechanic right away to have your suspension fixed.

Come see the pros at Dana’s Tire Center

As we’ve mentioned above, delaying suspension repair is a safety hazard and can cause damage to other components of your vehicle, so you should bring your car to a full-service car mechanic in Athens County, OH at the first sign of trouble. At Dana’s Tire Center, we’ll perform a full inspection to see what’s causing the trouble and set it straight in no time. Reach out today to schedule an appointment!

Categorised in: Suspension

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