5 Most Common Problems With Car Suspensions
Maintenance |A problem with the suspension can devastate a car—especially if you don’t address and fix it immediately. Broken or faulty suspension parts can manifest in many ways on a vehicle. Keep an eye out for these common problems with car suspensions to catch and fix them quickly.
Excessive Bouncing
The primary objective of a suspension is to make the ride smooth and comfortable for the driver and passengers. But if you feel every bump and crack in the road while you’re driving and are bouncing excessively, you’ve likely got a problem with the suspension.
If your car bounces a lot while driving, it’s typically a problem with the coil springs or shocks—they could be broken, rusted, or worn out. Either way, don’t bounce around every time you drive. Take your vehicle into a shop to get it looked at.
The Car Pulls to One Side
One of the most common problems with a car suspension is a misalignment. If there is damage to the struts, springs, joints, or bearings in the suspension, it can alter the car’s alignment and cause it to pull to one side while driving.
The wheels may be misaligned, a side effect of suspension problems. Misalignment can happen from something as simple as driving over a deep pothole too fast, so keep your eyes on the road and avoid them to protect your suspension.
Dipping While Braking
When you brake in your car, does it feel like your vehicle lurches forward and then rocks back and forth when it finally comes to a stop? If so, it could be a suspension problem.
When you brake, your car sends all the weight and force to the vehicle’s front end. The suspension should absorb and mitigate this, but if parts are broken or rusted, it’ll feel like your car bounces back and forth every time you stop.
Clunking Noises
Have you heard an odd, clunking sound every time you go over a large pothole or speed bump? It’s likely a problem with the struts, which can bottom out when going over large bumps and make a loud knocking sound.
If you’re hearing this clunking, it could be due to worn-out or rusted parts on the struts. If the struts aren’t working properly, it could cause even bigger problems than just noises, so get them checked immediately.
Irregular Tire Wear
A simple way to check if your suspension is working properly is to check your tire wear. If the suspension on the car is loose, it can manifest in wheel misalignment and cause the tires to wear unevenly.
With the uneven pressure of the tire on the road, your tires will wear out unevenly and be uncomfortable and unsafe to drive. If you’ve got suspension problems and need new tires, RNR Tire Express can get you new tires at our tire shop in Laredo and other locations nationwide.
Stop by one of our many RNR Tire Express locations to get new, more comfortable, and better-performing tires today!