The Warning Signs
While many variables determine the life of your shocks or struts (hello, potholes), Reina says experiencing any of these seven symptoms means it’s time for replacements.
- Instability at highway speeds. Your vehicle never feels completely stable on the highway and is constantly moving up and down. The movement may be slight, but you notice it.
- Vehicle “tips” to one side in turns. When taking a sharp turn or an off-ramp, your vehicle leans or “tips” to the outside of the turn and feels wobbly.
- The front end dives more than expected during hard braking. You may not notice this until you have to jump hard on the brakes.
- Rear-end squat during acceleration. You’ll notice the front end of your vehicle rising while the rear “squats” during hard acceleration.
- Tires bouncing excessively. After hitting a bump, you can feel a tire (or tires) reacting or “bouncing” for a time. You may also hear a clunking noise.
- Unusual tire wear. Because the tire isn’t being held firmly to the road, the tread wears in a wavy manner instead of evenly.
- Leaking fluid on the exterior of shocks or struts. This is a sign that the seals have broken and the internal fluids essential to proper function are escaping.