Knowing the symptoms of a faulty shock absorber can save you from unpredictable accidents. The purpose of a shock absorber is to maintain a regular contact patch between your car’s tyres and the ground.
They control how the suspension and springs move to accomplish this. This enables you to maintain tyre contact with the road while driving straight, around corners, up slopes, or on uneven terrain.
The springs and shock absorbers of a car absorb all the trembling and shaking that comes from driving on such a route. In this reading, I will be discussing the common symptoms of a bad shock absorber
What are the Symptoms of a Bad Shock Absorber?
The symptoms of a faulty shock absorber include fluid leaks, tyre wear, unusual noise when braking, steering wheel vibration, rear squat during acceleration, rattling noise, longer stopping distance, and broken shock absorber bushings.
1. Fluid Leaks
Typically, leaks are the first signs of a problem. Fluid will flow down the side of the shock and toward the ground if the seals surrounding the shock’s shaft start to leak.
Similar to this, if you find fluid leaking from the shocks or struts, you should look to see if the bodies have been physically damaged (dented, etc.), and check the bushings for corrosion or other damage. You can always give your mechanic a call and ask them to check it out.
Related: What is a Shock Absorber? Its Diagram & How it Works
2. Tire Wear
The tyre slides off the road because a worn shock can’t keep it there. Uneven tyre wear is caused by the fact that only the portion of the tire that is in contact with the road will deteriorate, while the portion that is not will remain intact.
You should look into the cause if the wear on your tyres is uneven or if any flat spots are unusual. Call your mechanic and request that they have a look.
3. Nose Driving When Braking
Shock absorbers that are defective or worn out allow fluid to leak through the seal, which causes the piston to move excessively in the cylinder.
The car then nosedives as a result of braking. This is due to the fact that the weight of the car swings more than it would if the shock absorber were in charge of controlling its motion.
4. Steering Wheel Vibration
It is normal to feel some shaking in your steering wheel when travelling over uneven terrain. You might have worn shocks, struts, or a steering stabiliser if you notice comparable vibrations on smooth roads.
5. Rear Squat During Acceleration
When accelerating, suspension movement is stabilised by properly working shocks and struts. When you press on the gas pedal, a car’s rear end may squat excessively if its shocks and struts are failing.
The transfer of the vehicle’s energy to the back leads the front end to rise, which contributes to motion sickness in passengers and an unduly high loading of the rear suspension components.
6. Rattling Noise
Shock absorbers are designed to dampen up-and-down suspension and coil movements. They also aid in reducing vibrations that travel through the bushings.
The bushings lose their ability to dampen vibrations when they become worn or damaged. As a result, while driving, you might hear rattling sounds. Either the front or the back shock absorbers may be making the noise. Depending on the specific shock.
Related: Difference Between Struts and Shocks
7. Broken Shock Absorber Bushings
A shock absorber has bushings at the end of each side. The bushings are constantly subjected to hostile atmospheric conditions. The bushings may break and degrade after travelling thousands of miles on the road.
The shock mounts from the suspension to which it is attached cannot be cushioned by worn bushings. The effect is that the car is noisy, especially while driving on rough roads.
8. Longer Stopping Distance
One of the most likely symptoms of damaged shock absorber parts, despite the fact that it can also be brought on by a number of other car issues.
The tyres’ ability to stay on the ground is one of the shock absorber’s tasks. The shocks can’t help stop the wheels from bouncing if they are worn out. The tyres do not react to braking as they should when there is little or no grip on the road.
Related: 7 Common Symptoms Of a Faulty Strut Mount
How much does a shock absorber replacement cost?
A single shock should never be changed. Always swap them out in pairs instead. For this reason, the cost to replace a pair of shocks on your car might range from $200 to $750.
The parts and labor costs are included in this average price. However, costs will vary depending on your location and labor costs there.
Given that the price of a shock absorber can range from $50 to $175 depending on the performance level and type of car you drive, it is obvious that installing them yourself could save you money.
However, it’s not always simple to replace shocks, so you should budget between $100 and $400 on average for a professional shop to handle the work.