How do you know when you need to replace shocks in your car? The answer isn’t always obvious, which is why it’s a good idea to have routine scheduled maintenance on your car and have it looked over by professional auto technicians. At Signal Garage, our technicians are always ASE Certified and able to examine most makes and models to determine if you’re due for a repair. A new shock absorber isn’t necessarily cheap, but it’s far less expensive that repairing damaged wheels or axels.
Here to keep your drive smooth.
Before we get into discussing when to replace shocks, we should probably talk about what a shock absorber does. These parts are intended to lessen the vibrations you’d feel from your suspension and tires, but more importantly, they keep the wheels in contact with the road. In a nutshell, they keep your car safe and help it stop effectively. Without them, you’d feel significantly more jolts, but you could also experience significantly slower stop times while braking. Shocks may make your drive much more pleasant, but their true role is so much more than that. Knowing what they do is also a good way to understand when you might need a new shock absorber.
When you drive, if you’re noticing that your usually smooth commute is feeling a lot bouncier than normal or that your car isn’t braking with the same effectiveness that it used to, there might be a problem with your shocks. You may also start to notice that your car isn’t turning as sharply as usual, or that the wind is pushing you to and fro more easily. To check to see whether your shocks are working, try pushing down one corner of your parked car (really put your weight into it). After you let go, the car should “bounce” back up and settle into position. If it keeps “bouncing,” that’s an indicator that the shocks aren’t at their best. It’s extremely important not to ignore it because a less effective stop could mean the difference between avoiding an accident or a dangerous collision.
Here at Signal Garage, we’re experienced in knowing when to replace shocks in a variety of car makes and models, both foreign and domestic. As part of your regularly scheduled maintenance, we’ll visually inspect them for wear and tear so we can let you know when you’re getting close to a replacement. If you have questions or you suspect something’s wrong, let us know and we’ll do everything we can to get it sorted out.