Common Problems of the Suspension System

1. Vehicle pulling to one side while driving/Alignment Problem –

While driving, the wheels have to point in the proper direction because if they aren’t your vehicle’s steering won’t be in the centre, which means that you will lose the right direction, this, in turn, will increase your tyre wear. This alignment issue can be easily spotted while driving if the car’s wheel is pulling to one side. This could happen due to reasons such as low tyre pressure, uneven tyre wear, bad tie rods or steering rack.

2. Feeling excessive bumps –

A rough ride is a clear indicator that your vehicle’s shockers could be worn out and need a check-up, you might require to replace them too.

The shock absorbers are designed to keep tyres on the road and when they fail the car bounce all over. This is due to the fluid which is used to dampen the bouncing, but if the fluid is leaked, the shockers’ performance declines. To make sure that it isn’t the shock absorbers that are creating the nuisance, get it checked. A worn out leaf spring too could be the reason for the excessive bounce.

3. One side of the vehicle is sitting low –

To easily notice if your vehicle has damaged spring take the car on a levelled ground, and see if it is tilted to any one side more than the others. You might even hear noises when the car hit bumps and it will give difficulty in manoeuvring because of damaged spring. The worn out spring and the shock are the main contributor to this problem. A problematic shock may put extra weight on the spring leading to lower sitting height/inclination to one side.

4. Difficulty in steering –

While driving at slow speed if there’s difficulty in steering, then there is something wrong with the suspension system. You may notice that while you turn the steering wheel it will feel like it is slipping. But this could also be due to other problems, bad shockers being the one.

5. Ball joints problem –

If the ball joints that attach the suspension to the wheels are making squeaking and creaking sound while driving, especially while taking turns then it is time to replace them. Take your car to a service centre and get it checked because waiting for the ball joint to break down can damage the suspension system severely.