Shock absorbers are designed to keep tires on the ground by controlling how the suspension and springs actuate through bumps, resulting in stable handling. So if you’ve been hearing odd noises going over bumps or bouncing down the road, you could have failing shocks.
Be able to identify the subtle but serious signs of worn-out shock absorbers before minor comfort turns into major safety issues.
What is a Shock Absorber?
More commonly called a “shock”, a shock absorber is a suspension component that is a big part of controlling the up/down movement of a vehicle’s wheels.
While springs do the most work, dealing with energy and force absorbed effectively from bumps in the road, without a shock absorber, your vehicle would still be bouncing up and down on the springs for a few seconds after getting over a bump.
Shock absorbers are there to absorb unwanted spring motion. When a vehicle with springs hits a bump and the springs have to deal with the absorbing force from those bumps, shock absorbers dampen that motion. It is essential to dampen motion with spring friction unless you want to have very poor control of your vehicle.
Common Symptoms of Bad Shock Absorbers
Bad shock absorbers do not usually fail simply or dramatically (the symptoms usually appear gradually in order). This can make it hard to see when your shocks are starting to wear out because you sometimes don’t notice the changes until it is too late.
However, below are the most common signs of worn-out shock absorbers, listed in the order you will be most likely to experience them.
#1. Poor Ride Quality.
How your car “feels” is commonly the first sign that something is wrong with your shock absorbers. You may start by noticing your car feels like it is excessively bouncing after hitting bumps, and it keeps moving up and down several times instead of settling quickly.
Worn shock absorbers simply cannot control the motion of the spring correctly, so you will feel excessive loss of control. Your ride may also feel more harsh than it used to when going over normal road surfaces like bumps, potholes, and expansion joints etc.
Spend time looking at how your car feels compared to the initial times you drove it when it was new. You may find yourself or your passengers wincing at small imperfections or bumps, or perhaps even worse, getting carsick. That is usually a sign that your shocks should be evaluated.
The classic “bounce test” works best if you push down hard on each corner of your vehicle and let go or release, and then observe the bounce. If the car continues to bounce 1, 2, or more times prior to settling, it likely points to worn-out shocks.
#2. Nose Diving & Body Roll.
It is harder to manage a vehicle’s weight transfer as its shock absorbers fail. When stopping, the front end will tend to dive more than normal (known as “nose diving”).
In the same way, the car will drift or “roll” more than usual in turns, making cornering feel less stable and less controlled.
This extra body movement is due to the worn shocks’ inability to control the weight shift of your vehicle during everyday driving situations.
This symptom is going to become more noticeable during emergency braking or sudden turns, where it is critical to distribute the vehicle’s weight for control.
#3. Irregular Tire Wear.
Worn shock absorbers make your tires lose consistent road contact and lead to irregular tire wear.
As your car bounces more than before, certain areas of your tires are going to carry heavier loads and contact the pavement than others.
This means that you’re creating a scalloped or cupped wear pattern. You should check your tires to see if you have some areas that are much more worn than others, with some sections being much smoother than others.
This irregular wear is not only evidence of bad shocks, but it also shortens your tires’ life cycle significantly. The wear patterns are common and often show up more on your front tires, but all four should be checked regularly since tire wear can also point to alignment and balancing problems.
#4. Steering Wheel vibrations and poor control.
When shock absorbers get worn, you’ll see problems with your steering feedback and in general/vehicle stability. The steering wheel may vibrate or shake, especially over bumps or rough sections of road, which will make you perceive a loss in precision with the wheel itself.
At highway speeds, things will feel worse because your car will feel like it is wandering along the road, or you may find yourself constantly making steering corrections to maintain your lane.
All of these things will be magnified in situations where you make a lane change. Especially when highway tractor-trailers pass or travel near your vehicle, that will displace air & cause excessive movement in your vehicle.
You may even feel a hair less confident in a higher-speed corner, just wondering in your mind about what is going to happen with the front end, because it felt very light and you weren’t ready for that feeling.
All of these symptoms occur as worn shocks are not able to hold a consistent tire contact patch on the road, therefore taking away guaranteed steering feedback and reliable control of your vehicle.
#5. Knocking/Clunking Noises.
If you notice creative noises or sounds when going over several types of bumps, speed bumps, and potholes, you might notice that your car or vehicle’s shocks are worn out.
The most common sounds you would notice in a car are a variation of knocking or clunking. This can also occur with sharp turns or fast stop situations.
This may happen when the rubber bushings for the mounting points on the shock absorber wear out or crack. This allows for metal-to-metal contact, and if left untreated, that wear will increase.
The noise can also come from the coil springs actually hitting the frame of your car, because the shocks are not managing the suspension movement adequately. Anytime you hear a new type of noise or an unusual sound coming from the suspension, that is a great time to have things checked out.
#6. Fluid Leaks.
If you observe any active fluid leaks from your shock absorbers or struts, that is a very serious condition, and you should pay immediate attention to that. While a light film of oil on the shock body is quite normal, visible fluid streaks or puddles indicate seal failure.
You will typically see these leaks as wet, oily patches on the outer body of the shock absorber or on the road beneath your car.
The fluid will be dark in color or may be reddish. If the shocks do not have the required fluid level, they cannot dampen unwanted movement and will leak if the seals are bad.
Check for leaks by wiping the shock body clean with a paper towel, and check for fluid again after you drive. If you see more fresh fluid, you should plan to replace the shock soon. Driving with leaking shocks is dangerous.
#7 Increased Stopping Distance.
This sounds strange, but worn shock absorbers result in a significant decrease in braking performance.
When you push down on the brake pedal, worn shocks will allow excessive weight transfer to the front of the car. This decreases the tire’s contact with the road, which increases the distance needed to stop
The worst part of this is that on emergency stops, or within adverse weather factors, this effect is more noticeable, which is when you need the best brake performance.
Increased stopping distance means it puts you and anyone else in danger of needing to stop suddenly. If your car feels unsteady under braking compared to how it used to feel, you should get your shocks checked.
#8 Squatting On Acceleration.
When you accelerate (especially from a stop) worn rear shock absorbers will allow excessive weight transfer to the rear of the vehicle. This will result in the rear end squatting or dipping while the front end rises too high.
This will not only make your car feel unsteady, but it will also affect your visibility because the front end has an increased angle of attack.
A small amount of weight transfer is a normal response to acceleration, but excessive squatting is a clear sign of shock lack of dampening, and suspension control.
Unless you purposely modified your vehicle to have a lowered rear stance, excessive squatting is an abnormal vehicle condition, and indicates their excessive shared feeling with poor handling.
#9 Uneven Headlight Aim.
Another less obvious sign that your shocks have passed their prime is the headlight aim being unstable at night. If you drive down uneven roads at night, you may notice headlights bouncing or moving up and down excessively.
In this situation, your shocks will allow excessive vertical movement of your vehicle’s body. If the vehicle slides excessively on the rear shocks, other drivers may flash you, as they think your high beams are on when they’re not!
This is particularly an issue during nighttime driving with minimal ambient light (like in some rural areas). Not only could this make night driving more challenging, but it may make it unsafe.
Cost of Shock Absorber Replacement
Make sure to replace bad shock absorbers right away; waiting could potentially cause issues with tires, suspension components, and handling.
Mechanics will always replace shocks in pairs (left and right side of the same axle), so that they act uniformly (extend and compress uniformly) and do not prematurely wear.
While parts cost range from $100-$300 for a pair of shocks on most vehicles, labor ranges from $200-$350 for a pair, meaning the total out-the-door replacement cost generally ranges from $300-$650.
Certain luxury vehicles and vehicles with electronic suspension components will be significantly more expensive. Don’t be afraid to ask multiple reputable shops to quote you for the price of parts and labor, but a person’s choice should not be based ONLY on price (the labour is very important).
When doing it yourself, one should be aware of the labor expense, and still save by doing it yourself, but you should be aware of the tools required and the theory behind the job. Based on your vehicle’s suspension design, you might need special spring compressors, safety equipment, and troubleshooting ability.
How Long Do Shock Absorbers Last?
Most shock absorbers last 60,000-80,000 miles if used under normal driving conditions, though there is considerable variation in shock absorber life, where some need replacing long before that, while others last considerably longer, and can extend over 100,000 miles.
Driving conditions are a huge factor in how long shock absorbers last. Traveling on rough roads, for example, unpaved roads or roads with a lot of potholes, would accelerate shock absorber wear. Driving the city can be harder on shocks than highway driving because of the constant stopping and starting, ramps, and bumpy road conditions.
There are other factors to consider that contribute to the longevity of shock absorbers, such as a vehicle’s:
- Vehicle weight and type
- Frequent loading habits (frequently loading heavy objects will wear out shocks faster)
- Weather & climate conditions
- Driver style (aggressive driver shortens their lives)
- Exposure to road salt or environmental factors.
After 40,000 miles, the shocks should be checked regularly. If you notice a lack of ride quality or care in handling, then shocks should be checked regularly with an inspection.
It is best to have your shocks checked during maintenance, tire rotation, or service of brake service; this way, wear can be addressed before it causes other problems.
Although many dealerships or mechanics may suggest replacement intervals for shock absorbers based on mileage, replacement of shock absorbers should be based on the condition of the shock absorber, not mileage.
In most cases, you are just wasting money if you replace shock absorbers too soon.
Can I drive my vehicle with a bad shock absorber?
Your vehicle may still “function” with slightly worn shock absorbers; however, driving with defective shock absorbers is a dangerous risk to yourself and others.
Bad shock absorbers significantly decrease the stability and control of your vehicle, especially when driving in other road conditions or emergency conditions.
There are, of course, situations where anything besides “Stop Driving it” and have it towed:
- Active or serious fluid leaks of any kind in the shock absorbers
- Excessive bouncing, swaying
- Loss of steering control
- Loud/abnormal noise or pounding when hitting bumps
- Extreme pulling to one side
- Huge drop in front end when braking
Even though there may not seem to be excessive driving wear, delaying replacement of shock absorbers will only lead to: increases in stopping distance, poor handling in emergencies, more accelerated tire wear, additional stress on other suspension components, poor stability in lane changes, or emergency maneuvering.
It is best (and safest) to get shock absorber problems taken care of immediately. The potential risk of component failure or loss of vehicle control is not worth the immediate time and money savings of simply ignoring repairing the shock absorber.