Do you feel every bump in the road while driving? Is your car leaning to one side or bouncing too much? These are all signs of potential suspension issues that need to be examined during routine car maintenance. In Dubai’s hot and dry climate, your suspension system needs to perform well for safe and smooth driving.
It is important to know about common suspension issues that you may see in your vehicle, and fixes, so your vehicle will continue to easily get you around the roads of Dubai. Suspension systems in your car have much more functionality than you likely realize. Whether it is absorbing bumps or providing your tires with contact on the road, suspension systems are one of those parts of your car that you might not think about until they are not doing their job.
But damaged suspensions can develop much fast than expected when a city is as busy as Dubai, has high temperatures, and multiple road conditions. If your suspension issues are not taken care of, there will be an uncomfortable ride, added expensive repairs, and even a safety issue.
There are some glaring signs that will help you stay ahead of any issues, and here are 5 signs of suspension damage that every car owner in Dubai should watch for peak car maintenance.
Unusual Bumps and Bouncing While Driving
When something does not happen well with your suspension system, one of the first and clear indications is that your car experiences a noticeable increase. If every pit, speed collision, or uneven area on the road seems more pronounced than before, then your suspension system is probably not absorbing the shock as it should be.
- Excessive bouncing: After you drive over a bump, your vehicle should settle down instead of bouncing around like the pogo stick guy. If your vehicle bounces twice or more after hitting a bump, it’s possible your shocks or struts are worn and need to be replaced.
- Vibrations: The steering wheel or seat might vibrate if you have a poor suspension. Those vibrations could be very uncomfortable and take the fun out of driving.
If you observe these signs, try doing the “bounce test” that you can do from home! Just reach and press down on the hood or trunk of the car and let go. If it bounces two or more times, you may have a suspension problem. Take your car to a reputable car maintenance center and have an expert take care of it for you.
Tires Showing Signs of Uneven or Excessive Wear
Your tires are also a great indicator of the overall position of your car, especially concerning suspension. If the suspension is compromised in any way, your tire will have no contact with the road surface anymore, which will frame early tire wear patterns and possible instability with the car. The worn tires are also more likely to fail, especially in the heat of Dubai, which is hard on the tires. Addressing the issues of suspension and including it as part of the preventive rotation means you will be making unnecessary tire changes and additional car maintenance that isn’t planned.
- For cupping or scaling on tires: Sometimes a pattern of wearing or wavy wearing can be an indicator of damaged shocks or struts.
- Abnormal disadvantage of tire pressure: If your suspension is damaged, it can remove your wheels from alignment, causing uneven pressure in tires and tire damage.
Pulling or drifting to one side while turning:
Have you ever observed your vehicle pulling or drifting to one side while turning? This is a common sign of a suspension problem, one that can lead to needing urgent car maintenance services. The reason being is the worn out shocks or struts can’t resist the force being applied to your vehicle while turning. This diminishes stability, results in discomfort while driving, reduces your overall control of the car, and changes the chance of being involved in a crash for the worse. You need professional intervention quite soon as it’s a serious safety issue for both you and for pedestrians.
Car Drooping or Not On Level
Look underneath your vehicle while it is parked level on a flat surface. Is one corner lower than the other? If the answer is yes, you likely have a broken spring, a part of your suspension system. A broken spring is no longer an aesthetic issue; the broken springs weaken the stability of your vehicle, which affects handling and safety during braking and cornering, especially at higher speeds.
- Clunking noise: A broken spring will cause loud clunks when driving over bumps.
- Worn ride height: The droop in one corner indicates a suspension problem that needs attention.
Trouble Steering Your Vehicle
Steering your car should be smooth and effortless. If you’ve experienced more difficulty turning the wheel, particularly at lower speeds, you either have a suspension issue or require urgent car maintenance.
Signs of a problem include:
- Stiff steering: The steering wheel feels like it has tightness to it and feels more like wrestling with the steering wheel.
- Delay delayed response: The vehicle feels slow to respond to steering input.Strange noises: Making sounds while turning the wheel, where you hear groaning or creaking noises while turning the steering wheel.
Regular inspections for earlier identification are the key to getting the little, more affordable issues fixed before making any large repairs or hazards, etc. If a system is well maintained, it can prolong driving fun, comfort, and safety for a longer period of time. Again, suspension failures typically go unreported until a large accident occurs. This can even be something as small as hitting a small bump in a parking lot, which could severely impact your alignment and/or components on the vehicle and behind the scenes.
That is why it’s so important to detect and identify those issues early. It is also important to understand that major wrecks could lead to even larger issues. Frames could be bent, things could snap, etc. These are measures we need to be conscious of and take measures to mitigate risks. Therefore, even if you hit something recently, regardless of how minor, it is highly encouraged to have it inspected to identify any issues, regardless of severity. Impacts could leave the damage undetected below the surface or even undetected. As with all inspections, it is very important to have a thorough inspection to recognize issues earlier on to reduce the risks of possibly unsafe driving. Our advice is simple: if you crash, do not assume that it is okay to drive it until a mechanic has inspected possibly impact-related damage during car maintenance.
