Automotive Q & A

Answer: Your suspension system is a key safety device for your vehicle. It keeps your vehicle’s tires in contact with the road and keeps you in control of your vehicle. Your suspension system is also a major component of providing a comfortable ride. There are many things that could go wrong if your vehicle’s suspension system failed. If your springs failed, it would be impossible for your tires to stay in contact with the road surface at all times. If your dampers failed, your tires would continue to bounce up and down since there wouldn’t be anything to absorb the excess spring motion. Worn shocks and shock absorbers also affect your braking and cornering. Worn shocks increase the distance it takes for a vehicle to stop, since a tire isn’t kept in complete contact with the road. It may also cause the front end of your vehicle to “dive” when braking. Worn shock absorbers also increase the wear on tires and suspensions. If your vehicle’s sway bar failed, your vehicle is more susceptible to rolling over. Sway bars control your vehicle’s body roll. Body roll is bad since your vehicle loses traction from the vehicle’s weight transferring to one side during a turn. Sway bars keep your inside wheels in contact with the road surface during a turn, and if the sway bar failed, the inside tires can actually lift off the road, and you can lose control of your vehicle.