Your car’s suspension is vital for both comfort and safety, but like all systems with moving parts, it eventually will start showing signs of wear and tear.

It’s important to catch any problems early on, not only so that the fix can be done more quickly and cheaply, but also so that a failing suspension doesn’t make the car more difficult to drive and put your safety at risk. Here are seven warning signs that could indicate suspension trouble on the road ahead.

1) Uneven Wear on Tires

A wearing or badly set up suspension means that the tires make uneven contact with the pavement, with some parts needing to work harder than others. The extra friction this creates means the tires will wear out more quickly and unevenly, potentially developing bald spots around the edges while the rest of the tire keeps a healthy tread.

Uneven tire wear can be caused by several issues, but a faulty suspension should be your first suspect to investigate if you notice any problems.

2) Drifting Sideways on the Highway

If you find your car drifts to the side when you’re driving straight on the highway, it could signal something wrong within the steering or suspension. The first thing to check is that all the tires are correctly inflated, as tires with low pressure will tend to pull the vehicle to the side. But if all tires are at their recommended pressure, then the problem is likely mechanical, and a suspension check is a wise precaution to take.

3) Uncomfortable Braking and Accelerating

A slack suspension that’s wearing out can make the front end of your car lean downward when braking or rear upward under acceleration. In its early stages, this problem will be a minor annoyance. But if it’s left unchecked, it can develop to the stage where braking efficiency is reduced, eventually making your car dangerous to drive.

4) Bounciness in Your Drive

If every bump in the road seems to send your car bouncing up and down, it’s likely that the shocks and struts within the suspension system are losing their strength. You can check for this problem yourself by pushing firmly down on each corner of your car while it’s parked. The body should bounce back upward to a slightly higher position than normal, then settle back down to the level straight away. If the car carries on bouncing a little, then the shock absorbers aren’t firm enough to safely do their job.

5) Downward Tilts at the Wheels

When your car is parked on an even surface, all four corners should be level. If one corner is tilting downward, then the suspension at that wheel is already starting to fail and needs attention sooner rather than later.

6) Spotty Leaks

There are many possible reasons for spots of fluid appearing underneath your car, but if the drops seem to be clustered around the wheels, it could be a sign that suspension fluid is escaping.

7) Problems with Steering

Lastly, if your car is starting to lose its agility in cornering, a slack suspension could be the cause. You don’t necessarily need the suspension tuned to race-track levels of stiffness, but it should be sprightly and responsive rather than sludgy and slow.

A failing suspension can give an uncomfortable drive, but it’s also potentially dangerous if handling is seriously affected. To check that your car’s suspension is in good shape, please book service by clicking on the button below.