Struts play an integral role in your vehicle’s handling and braking. They keep your tires in constant contact with the road. Without struts, including springs and shock absorbers, your car would continue to bounce every time you hit a pot hole or a bump in the road. Worn struts allow your car to bounce excessively from side-to-side or front-to- back, which may remove your tires from the road. Worn struts also increase the distance it takes for your vehicle to stop and increases the wear on your tires. Basically, worn struts can make braking and cornering very dangerous.

Leaking shocks are an obvious sign that your struts need to be replaced. If your vehicle is bouncing or swaying excessively, you should have your vehicle’s suspension checked. A good way to check if your vehicle is bouncing excessively is to drive over a familiar road and see if there is more bouncing than usual. You can also perform the bounce test. The bounce test requires you to bounce each corner of your vehicle a few times, and after you let go, the vehicle should bounce only once and then settle. If your vehicle settles after one bounce, then your shocks and struts are good. If your vehicle continues to bounce, your shocks and struts may be worn and should be checked. Bottoming out and nose-dives are also good signs of worn struts. Experts say you should have your struts checked once a year or every 12,000 miles.