Suspension systems will continue to operate effectively for many years and tens of thousands of miles. Eventually Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus components do wear out, but how long that takes depends a lot on how you drive in San Ramon .
As you can imagine, if most of your driving is on smooth California highways, your shock absorbers will last a lot longer than if you do most of your driving on bumpy roads or hauling heavy loads. In addition to just wearing out, Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus suspension components can be damaged in an accident or by a hard impact – like a pothole, hitting a curb or a rock in the road. Because the life span of shocks can vary so widely, your Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus manufacturer recommends periodic inspections.
During an inspection at Precision Auto Repair, your Friendly and Experienced San Ramon service technician will check for worn, broken or missing parts. Let me give a rundown of the major suspension components.
First there are the springs. The springs hold the weight of the vehicle. There are several kinds of springs. Springs are obviously heavy duty parts that rarely break or wear out. Shock absorbers work in conjunction with springs to smooth out the ride and help keep the tires on the road. The shocks are key to handling performance and ride comfort.
You’ve probably heard of struts. They combine a shock absorber and a coil spring in one unit. Shocks and struts will wear out over time. There are some signs that shocks or struts are wearing out. The tires may have a cupped wear pattern. This is from the shocks bouncing unevenly. You may notice a floaty or drifting sensation when cornering. If the front of your Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus dives excessively when stopping, or rocks back and forth after you stopped, your shocks may be worn out. And if they are leaking fluid, it’s definitely time to replace them.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, visit Precision Auto Repair for a suspension inspection. Same if you’ve been in an accident that involved one of your wheels. If your Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus suspension actually fails, it could lead to a serious accident, so take care of these things.
When you replace your shocks, it’s usually a good idea to replace all four at the same time. That’ll give you more even handling. Talk with your Precision Auto Repair service advisor because you don’t want a big difference between the performance of your shocks from wheel to wheel, and replacing all may be the safest bet.
There different grades of shocks and struts. You always want to use a replacement shock or strut that equals the one that came as original equipment when your Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus was new. But remember, they were designed to meet the expected needs of the broad range of San Ramon people who buy that particular vehicle. Your needs may be more specialized.
For example if you want increased handling performance for your Honda, Acura, Toyota or Lexus, your Friendly and Experienced Precision Auto Repair advisor can recommend an upgraded shock or strut to give you what you want. If you haul heavy loads or trailers, you can get a more heavy duty shock absorber.