What happens when a car's shock absorbers are broken?
2 Answers
When a car's shock absorbers are broken, the damping effect decreases or disappears, and the shock absorbers can no longer control the frequency of the spring's movement. This results in excessive and rapid bouncing of the suspension springs while driving. When encountering rough roads, the car will experience severe bouncing, and during turns, the up-and-down movement of the springs can cause a loss of tire grip. To quickly dampen the vibrations of the frame and body and improve the smoothness and comfort of the ride, shock absorbers are installed in the vehicle's suspension system. The most commonly used type in cars is the double-acting telescopic shock absorber. The working principle of the double-acting telescopic shock absorber is that during the compression stroke—when the car's wheels move closer to the body—the shock absorber is compressed, and the piston inside moves downward.
Last week while driving, I noticed the car was bouncing excessively on city roads, with the body constantly moving up and down, feeling like riding on wave crests – very uncomfortable. Even going over small potholes or speed bumps would produce loud banging noises that startled me. Later when I drove on the highway, the steering felt unstable, the body leaned too much during turns, and the braking distance noticeably increased – I almost hit the guardrail. After consulting a repair shop, they told me that if the shock absorbers are broken and not fixed promptly, tire wear accelerates and other suspension components are prone to damage, leading to higher maintenance costs later. I immediately replaced the parts, and now the car drives much more steadily. My advice: if you encounter similar symptoms, get it checked early – don't delay like I did. Safety comes first.
