What Sound Does a Broken Shock Absorber Make?
3 Answers
When a shock absorber is broken, it may produce knocking sounds, friction noises, clicking sounds, squeaking noises, etc. Here are the steps to take when a shock absorber is damaged: Check the condition of the components: If the shock absorber is damaged, first directly inspect each connecting component for looseness, signs of friction, or oil leakage. Identify the source of the sound: Next, identify the source of the sound and carefully listen to the type of noise being produced, as different sounds indicate different underlying issues. Additionally, observe whether the car experiences excessive shaking when encountering bumps to prevent further vehicle damage or personal injury.
I just had my shock absorbers replaced last week, and the noise is way too noticeable. When driving on uneven roads, I can hear a deep 'thud thud thud' sound, like someone is hitting an iron bucket under the car. Going over speed bumps is the worst—it makes a loud 'clang' of metal colliding, and it feels like the entire chassis is shaking. If I hit a few small potholes in a row, there's also a 'creaking' friction noise, like rusty springs scraping against each other. These sounds become even more obvious when the car turns or brakes suddenly because the shock absorbers can't stabilize the body. Once, while driving in the rain, I heard these noises and the tires even slipped, which scared me into rushing to get it fixed. Besides the noise, faulty shock absorbers make the car sway left and right like a boat, which is pretty dangerous.
I've been repairing cars for over 20 years, and the sounds of bad shock absorbers are quite distinctive. The most common is a 'gurgling' noise, which sounds like fluid sloshing in a cavity, indicating internal hydraulic oil leakage. Then there's the 'creaking' metal friction sound, which could be due to worn springs or piston rods. The most alarming is the sudden 'crack' sound during hard braking, indicating issues with the shock absorber mount. If you often hear strange noises from the rear while driving and feel excessive bumpiness even over small stones, it's likely the rear shock absorbers have failed. These sounds become more noticeable in winter as low temperatures harden rubber components.
