How to troubleshoot a bouncy or erratic car

A bouncing or unsteady vehicle can be caused by faulty struts, tie rod ends, or brakes. Check your car to avoid suspension damage and costly repairs.

While driving a car, have you ever felt like you are on a roller coaster, but on level ground? Or have you found that your car starts bouncing like a wild stallion after hitting a pothole? A bouncy or erratic vehicle can have a variety of steering and suspension problems that may need to be properly diagnosed.

Using the following methods, you can diagnose faulty struts, tie rod ends, brakes, and other components that are associated with common problems resulting in a sprightly or unstable vehicle.

Method 1 of 3: Check pressure points when car is parked

Step 1: Find the front and rear suspension. Park your car and then find the location of its front and rear suspension. The strut assemblies are located at the front and the shock absorbers are located at the rear of the vehicle, at each corner where the wheels are located. They play an important role in the stability of your vehicle.

Step 2: Push down on the sides of the car.. Stand in front of your car and push down on the sides of the car where the wheels are. When you apply this downward pressure, the vehicle movement should be minimal. If you find too much movement, this is a sign of weak struts/shocks.

You can start on the left or right side at the front of the car and then continue doing the same at the back of the car.

Method 2 of 3: Check the steering

Step 1: Check steering wheel movement. Feel the movement of the steering wheel while driving. If you feel that the steering wheel is pulling to either side when you are driving at a certain speed, this is not normal, unless the road is leaning in either direction.

This kind of instability or pulling effect is more related to a steering component problem. All steering components have pre-lubricated rods or rubber bushings that wear or wear out over time, causing the steering wheel to wobble.

Step 2: Check the tie rod. Check the tie rod. Tie rods have inner and outer assembly parts that are used when the vehicle has proper wheel alignment.

Step 3: Check ball joints for wear.. Check ball joints. Most vehicles have upper and lower ball joints.

Step 4: Check the controls. Check the control levers that go into the upper and lower blocks.

Step 5: Look for uneven tire wear. Most of the time, if we don't have a flat tire, we don't really pay much attention to how our car's tires wear out. If you look closely, they can tell a lot about problems with the car that we don't see.

Vehicle tires play a very important role in diagnosing instability problems. The wear pattern of your tires will give you an idea of ​​the steering components that may need attention.

• Functions: Always remember to check the tire pressure and rotate your vehicle's tires to maintain proper stability.

Method 3 of 3: Check your brakes

Step 1: Pay attention to any symptoms on the brake pedal.. When braking, you may feel capture и release movement as the speed decreases. This is a sign of twisted rotors. The flat surface of the rotors becomes uneven, preventing the brake pads from engaging properly, resulting in inefficient braking.

Step 2: Watch for any symptoms while driving.. While you apply the brake, you may find that the car starts to move to the right or left. This type of movement is also associated with uneven/worn brake pads. This can also be reflected in the form of shaking / vibration on the steering wheel.

Brakes are the most important safety components of a vehicle because we depend on them to stop completely. Brakes wear out quickly because they are parts of the car that are used all the time.

You can diagnose problems with the steering and suspension of your car right at home. However, if you feel that you cannot fix the problem yourself, ask one of AvtoTachki's professional technicians to inspect your vehicle and check the brakes and suspension.