Anytime you turn the wheel in your vehicle, you can thank your steering and suspension for keeping you in the direction of your intended path. This complex system is more than a few nuts and bolts, which is why scheduling regular steering and suspension service is crucial for your safety on the road. While you should always follow the recommended service schedule from your car’s manufacturer, do not hesitate to bring your vehicle to Tony’s Express Lube if your vehicle does not appear to steer properly.
Power steering is the aspect of your vehicle that reduces the amount of effort to turn your vehicle to the left or the right. If you look at old cars, they have incredibly large steering wheels because they did not have any system working with the vehicle to make it turn. The invention of power steering is why you can easily turn your car with a smaller steering wheel.
There are three types of power steering systems in today’s modern cars:
The main difference between these systems is where they use hydraulic fluid and pressure, an electric motor, or a combination of both. Every mechanic at Tony’s Express Lube is highly proficient in inspecting and repairing each system during a steering and suspension service.
Aside from the regular maintenance schedule, you should bring your vehicle in if you ever see the power steering warning light on your dashboard. Your vehicle may be incredibly hard to steer once this light is illuminated. It could be a simple issue with the fluid levels or the system could have failed altogether. Until one of our mechanics gets under the hood of your vehicle, we cannot be certain of what has caused the light to come on.
Your vehicle’s suspension relies on two components: shocks and struts. While they perform similar functions, each component is crucial to the suspension system. If one component fails (or worse — both), your suspension will need to be repaired in order to protect the rest of your vehicle from collateral damage.
Shocks are short for shock absorbers. These components control the coil spring and suspension of the vehicle. When you are driving on the road, your shocks reduce any bouncing, rolling, and swaying of the vehicle. They also reduce brake diving and acceleration squatting.
On the other hand, struts support the shocks. Struts are movement dampeners and small structural supports for the suspension system. These components hold the tires in place and create a more comfortable driving experience.
Fortunately, struts and shocks are designed to take on numerous miles before they need to be replaced (in a perfect world). Most car manufacturers recommend replacing these components every 50,000 to 100,000 miles. However, hitting potholes, hopping curbs, and other unintentional driving mistakes can cause damage to shocks and struts.
If you have noticed any of the following, it is time to bring your vehicle in for steering and suspension service at Tony’s Express Lube:
If our mechanic notices any concerning signs of damage on your shocks and/or struts, they will recommend replacing them immediately. This is for the safety of yourself and other drives on the road.
When replacing these components, they should be replaced in pairs. If your vehicle survives to 100,000 miles without any concerns, it is recommended to replace all four shocks at the same time. This will make your car feel like new and improve the handling.
We understand that you do not want to spend all day waiting on your mechanic. When you bring your car to Tony’s Express Lube for a steering and suspension service, we will quickly greet you and get to work. Our knowledgeable mechanics have years of hands-on experience, so they can quickly diagnose the issue, provide you with a quote, and get started on any necessary repairs. Contact us today to make an appointment!