When to Check and Replace Your Vehicle's Struts

Most drivers don’t think about their vehicle’s suspension system. It simply works, so taking this system for granted is easy, only to be shocked when something goes wrong on the Long Island Expressway or the Cross Island Parkway. At this point, they realize that the suspension system is an important part of the vehicle, keeping the tires planted on the road and passengers free from unwarranted jostling. Considering the often poor condition of many roads here in Brooklyn, having a vehicle with a great set of struts is crucial. This is especially true after the pounding our roads get after a cold winter or an especially long, hot summer in the city.

If you start to experience problems with your suspension system, you will need to find a Ford Service Center in Brooklyn. At Premier Ford Inc., our team of trained technicians can help you with all of your service and maintenance needs. This includes checking and, if necessary, replacing the struts on your Ford car, truck, or SUV. We use only genuine OEM Ford parts, so you know the job will always be done right, no matter what service or repair you need.

What Is the Difference Between Shocks and Struts?

Many people don’t realize that their vehicle’s suspension consists of two main parts: struts and shock absorbers, also called just shocks. Those who are aware of this often get these two parts confused. However, there are clear differences between them that you should know about.

You might have heard of shock absorbers, which are designed to work together with a spring to prevent your vehicle from bouncing after you strike a bump or a pothole. Struts combine a shock absorber and a coil spring into a single assembly attached to the vehicle’s body and control arms. They also form a structural component of the suspension system, supporting the weight of the vehicle, while standalone shock absorbers are separate components. Different vehicles may use struts, shock absorbers, or one design in front and the other in the back.

What Are the Symptoms of a Strut Problem?

When struts are functioning properly, your vehicle can handle most ruts, bumps, and potholes with only a minor amount of vibration and jostling for you and your passengers. Unless the imperfection in the road is significant, you may not even notice that the road is bumpy. When struts are in good working condition, they help your vehicle turn and corner easily.

However, when something goes wrong with your struts, you may begin to notice some critical issues. For example, if you are driving down Queens Boulevard, hit a slight bump, and your Ford continues to bounce several times, your struts no longer provide the damping effect they are supposed to. Also, if your car bottoms out every time you go over a curb cut, this is another sign there may be something wrong with the suspension.

When struts fail, the vehicle’s handling also gets worse. The ride may feel “floaty,” like an old American luxury car, instead of compliant but firm like it should be. You may notice the car leaning over more in a turn than it used to, which makes handling worse. The tires may also not feel as planted to the road when making turns over rough pavement since the struts are no longer pressing them into the road as well as they used to. Uneven tire wear can also indicate strut issues, especially if you rotate your tires regularly.

Braking performance also suffers when struts go bad. Like handling, this is also because the struts no longer keep your tires in contact with the road surface as well as they used to. With decreased traction, the brakes don’t slow the vehicle as effectively, resulting in longer stopping distances. Another symptom you may notice is an occasional vibration in the brake pedal. This indicates that the antilock braking system is functioning. Under normal driving conditions, ABS should not activate unless you suddenly find yourself on a slippery surface. However, when bad struts fail to keep the tires in contact with the road, they can lose traction, causing ABS to activate even on dry pavement.

Other signs that it may be time to get your struts serviced include noticing fluid leaks on suspension components behind your wheels. This can be hydraulic fluid leaking from dents or holes in the struts. You may also notice a squeak or other noise each time you brake, turn, or hit a bump in the road. These noises are your struts telling you it is time to get them checked.

It is vital to pay attention to the performance of your vehicle. Struts that need to be serviced or replaced will not only hurt your Ford’s handling and braking, but they can also create a safety problem. This is why it is important to get your suspension system inspected regularly.

How Are Struts Serviced?

If you are experiencing any of these issues, our technicians will check out your Ford’s suspension system. This will include inspecting the struts and running a number of diagnostic tests on the overall suspension system. The key is to see where the problem is in order to determine whether to repair or replace your struts.

If we determine that the issue is with your struts, we will most likely replace them. Struts are made to be serviced easily, so once up on our lift, our technicians can remove the old struts and install new ones more quickly than trying to repair the old ones. Often, the cause of the problem is rust from our New York winters, which can not be repaired.

How Can I Get the Longest Life Out of My Struts?

The struts on a new vehicle should last at least 50,000 miles. However, there are things that you can do to extend the lifespan of the struts on your Ford. First, you should always slow down when you come to a speed bump, pothole, or other bump or hole in the road. Hitting these obstacles with excessive speed will put additional wear and tear on your suspension. If you can, try to take evasive action to avoid potholes.

Second, you should reduce speed when making a sharp turn. Making turns at reduced speeds is also safer, especially when driving around city streets crowded with pedestrians.

A final thing you can do to get the most out of your vehicle’s struts is to bring your Ford in for routine service appointments. As part of the oil change process, our technicians will also inspect your Ford’s suspension, catching any potential problems before they become big.

Service Your Struts at Premier Ford Inc.

Your Ford’s struts are crucial to your vehicle’s proper operation. You may not even realize they are there when they are working well. If you encounter any problems, our team of experienced technicians can help service and replace your struts so you will get the most out of your vehicle’s suspension system. We are an authorized Ford dealership, which means we have the experience you need to service any part, feature, or system on your Ford vehicle using only genuine Ford parts.