Worn shock absorbers? Spot the signs

What do shock absorbers actually do?

Shock absorbers have one crucial job: to keep your tyres on the road. They dampen the up-and-down movement of the suspension so your wheels stay in contact with the road surface instead of bouncing. That's not just comfort: good contact between tyre and road determines your handling, stability and braking distance.

When the shocks are worn, the suspension keeps swaying. Your tyre briefly loses grip on every bump — and precisely at the moment you're steering or braking, that can make the difference. That's why shock absorbers are a safety part, not a luxury.

Signs of worn shock absorbers

Shock absorbers wear slowly, so most drivers get used to the deteriorating road behaviour without noticing. Recognise one of these signs? Have your undercarriage checked:

• Bouncing or swaying — the car keeps bobbing after you've driven over a bump or pothole.
• Swaying in bends — the body leans heavily and feels unsettled.
• Longer braking distance — under hard braking it takes noticeably longer to come to a stop.
• Uneven tyre wear — patchy, cupped wear across the tread.
• Oil leakage — greasy, wet streaks on the shock absorber itself.
• APK failure — worn or leaking shock absorbers can cause an APK (Dutch MOT) failure.

Why you shouldn't put off replacement

It sounds like something that 'can wait', but worn shock absorbers hit your safety directly. A longer braking distance means that in an emergency stop you come to rest metres later — even more on a wet road. And because your tyres don't stay neatly on the road, you lose grip in exactly the situations where you need it: steering, swerving, braking.

On top of that, worn shocks cause your tyres to wear unevenly and put extra strain on other suspension parts. What starts as 'minor' wear becomes a more expensive repair — and can cost you the APK. Replacing in time is therefore both safer and cheaper.

What does it cost to replace your shock absorbers?

The undercarriage check is free — we look at the shocks, springs and suspension and tell you honestly what's going on. We always replace shock absorbers per pair (left and right together), because a new shock next to a worn one gives uneven road behaviour. You see the price up front by license plate, so you're never caught out:

The final price depends on your car — enter your license plate and you'll see it up front. You never pay for work you haven't approved in advance.

How AutoJet helps: free check, replaced per pair

Not sure whether your shock absorbers are worn? At AutoJet in Almere we check your undercarriage for free. We look at the shocks, the springs and the suspension and tell you concretely what's going on — with no obligation.

If replacement is needed, we do it per pair, and replace the springs too if they're also worn. Enter your license plate and we see the make and model and give you a clear price up front. We speak Ukrainian, Russian and English — handy if Dutch isn't your first language.

See also: Shock absorber replacement in Almere · Blog

Frequently asked questions about worn shock absorbers