How to tell your car's shock absorbers are broken

BERLIN: Does your car's handling feel rubbery or spongy when driving? Do the tyres or the steering wheel tremble unevenly?

If so, broken shock absorbers may well be the cause, according to the vehicle inspection organisation Dekra.

Other indicators of broken shock absorbers include oil leaking from the shocks themselves, or when the car’s body keeps shaking when you push down on it.

Shock absorbers tend to wear out gradually and subtly, which means that drivers can unwittingly get used to the deterioration. As such, Dekra advises getting your car’s shocks tested in a workshop at least every 20,000km once the odometer passes the 80,000-kilometre mark.

Shock absorbers ensure that a car’s vibrations are dampened, such as when driving over uneven terrain or damaged roads, thus ensuring constant contact between the wheels and the road.

With worn shocks, ground adhesion is reduced and, therefore, so is cornering stability and tracking. Longer braking distances, swerves when turning or more frequent aquaplaning can likewise result from worn shock absorbers.