How to Diagnose Your Car's Strange Behaviour
Is your car acting strangely when you're driving these days? You may well have become used to its normally consistent behaviour but now suspect that something is amiss. The good news is that you don't need to be an Aussie version of Sherlock Holmes to put your finger on the answer, as the symptoms being displayed will usually point towards going on. What do you need to check?
Pinpointing the Issue
The first thing to remember is that all of your suspension and steering parts are designed to work together in unison in order to propel you along your journey. Many of these parts are under a great deal of stress, and while they are engineered to work in a certain way, they can and will wear out. They are not all going to do this at the same time, however, so you don't need to replace them all at once.
Pulling to One Side
If you find that your car is starting to "pull" to one side while you are driving, this could be something very simple like uneven tyre pressures. Check to see if one tyre has a lot less air in it than the other, as it may have a slow puncture. While you're looking, have a look at the level of wear on each tyre. Sometimes, if one is out of alignment, it can wear down far more quickly than the other, and this will cause this symptom. It's also possible that the steering rack has an issue. Is one of the tie rods (which connect the rack to the wheel) damaged in some way?
Pulling under Braking
If you notice that the car pulls to one side when you are braking (as opposed to just driving), then you should have a look at the brakes. It could be that one of the calipers is sticking or that the brake pad on the side to which the car is pulling is worn down a lot as compared to its counterpart. You need to replace the set if so.
The Bucking Bronco
Do you feel as if you are riding on a bouncy castle any time your car goes over a bump? If it seems to take several seconds for your car to smooth itself out in this situation, then you could be looking at worn shock absorbers or struts. Another way to check this is to go to each corner when the car is stationary and press down sharply on the wing of the car, immediately above each wheel. The car should go down once, spring back up and then settle to a stationary position. If it doesn't, the struts will need to be replaced.
Getting Some Advice
If your problem seems to be more complex, or you simply can't work it out, you do need to go and get the help of a qualified auto mechanic.
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