Shock Absorbers: What They Do, When They Fail, and How to Test Them

When you hit a bump, your shock absorbers, devices that control spring movement and keep tires in contact with the road. Also known as dampers, they don’t support your car’s weight—they manage the energy from every pothole, corner, and speed bump. Without them, your tires bounce, your steering gets shaky, and your brakes take longer to stop the car. Most drivers think shocks are just for comfort, but they’re critical for safety. A worn shock absorber doesn’t just make your ride bumpy—it reduces control, increases stopping distance, and wears out tires and other suspension parts faster.

Shock absorbers work with your suspension system, the network of springs, arms, and links that connect your wheels to the chassis. If one part fails, the whole system suffers. A bad shock puts extra stress on your control arms, metal links that hold the wheels in place and allow them to move up and down, and can even cause premature wear on your brake rotors, discs that the brake pads clamp down on to slow the car. That’s why you can’t just ignore a leaking shock or a bouncy ride. It’s not a repair—it’s a prevention.

You don’t need a garage to check your shocks. Try the bounce test: push down hard on each corner of your car and let go. If it bounces more than once or twice, the shocks are worn. Look for oil leaks—damp, greasy spots on the shock body mean the internal seal is broken. Uneven tire wear, especially cupping or scalloping, is another red flag. And if your car feels like it’s floating over rough roads or dives hard when you brake, it’s time to look closer.

The posts below give you real, practical ways to spot failing shocks, test your suspension without tools, and decide when to replace them—before they damage your tires, brakes, or steering. You’ll find clear guides on what to check, how to tell if it’s the shocks or something else, and what happens if you wait too long. No guesswork. No jargon. Just what works for UK drivers.