Signs that your car’s shock absorbers are failing and what to do
By Dan Kauna, August 10, 2026If your car makes a loud thumping noise every time you hit a pothole or speed bump, your vehicle is trying to tell you something. For many drivers, this knocking sound is the first obvious sign that the shock absorbers are wearing out.
While springs carry the weight of the car, shock absorbers control the movement. Inside every shock absorber, hydraulic oil moves through tiny valves to cushion the ride.
When the internal rubber seals wear down, oil starts leaking out, and the shocks can no longer keep your ride smooth.
How leaking shocks impact your safety on the road
When hydraulic fluid leaks out of a shock absorber, the car loses its ability to control bouncing. Dips on the road make the car bounce repeatedly, making the ride bumpy and harder to steer.
Worse still, the tyres start bouncing off the tarmac instead of staying firmly planted on the road surface. This lack of grip causes patchy tyre wear and makes emergency stops much longer and far more dangerous.
A peer-reviewed automotive study published on Preprints highlights how quickly leaking fluid ruins a car’s handling, noting that “an oil loss of just 10 % can reduce the damping work performed by the shock absorber to 50 % compared to an intact shock absorber”.
Without enough fluid inside, the tyre cannot maintain solid contact with the road, turning a quick tap on the brakes into a scary slide.
Simple checks you can do at home
Checking your shocks does not require a visit to a mechanic. You can start with a simple visual check behind each wheel.
Look at the shock absorber body; if it looks oily or greasy, the internal seals have blown and the unit needs replacement.
Another reliable trick is the bounce test. Walk up to the front or back of your parked car, push down hard on the bonnet or boot, and let go quickly.
A good shock absorber will stop the car from bouncing right away, allowing just one quick movement. If the car keeps rocking up and down, the shocks are completely worn out.
Replacing bad shocks early protects other costly suspension parts like ball joints and bushings, saving you over Ksh20,000 in extra repair bills down the road.