3.8 million British motorists have complained that the ride comfort of
their car had plummeted in the past year.
Adjusting the seat position, to make sure that they are supported
correctly, will certainly help the two-thirds of drivers who suffer from
backache, but it may be that it is time to also get the shock absorbers
checked too.
David White, customer services director at Kwik-Fit commented: "It seems
that driving a car on poor shocks can give you backache and numerous
other health problems.
"More importantly it can also put yours and other road users’ lives at
risk. Gradual wear of suspension components does make it difficult to
spot problems. So drivers witnessing any decline in ride comfort or
handling should get the car checked by a professional rather than suffer
in silence."
Symptoms to indicate shock absorber wear include your car tending to
pitch forward or ‘wallow’ when you are driving, rear seat passengers
complaining of travel sickness, uneven tyre tread wear, and the "bounce"
test – pushing down on one side of your car, when stationery, to see if
it returns to its former position.
