A Guide to Steering and Suspension Maintenance for Rideshare Drivers

If you drive for a rideshare service, you know the importance of maintaining your vehicle to the highest standard possible. Your passengers expect a clean, well-maintained, and safe ride. Minor problems that might not bother drivers on their personal vehicles can set the wrong impression for your passengers, potentially leading to lost income.

Suspension and steering components fall into this often-overlooked category. Unfortunately, your passengers will undoubtedly take note of your car's bumpy, rough, and noisy ride. This guide will review three common suspension and steering issues and provide tips to spot them before they affect your business.

1. Shock and Strut Failures

Shocks and struts are very different components that similarly impact your vehicle's performance. Both of these parts help to dampen motion. Without shocks and struts, your vehicle would bounce uncontrollably on its springs, leading to an uneven and motion sickness-inducing ride quality. Struts serve additional roles in supporting your car's suspension and maintaining steering alignment.

Shocks and struts are relatively long-lasting but will wear out with heavy usage. If you drive passengers around every day, you often put substantially more wear on your shocks and struts than the average driver. As they fail, you can expect to notice vibrations, excessive bounciness, sway when cornering, and other disturbing symptoms that will create an uncomfortable ride for your passengers.

Driving with worn-out shocks or struts can also be dangerous since they can make your car handle unpredictably during emergency maneuvers. Have a qualified shop check the condition of your shocks and struts during routine maintenance, such as brake pad replacements. If you're already noticing symptoms, have an experienced mechanic immediately investigate.

2. Worn Tie Rod Ends

While not everyone will know how their shocks and struts work, most drivers have at least heard of these parts. On the other hand, tie rod ends can seem a bit more esoteric. If you aren't familiar with this critical component, your car's tie rod ends connect your wheels and steering system. Worn tie rod ends can reduce steering responsiveness.

These components are durable, like your shocks and struts, but lots of driving (especially on bumpy or uneven roads) will cause them to wear out more quickly. The tie rod ends will slowly develop more wear and tear over time, creating a weaker connection with the steering system. You'll likely notice drifting alignment and more play in your steering wheel as the problem worsens.

Given enough time, this problem can cost you more money on long-term maintenance. Worn tie rods will cause your tires to wear unevenly and quickly, forcing more frequent replacements. Passengers may also notice clunking sounds as you turn the wheel, creating a much less comfortable ride. Fortunately, a qualified shop can quickly and easily diagnose this problem and restore your vehicle's steering.

3. Failing Control Arm Bushings

Control arms are another relatively obscure but crucial part of your car's suspension and steering system. You can think of your control arms as a linkage between your car's suspension and steering, providing stability and helping to maintain your car's alignment. Control arms are typically solid metal and rarely fail without damage, but the softer bushings and ball joints can wear out with time.

Since these components link other parts of your suspension and steering, their failure can substantially impact your car's ride quality. Although you might adjust to the problem with daily driving, your passengers will likely notice vibrations and clunking sounds. You may also feel your car tracking with road ruts and cracks more, making it more challenging to drive on uneven surfaces.

If other parts of your suspension are beginning to wear out, your control arm bushings are also probably beginning to develop wear and tear. Once you notice symptoms that may be due to old or worn-out suspension parts, a complete suspension and steering inspection is usually a good idea to locate any other parts that are also beginning to wear out.

Car Doctors of Loma Linda can help diagnose any problems with your car's suspension or steering and provide a full inspection if necessary. Give us a call today to help ensure that a worn-out suspension doesn't lead to poor reviews and lost income!