Can suspension components wear out?

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Jan 15, 2022
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I have a 2013 Acura RDX and the ride lately has been rough. Seems like I feel every bump on the road, and driving over potholes is enough to shake your teeth loose.
The question is do shock absorbers, struts, and other parts wear out to the point that make the ride extremely hard? What can be done?
And before you say get another car, this car has only 80k miles and is in great shape.
 
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There are several places to get suspension components. Rock Auto, Amazon, local parts stores. If you don’t know what you’re doing I’d definitely think about taking it to a shop. YouTube is handy but you’ll need tools and some mechanical knowledge.

Just my $0.02
 
Something seems amiss to me. Bad struts, being worn out, will bounce a lot, making it feel like being on a boat. Worn bushings would have clunks, maybe some unpredictable handling. But rough ride? Any chance there was recent service and the tires got overinflated?
 
I'm wondering about a shock/strut that has lost oil or gas, a strut spring that has broken, or some joint(s) somewhere that has/have rusted and seized. Those could possibly cause a rough ride. In all those examples, movement has been constricted. Also, any possibility something got bent from an accident or road debris?
 
I have a 2013 Acura RDX and the ride lately has been rough. Seems like I feel every bump on the road, and driving over potholes is enough to shake your teeth loose.
The question is do shock absorbers, struts, and other parts wear out to the point that make the ride extremely hard? What can be done?
And before you say get another car, this car has only 80k miles and is in great shape.
Easy things, first. Check the tires for proper inflation, bubble, and balance. Check the wheels for damage. Take it to the dealer for a free diagnosis/estimate. .02
 
I have a 2013 Acura RDX and the ride lately has been rough. Seems like I feel every bump on the road
If you live where temps get below freezing the moisture in a strut/shock can freeze up and feel like your riding a bull.
 
Have you gotten under the car and looked around? If not then someone needs to. All parts wear out at some point. This is just a guessing game until you find what’s going on.
 
To echo many others in this thread, yes.

I had an IS350 with only 53k miles.
Car was immaculate, but old.
Whenever I'd use the brakes over 50mph, the steering wheel would shake.
Front control arm bushings were shot
 
All suspension bushings wear eventually out and will crack and crumble. Shock perches, tie rod ends, multilink suspension bushings, subframe bushings, stabilizer bar bushings - they all go sooner or later. Not to mention shock absorbers, transmission and engine mounts, although engine mounts often last as long as the vehicle.
 
the struts can lose their charge of nitrogen, the seals can fail & let in water.
if you use RA to buy them, go to the higher-quality KYB or oem stuff, cheaper struts just give up far faster than the decent stuff it came with from the factory.
 
All suspension bushings wear eventually out and will crack and crumble. Shock perches, tie rod ends, multilink suspension bushings, subframe bushings, stabilizer bar bushings - they all go sooner or later. Not to mention shock absorbers, transmission and engine mounts, although engine mounts often last as long as the vehicle.
That's probably more common on vehicles with RWD and/or a V6 or a V8.
Those with an inline 4 or 5 (especially those in the Volvo crowd) will tell you that motor mounts are usually replaced far more frequently.
 
That's probably more common on vehicles with RWD and/or a V6 or a V8.
Those with an inline 4 or 5 (especially those in the Volvo crowd) will tell you that motor mounts are usually replaced far more frequently.
The OP's car has a V6, I believe.
 
Bushings have probably gotten a bit harder with age. Even if nothing is visibly "destroyed," there is some gradual degradation in ride performance over time.

The control arm bushings for this car are almost as expensive as a complete control arm assembly. You are looking at $300-$400/per side, so it is a pricey adventure.
 
I have a 2013 Acura RDX and the ride lately has been rough. Seems like I feel every bump on the road, and driving over potholes is enough to shake your teeth loose.
The question is do shock absorbers, struts, and other parts wear out to the point that make the ride extremely hard? What can be done?
And before you say get another car, this car has only 80k miles and is in great shape.
Yes shock absorber will get harder after sometimes until the point its seal broken/oil leaks and then becomes very bouncy (no resistance)
 
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I have no idea where the OP is based but it's still cold outside at night where I live.
When cold both rubber bushings and hydraulic dampers (oil viscosity) stiffen up.
I don't know whether the question if 'shock absorbers, struts, and other parts wear
out'
is even serious. Isn't that common whisdom for a hundred years?
.
 
Have a qualified person do a front end inspection. Too much guess work with all these suggestions.
 
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