Car Suspension Checklist for Your MINI Cooper
Are you experiencing some signs that suggest something is wrong with the suspension of your Mini Cooper or were you recently in a minor accident and need to inspect it for safety reasons? Your Mini’s suspension is important to its operation. Without it, your car would literally shake itself to pieces, so it is highly recommended not to ignore the signs.
Here’s how to diagnose symptoms of your Mini Cooper when it comes to a malfunctioning suspension system.
Unaligned Driving
A very common sign that something is up with your suspension is when your Mini is drifting off to the left or right while driving. This means a re-alignment may be needed in order to prevent faster tire wear and reduced gas mileage. It can also mean your Mini Cooper has the following:
- Bad tire pressure
- Bad tie rods
- Bad steering rack
- Sticking brake caliper
- Underinflated tire
- Bad tire rotation
Bumpy Driving
If you are experiencing bumpy or shaky driving on your Mini Cooper than the most usual cause is bad struts or shocks. A good test for this is parking your Mini and putting all your weight in the front and releasing to see if it bounces more than 3 times. If so, your shocks and struts will probably need to be replaced.
One Corner Is Sitting Lower Than The Other
If you Mini Cooper has one corner sitting lower than the other then it’s most likely due to a damaged spring. Another symptom of a bad spring is a clunking noise while driving over bumps. This is because a damaged spring cannot support your Mini’s weight. To test for a bad spring and bad bushings, push down on the trunk of the car and listen for squealing or creaking sounds.
Bad Steering
If you are experiencing bad steering on your Mini Cooper, such as a slipping feeling, some of the causes can be low power steering fluid, worn or loose power steering belt, faulty power steering pump, leaking power steering rack, and worn arm bushings. Get this taken care of immediately as it is definitely an unsafe way to drive.
Stay on top of these symptoms, get them checked and replaced ASAP or you will most likely have to deal with the nightmare like getting stuck on the freeway. To get your Mini Cooper’s suspension checked and replaced by a a professional, The Haus is an independent Mini Cooper repair service with experienced and certified technicians on deck ready to assist you. Contact us here.