You can tell a vast difference between when your car is riding smoothly and when it is not, which can cause you problems.

Your car handles the road abrasions with ease most of the time, gives you a simple ride with very little trouble, and makes things easy for you on the road. You often feel like you barely need to hang onto the steering wheel during most drives, but it’s time to hang on for dear life when things go awry. When your car stops driving the way you expect, there are a few reasons for this trouble. Let’s discuss some of those now.

1. The Most Common Problem is Tire Troubles

Your tires are the only part of your car that touches the road. This means you need to care for them and make sure they continue to work well for you. As a side note, your tires could differ between being in an accident and avoiding one when you need to stop suddenly. If you’re having a rough ride and don’t know what the problem could be, it’s most likely your tires. This is where you and your mechanic should start to investigate this problem.

When Did You Last Have your Tires Rotated?

Rotating your tires is one of the most essential but most forgotten parts of vehicle maintenance. Some of us go the entire lifetime of our tires without ever turning them. Your tires need to be rotated and balanced to ensure they continue to work right for you. If you begin to feel vibrations in your steering wheel and your car is no longer riding smoothly, this could be the problem. Bring your vehicle to a mechanic and let them see if you need to have your tires balanced and rotated.

Are Your Tires Wearing Evenly?

Another common tire problem that can cause a rough ride is tires that aren’t wearing evenly. Your tires don’t wear evenly because either you haven’t had them rotated in a long time, or the vehicle is now out of alignment. After you hit a deep pothole, you’ll often notice your car shakes, and things don’t feel right. You most likely need to take your vehicle to the mechanic and let them put your wheels back in alignment. Hopefully, that is all that needs to be repaired after hitting a troublesome pothole on the road.

Check Your Tire Pressure

One of the easiest ways to bring your car back to riding smoothly is to fix a tire pressure problem. Do you check your tires at least once a month to ensure they are correctly inflated? Most of us don’t, even if we mean to. If your vehicle starts to ride rough and feel sluggish, you might have a low tire pressure problem. On the other hand, if the small bumps on the road feel like you hit a boulder, you could have too much air in the tires. Stop at the local gas station and check the pressure. Hopefully, this will smooth out your ride.

2. Is There a Problem with Your Suspension?

If your tires are not the problem with your car, but you still can’t get a smooth ride, you need to have your suspension checked. The rest includes the shocks and springs that absorb most of the impact of the road issues you face every day. If you suddenly feel everything or have issues when driving, it could be time to inspect your suspension to see if you need to correct any of the problems.

Common Suspension Problems:

• Vehicle leans to one side or tries to drive in that direction
• Several bounces after a bump or pothole
• Bumps tend to jolt you hard during your drive
• Red fluid leaking from under the vehicle when it’s parked

As your vehicle ages, the suspension components aren’t as effective at handling the bumps and putting the car back to where it should be on the road. This is simply the process of wear and tear, and these items need to be replaced from time to time. If you experience any of the above situations, your car isn’t riding smoothly, and you need to have your suspension inspected.

3. Damaged or Bent Axles Can be a Serious Problem

It’s hard to damage an axle, but it can be done. If you drive over enormous obstacles or hit a curb too hard, you could easily damage the central shaft connecting your wheels and transmission, the axle. When the axle becomes bent, your vehicle could wobble, and your tires won’t spin evenly. The vibrations you feel in the cabin can become unbearable. This rough driving has got to stop, but there’s only one way to make that happen. Replace the axles.

Does a Bent Axle Have to be Replaced?

Not always. Some axles can be bent back into shape, but a replacement is necessary to fix your car when the bend is significant. The only way to know what you need is to see a professional mechanic and what they recommend. If a bent axle is the cause of your rough ride, you’ll be pleased with the way the vehicle feels once you’ve taken it to the shop and had it fixed. The difference is immediately noticeable in the ride you experience.

Bonus: Could You Have a Misfiring Engine

If one or more of the cylinders in your engine is misfiring, you’ll have the warning of a Check Engine Light blinking away in your dashboard. The misfire causes the engine to become unbalanced and creates vibrations and troublesome driving while accelerating. With some basic steps, you can fix a misfiring engine and allow it to start working right once again. If you enjoy riding smoothly, add some fuel injector cleaner or replace the spark plugs. Suppose these items don’t fix the problem. Take your car to a local mechanic and let them select the issue for you.