Maple Valley Auto Repair

A bouncy, unsettled ride on the highway can make even a short drive feel tiring. Sometimes it shows up as floating after bumps, sometimes as a light wiggle in the steering wheel, and sometimes as a constant need to correct your lane position. The tough part is that a few different issues can feel similar from the driver’s seat. Here are six common causes that are worth checking before the problem gets worse. Worn Shocks And Struts Lose ControlShocks and struts are the parts that calm the spring movement after a bump. When they wear out, the car can keep bouncing instead of settling back down in one motion. On the highway, it often feels like the vehicle is floating over gentle dips and then overreacting when the road surface changes. You may also notice more nose dive when braking or extra sway when you change lanes. It can sneak up on you because the decline i ... read more

A grinding noise can hijack your whole drive. You turn the radio down, you crack a window, and you start timing when it happens. Then you get home and realize you still cannot tell what part of the car is actually complaining. Axles and transmissions can both create grinding sounds, and they can sound similar from the driver’s seat. The difference is usually in the pattern. If you pay attention to when it happens and what the car is doing at that moment, you can get surprisingly close to the right answer. Why Grinding Noises Are So Easy To Misread Grinding is one of those sounds people describe the same way, even when the causes are completely different. One driver means a gritty scrape. Another means a low growl. Another means a rough vibration that they can feel more than hear. Sound also moves through the vehicle. A noise that starts near a front wheel can echo through the floor and seem like it’s coming from the center. That’s why focusing on ... read more