How to tell if car suspension bushings need to be replaced
Worn suspension bushings often show physical separation or cause unwanted noises that are difficult to identify visually without experience. Determining whether the wear requires an immediate repair or can wait a few weeks prevents unnecessary panic while ensuring vehicle safety.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- Most of it landed at once — the busiest month was September 2026, with 11 people.
- This comes up 29.9× more often in r/autorepair than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Asking for second opinions on online forumsDid this help you?
- 2Yanking sway bar end links with body weight to check for clunkingDid this help you?
- 3Asking online forums for advice by posting pictures of the car partsDid this help you?
- 4Scrubbing the part with a metal brush to check for structural integrity and holesDid this help you?
- 5continuing to drive while monitoring the component for clunking noisesDid this help you?
- 6planning for a replacement soonDid this help you?
- 7Turning the steering wheel while driving in circles to listen for clicking noisesDid this help you?
- 8Wire brushing and treating the rustDid this help you?
- 9Checking for grease leaks from the bootsDid this help you?
- 10checking for leaks before replacing themDid this help you?
- 11Waiting to see if it starts making noise before replacing itDid this help you?
- 12Inspecting the rubber for cracks to gauge wear depthDid this help you?
- 13Posting photos online to ask mechanics for identificationDid this help you?
- 14Comparing current wear to reference photos onlineDid this help you?
- 15seeking a second opinion online or from another shopDid this help you?
- 16inspecting for uneven tire wear, alignment issues, or weird noisesDid this help you?
- 17waiting a couple of weeks to save up money for repairsDid this help you?
- 18Replacing the bushing since it is already removed from the vehicleDid this help you?
- 19Inspecting the bushing by twisting it to check for hidden cracks and tearsDid this help you?
- 20Saving up money to buy OEM mountsDid this help you?
- 21Visually inspecting the mounts for leaks or peeling rubberDid this help you?
- 22Checking if the brakes vibrate or squealDid this help you?
- 23Inspecting brake pads and rotors visually or measuring rotor thicknessDid this help you?
- 24Researching brake bedding procedures and inspection methods onlineDid this help you?
- 25Taking the car to a mechanic for a routine check-upDid this help you?
- 26Checking if there are noticeable issues with ride quality or visible fluid leaks first.Did this help you?
- 27Driving the car as normal while saving up money to replace the part in the future.Did this help you?
- 28performing a physical bounce testDid this help you?
- 29posting photos to online forums for a second opinionDid this help you?
- 30relying on previous mechanic evaluationsDid this help you?
- 31Removing the rings to measure their end gap against the cylinder bore using a feeler gauge.Did this help you?
- 32Replacing just the rings and reusing the old piston to save money.Did this help you?
- 33Honing the cylinder bore while replacing the rings.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I'm just not qualified to make the call. Thoughts?”source ↗
“looks like surface rust to me but the way that the pads aren’t hitting the full rotor surface plus the way they’re super shiny makes me think something about the pads isn’t correct”source ↗
“Actually, I took it to the mechanic to have the brake pads replaced last week. I didn't know when the previous owner had last changed them, and they seemed worn. I even asked if it would be necessary to replace the brake discs, and he said no, the car is braking normally, so theoretically I have nothing to worry about, right?”source ↗
“I want to drive around 350km (217 Miles) with this car because of work / school. Does this need replacing beforehand? Looks like some surface rust and a little chipping on the rubber which I heard is for keeping dirt out.”source ↗
“Working on my toyota Aygo from 2012, was checking the exhaust to see if there is rust. Seems to me still solid ( no holes visible and makes a metal sound when poking it with a screwdriver). I already gave a good scrubbing with a metal brush. What do you think?”source ↗
“Old bushing doesn't seem that much different from new one. Has some cracks and tears if I twist on it. What do you think?”source ↗
“Should I take it to another mechanic because of this? Apparently, it's braking normally.”source ↗
“The car passed the bounce test today but....”source ↗
“But I don't know if I am looking at leaking grease or not so decided to ask here.”source ↗
“The April pic seems like it's leaking grease but not from today, probably all grease is empty now?”source ↗
“2011 ford taurus with 170k miles on it. Learning how to wrench on my own car and looking for second opinions.”source ↗
“I noticed that both piston rings feel pretty loose. I can pull them outward easily, and they seem to rotate completely around the piston.”source ↗
“Based on the condition of the piston, would you recommend replacing just the rings or the entire piston?”source ↗
“Could worn rings explain the low compression?”source ↗
“wondering if its okay or if i should replace it? If its even possible to tell if this rust is too severe or not i would love to know.”source ↗
“I don’t know if you can even see them well in these photos, honestly, I don’t really know what I’m doing at all, these are the best photos that I could take”source ↗
“struts can really make a difference in your ride quality, check for leaks before replacing them”source ↗
“I’d like to hold off on the replacement as long as possible unless waiting will cause additional damage to the car in other ways.”source ↗
“Do I need to change the transmission mount as well?”source ↗
“Car does vibrate interior at idle and stoplights.”source ↗
“Yea your motor mounts are cooked”source ↗
“The car feels fine but I’m not an expert and don’t know if this is dangerous.”source ↗
“Mine got so bad to where it started clunking when going over bumps.”source ↗
“Guy said that they're separating. I don't know what I'm looking at. Would like some advice please.”source ↗
“Would you say that I would need to repair this ASAP or can wait a few weeks?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 21How to tell if brake pads and rotors actually need replacing
- 4How to tell if a car part is actually damaged
- 15How to tell if a worn timing belt actually needs replacing
- 11How to tell if a manual car clutch actually needs replacing
- 8Driving on 3/32 tread tires for a long road trip
- 14Are new brake pads with a chipped corner safe to use?